Abstract
Objective—To measure activities of NADPH-dependent reductases and sorbitol dehydrogenase in lenses from healthy dogs and cats.
Sample Population—Lenses from 37 dogs and 23 cats. All animals were healthy and had serum glucose concentrations within reference limits.
Procedure—Lenses were homogenized, and activities of NADPH-dependent reductases and sorbitol dehydrogenase were measured spectrophotometrically.
Results—Activities of NADPH-dependent reductases and sorbitol dehydrogenase were significantly lower in lenses from cats than in lenses from dogs. However, the ratio of NADPH-dependent reductases activity-to-sorbitol dehydrogenase activity was significantly higher in lenses from cats than in lenses from dogs.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicate that during periods of hyperglycemia, sorbitol would accumulate at a faster rate in the lenses of cats than in the lenses of dogs. Thus, the higher incidence of diabetic cataracts in dogs, compared with cats, is likely not attributable to a difference in the ratio of NADPH-dependent reductases activity-to-sorbitol dehydrogenase activity. (Am J Vet Res 2000;61: 1322–1324)
