A retrospective study of the occurrence of chronic superficial keratitis in 308 German Shepherd dogs: 1999-2010.

Chronic Superficial Keratitis (CSK) is an autoimmune mediated inflammation of the cornea, that is usually bilateral but often with nonsymmetrical manifestation. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence and appearance of clinical symptoms of CSK in German Shepherd dogs in Poland and Slovakia. CSK was diagnosed in 308 German Shepherds for a period of 11 years (from 1999 to 2010). The highest incidence of the CSK (p < 0.001) in Slovakia and in Poland was in dogs between the ages of 5-8 years. This study found similarity in gender ratio of affected patients with CSK in two neighboring countries. This disease occurs most often in males, with almost identical frequency in both countries, Slovakia 65.63% and Poland 61.32%, respectively. The incidence of depigmentation and thickening of the external surface of the third eyelid together with CSK was observed in 69.19% of dogs in Poland and in 63.15% of dogs in Slovakia. CSK is often recognized in advanced stage-affected areas with inflammatory process by CSK, obtained frequently from 2 to 3 quadrants.