Assessment of Surgical Complication Reporting Culture Among Veterinary Surgeons in Kaduna State

A culture of transparent surgical complication reporting is fundamental to quality improvement in veterinary surgical practice, enabling identification of preventable errors and the development of institutional learning systems. This study assesses the culture, practices, and barriers related to surgical complication reporting among veterinary surgeons in Kaduna State, North West Nigeria. A confidential structured questionnaire targeting 42 registered veterinary surgeons across government, institutional, and private practice settings was administered between February and October 2023. The questionnaire addressed frequency of complication occurrence, reporting behaviors, institutional mechanisms for complication review, and perceived barriers to open reporting. Only 29% of respondents reported surgical complications in written records consistently, while 48% reported complications verbally to senior colleagues only on a case-by-case basis. Formal mortality and morbidity conferences were absent in all but one surveyed institution. Fear of professional consequences, lack of anonymized reporting channels, and absence of structured complication review systems were the most frequently cited barriers. Practitioners with postgraduate surgical training were more likely to report complications formally and to view such reporting positively. The study concludes that surgical complication reporting culture in Kaduna State veterinary practice is inadequate and requires urgent professional transformation. Recommendations include the establishment of a national anonymized veterinary complication registry, mandatory morbidity and morbidity conference requirements in veterinary teaching institutions, and postgraduate curriculum modules on clinical governance. Keywords: surgical complication, reporting culture, veterinary surgery, Kaduna State, clinical governance.