A study to evaluate the primary causes associated with Pseudomonas otitis in 60 dogs.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the primary causes, age of onset and time from diagnosis of otitis to development of Pseudomonas otitis in each case. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from clinical records of 60 dogs were extracted to address the study objectives. Pseudomonas otitis was diagnosed by clinical signs and positive culture. RESULTS: In total, 57 purebred dogs and three crossbreed dogs were included: 32 dogs had unilateral and 28 bilateral disease. Underlying primary causes of otitis were allergy (42), masses (8), endocrine disease (7) and autoimmune disease (3). The mean age of onset of otitis (and subsequent time to development of Pseudomonas otitis) in dogs with allergic otitis was 40 months (28 months), with endocrine disease was 56 months (19 months) and masses 99 months (10 months). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The most common primary causes of otitis in dogs with Pseudomonas infections are, in decreasing frequency: allergies, masses, endocrine disease and autoimmune disease. Secondary infections with Pseudomonas developed more quickly if there was a mass or autoimmune disease, as compared with allergies and endocrinopathies.