Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Risk factors for corneal ulcers in dogs by skull type and breed
By James-Jenks, Elizabeth M et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2023·Ontario Veterinary College, Canada·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Evaluation of corneal ulcer type, skull conformation, and other risk factors in dogs: A retrospective study of 347 cases.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that Shih Tzus and other brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds are more likely to develop corneal ulcers, which are painful eye injuries that can lead to serious problems if not treated. Older dogs and those with certain health issues, like diabetes, also have a higher risk of these ulcers. The research showed that as dogs age or lose weight, their chances of getting a corneal ulcer increase. Understanding these risk factors can help veterinarians identify and treat affected dogs more effectively.
People also search for: dog corneal ulcer treatment · Shih Tzu eye problems · older dog eye injury · brachycephalic dog eye care · diabetes and dog eye issues
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of corneal ulceration (CU) and establish risk factors for dogs referred to an academic referral hospital in Ontario, Canada. ANIMALS: Dogs (N = 1101). PROCEDURE: Type of CU, number of CU diagnoses, breed, skull conformation, weight, sex, neuter status, age, and comorbidities were analyzed for simple CU, spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects (SCCEDs), and complex CU. Complex ulcers were subdivided into deep, presence of keratomalacia, descemetoceles, and corneal lacerations and foreign bodies (CLFB). RESULTS: The inclusion criteria were met by 347 dogs and 754 served as a control population of non-corneal ulceration (NCU) cases. Complex ulcers predominated (= 134; 38.5%), including deep (= 41; 11.8%), with keratomalacia (= 20; 5.7%), descemetocele (= 59; 17.0%), and CLFB (= 14; 4.0%). Shih tzus were most predominant for every ulcer type, except for boxers for SCCEDs. Brachycephalic breeds have 2.757 greater odds (< 0.0001) of presenting for CU, and 2.695 greater odds (< 0.0001) of having a complex CU. Each 1 kg decrease in body weight increased odds of CU diagnosis by 1.3%. Yearly increase in age augmented the odds of CU diagnosis by 8.9% (< 0.0001); older dogs were more likely to have SCCEDs (= 0.0040) and keratomalacia (= 0.0257). Comorbidities increased odds of repeat CU diagnosis (= 0.0024). Dogs with diabetes mellitus (= 0.0318) had higher odds of SCCEDs. CONCLUSION: Skull conformation, age, body weight, and comorbidities were identified risk factors for CU. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Knowledge of risk factors will help veterinarians triage at risk demographics.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36874547/