Three different ocular diseases in captive snow leopard (Uncia uncia) and cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

This case report describes three different ocular diseases in captive felids that were detected at a single zoological institution. The first case is a non-metastatic multifocal iris melanoma in a 14-year-old snow leopard (Uncia uncia). Symptoms were brown discolorations of the physiologically yellow iris. The neoplastic alteration can be explained by the animal's advanced age, as it is seen in domestic cats. Surgical intervention was ruled out because of the age of the animal. In a litter of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), one animal with a cataract (case two) and two animals with peripheral retinal degeneration (case three) were diagnosed. The cheetah with the cataract showed symptoms of limited vision, whereas the cubs with peripheral retinal degenerations showed no symptoms. The cataract might have had a hereditary cause or have resulted from nutritive deficiency of the mother, or an intrauterine malformation. The retinal degeneration might have had hereditary reasons or have stemmed from a nutritive deficiency of the mother.