Postoperative Antibiotics Do Not Prevent Surgical Site Infections After Routine Ophthalmic Soft Tissue Surgeries in Dogs-A Retrospective Study.

Postoperative antibiotics do not prevent SSI in routine ophthalmic soft tissue surgery in dogs.

This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy of postoperative antibiotics in preventing surgical site infections (SSI) following routine ophthalmic soft tissue surgeries in dogs. Researchers analyzed 231 enucleations, 135 wedge resections, 31 medial canthoplasties, 30 simple eyelid surgeries, and 22 complicated eyelid surgeries, comparing outcomes between dogs receiving postoperative antibiotics (topical or systemic) and those without. No significant differences in SSI rates were observed between groups. SSI incidence was 18.8% grade 1, 62.5% grade 2, and 12.5% grade 3b cases requiring surgical intervention. Risk factors included brachycephalic phenotype in wedge resections and higher body weight in eyelid surgeries. These findings suggest postoperative antibiotics do not reduce SSI after these procedures, prompting recommendations to reassess perioperative protocols, including suture material selection and wound care routines rather than relying on antimicrobial therapy.

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