Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Microbial differences in both ears of dogs with otitis externa
By Oliveira, Lis C et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2008·Department of Pathology and Legal Medicine, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparative study of the microbial profile from bilateral canine otitis externa.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Fifty dogs with ear infections in both ears were examined over ten months. The tests showed that all dogs had infections caused by a mix of bacteria and fungi, with Staphylococcus intermedius and Malassezia pachydermatis being the most common culprits. Interestingly, the infections in each ear were often different, indicating that each ear should be treated separately. Many of the bacteria were resistant to common antibiotics, which means that specific treatments may be needed based on the culture results.
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Abstract
Fifty dogs with bilateral otitis externa were studied over a 10-month period. The exudates of both external ears were obtained, using sterile swabs, and microorganisms were isolated according to standard microbiological techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Staphylococcus intermedius was done by the agar diffusion method. There was bacterial and/or fungal growth in all of the samples. These were all polymicrobial infections. Anaerobic bacteria were not isolated in any sample. The most common pathogens isolated were S. intermedius and Malassezia pachydermatis. A statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed in the isolation pattern between the right and left ears in 34 of the 50 animals (68%). High resistance rates of S. intermedius strains to penicillin, ampicillin, erythromycin, tetracycline, and clindamycin were found. The results suggest that in bilateral canine otitis externa, each ear should be cultured separately and considered as separate units.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18978972/