Analytical Study of Corneal Ulcer Etiology and Surgical Outcomes in Dogs Presenting at Tertiary Veterinary Centers in South West Nigeria

Corneal ulceration in dogs is a painful and vision-threatening condition with diverse etiologies requiring accurate clinical characterization and appropriate surgical or medical management. This study analytically evaluates the etiology, clinical grading, microbiological profile, and surgical treatment outcomes of corneal ulcers in dogs at three tertiary veterinary centers in Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo States, South West Nigeria, between January 2022 and December 2023. One hundred and four dogs with confirmed corneal ulceration were enrolled. Ulcers were graded by depth and extent, and corneal cytology and bacterial culture were performed in all cases. Surgical interventions including conjunctival pedicle grafts and third eyelid flap procedures were documented and evaluated for outcome. Indolent ulcers unresponsive to initial medical therapy constituted 27% of enrolled cases. Bacterial corneal ulcers were confirmed in 44% of cases, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus spp. as the predominant pathogens. Deep stromal ulcers progressing to descemetocele were documented in 19% of dogs and required emergency surgical intervention. Conjunctival pedicle graft surgery achieved satisfactory anatomical corneal integrity in 83% of operated eyes at 60 days. Brachycephalic breeds were significantly overrepresented, accounting for 36% of all enrolled cases. Trauma and secondary exposure keratopathy were the leading identified etiologies. These analytical findings define the etiological profile of canine corneal ulceration in South Western Nigeria and provide surgical outcome benchmarks for improving clinical management standards in the region. Keywords: corneal ulcer, canine ophthalmology, conjunctival graft, South West Nigeria, keratopathy.