Spontaneous Vacuolar Cataract Observed in Guinea Pigs

Abstract

Spontaneous bilateral vacuolar cataract was frequently observed in guinea pigs (Crj: Hartley (SPF)) by the ophthalmological examination. The vacuolar cataracts were observed in 7 of 135 male guinea pigs, at age of 7-13 weeks, and 4 of 20 female guinea pigs, at age of 18-27 weeks. These vacuolar cataracts were bilateral, and observed at the equator of lens in affected animals, however, the finding disappeared in one of the animals in the examination of the 13 weeks after. The histopathological examination revealed these findings were vacuolation of cortex of lens, and the alteration of lens has not been found in the animal that cataract disappeared.