Bilateral Corneal Ulceration in a Cat after General Anaesthesia

General anaesthesia is accompanied by a loss of the blink reflex, decreased tear production, inability to close the eye and decreased stability of the tear film. Protection of the eye with corneal lubricant is standard during general anaesthesia, but clear recommendations are missing. Moreover, the anaesthetic event may trigger other factors that increase susceptibility to corneal ulceration. In this case report, we describe a clinical case of bilateral corneal ulceration in a cat following general anaesthesia. We discuss how our practice may be improved, and examine the possibility that feline herpes virus resurgence during veterinary care may be a risk factor for corneal lesions.