A total of 45 dogs (47 eyes) met all inclusion criteria, were
examined, and were included in the study. Breeds represented included
boxers (n = 8, 17.7%), golden retrievers (n = 6,
13.3%), keeshonds (n = 5, 11.1%), Labrador retrievers
(n = 2, 4.4%), Yorkshire terriers (n = 2,
4.4%), German shepherds (n = 2, 4.4%),
greyhounds (n = 2, 4.4%), lhasa apso (n = 2,
4.4%), toy poodles (n = 2, 4.4%), West Highland white
terriers (n = 2, 4.4%), and one each (2.2%) beagle, cairn
terrier, bichon frise, cocker spaniel, Jack Russell terrier, malamute,
Norwegian elkhound, standard poodle, schnauzer, silky terrier,
weimaraner, and Welsh corgi. Boxers, golden retrievers, and keeshonds
were overrepresented when compared with the normal hospital population
(1.23%, 9.12%, and 0.4%, respectively). There were 10 intact males,
10 neutered males, 2 intact females, and 23 spayed females. The sex
distribution is not significantly different from the normal hospital
population. The mean age was 9.25 ± 1.85 years (SD) and the
median age was 9 years (range, 6–14).
Duration of the erosion before admittance into the study was a mean of
9.22 ± 10.78 weeks (SD), with a median duration of 6 weeks
(range, 3–52). The typical epithelial defect was located in the
interpalpebral fissure and was characterized by the presence of intense
fluorescein dye retention over the area of exposed stroma surrounded by
a ring of less intense fluorescein retention. This lighter staining
ring represented a zone where corneal epithelial cells were present but
were not attached or were poorly attached to the underlying stroma
(Fig. 1) . Of the 47 erosions, 30 (63.8%) were vascularized at the initial
examination
(Fig. 2) ; 12 (25.5%) were located axially, with vascularization occurring in
3; 9 (19.1%) were located paraxially, with vascularization occurring
in 3; and 26 (55.3%) were located peripherally with 24 (94%) of those
showing vascularization.