Retrospective study of bacterial agents found in urine culture of dogs: antimicrobial sensitivity and resistance profile

Abstract

Urinary tract infections are commonly diagnosed in dogs, accounting for 2 to 3% of cases in the clinical routine, as cystitis being the most reported condition. Dogs of all ages and breeds can be affected, and early diagnosis is an important tool for therapeutic success. Urine culture and antibiogram are gold-standard tests for the diagnosis of bacterial cystitis, allowing correct therapy and better recovery of the patient, since currently there is great resistance to antimicrobials used in the veterinary clinics. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the main etiological agents isolated in dog urine cultures, as well as the resistance and sensitivity profile of the isolated agents in relation to antibiotics, in order to assist the clinician ́s choice of the most appropriate antimicrobial, aiming at the patient’s therapeutic success. For this study, a retrospective study was performed of 49 samples of urine cultures of male and female dogs, collected between 2012 and 2021, which were positive for bacterial growth. From this analysis, it was observed that Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. were the most isolated agents, presenting higher antimicrobial resistance to cephalexin, sulfadiazine plus trimethoprim, ampicillin, enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, respectively.

Bakterijske infekcije urinarnog trakta u veterinarskim ordinacijama za male životinje

“…The urinary tract (UT) is sterile, with the exception of the distal urethra and external genitalia, where commensal microbiota is present (Lanzi et al, 2022). In a few words, UTIs are more often caused by agents that belong to this microbiota or three or more species.…”

“…Bacterial UTIs are estimated to affect about 14% to 15% of dogs over their lifetime (Dowling, 2023;Rodriguez, 2016). Females are more affected (Furini et al, 2013;Hall et al, 2013;Lima et al, 2021), with a higher prevalence in spayed and matured animals (7 to 8 years old) (Sykes and Westropp, 2014; Lanzi et al, 2022;Llido et al, 2020).…”

“…In ascending infections, the resident microbiota present in the distal urethra, genitalia (Figure 1), and in the intestine become causes of disease (Rodriguez, 2016;Lanzi et al, 2022). Several studies have shown that, in dogs, at the time of infection, the pathogens which colonize the urinary bladder are the same that are predominant in the gastrointestinal tract (Low et al, 1988;Ball et al, 2008;Johnson et al, 2008).…”

“…Bacteria such as Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Enterobacter spp., Proteus spp., Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas spp., Pasteurella spp., and Corynebacterium spp. are also commonly isolated (Sykes and Westropp, 2014;Byron, 2019;Lanzi et al, 2022). UTIs usually involve a single microorganism.…”