Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bacterial infections and antibiotic response in dogs with eye ulcers
By Hewitt, Joshua S et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2020·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Bacterial Isolates From Dogs With Ulcerative Keratitis in Midwestern United States.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at 476 dogs with suspected eye infections called ulcerative keratitis, particularly focusing on breeds like Boston terriers and Cavalier King Charles spaniels. The researchers found that many of the bacteria causing these infections were resistant to multiple antibiotics, which is a growing concern. For treatment, they recommend using a combination of chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin for infected corneal ulcers, while a triple antibiotic ointment is suggested for simple corneal ulcers. This information can help veterinarians choose the best treatment to improve healing and combat antibiotic resistance.
People also search for: dog eye infection treatment · Boston terrier corneal ulcer · antibiotic resistance in dogs · ulcerative keratitis in dogs · best antibiotic for dog eye problems
Abstract
The objective of this study was to describe bacterial culture and antibiotic susceptibility results in 476 dogs presenting with suspected bacterial keratitis in Iowa and surrounding Midwestern states, further detailing trends in patient characteristics, seasonality, and antimicrobial resistance. Corneal swabs yielded 465 bacterial isolates and 220 cultures (46.2%) with no apparent growth (0-5 isolates per culture). The most frequent bacterial genera were(32.3%),(19.1%), and(12.5%), while the most common bacterial species were(26.7%),(12%), and(7.5%). Compared to mixed-breed dogs, canine breeds most likely to be examined for ulcerative keratitis included Boston terrier, Cavalier King Charles spaniel, miniature pinscher, pug, rat terrier, Saint Bernard, shih tzu, and silky terriers. In summer, the likelihood to yield a negative culture was reduced while the likelihood to culturespecies was increased. Bacteria considered multidrug resistant (MDR, resistant to ≥ 3 antibiotic classes) represented 20% of all canine isolates and were most prevalent forspecies (33%). An alarming, escalating trend of MDR prevalence was noted between 2016 (5%) and 2020 (34%). Individual ophthalmic preparations (i.e., single antibiotics or commercially available antibiotic combinations) with highest efficacy against all bacterial isolates included chloramphenicol (83%), ceftiofur (79%), amikacin (77%), neomycin-polymyxin B-bacitracin (77%), and gentamicin (74%). Efficacy of systemic antibiotics and combinations of ophthalmic preparations was also evaluated. Based on the present findings, triple antibiotic (Neo-Poly-Bac) is recommended as empirical monotherapy for prophylactic antibiotic therapy in dogs with simple corneal ulcers, while a chloramphenicol-ciprofloxacin combination is empirically recommended for therapeutic management of infected corneal ulcers. Pending culture and susceptibility results, appropriate selection of empiric antibiotic therapy is important to enhance therapeutic outcome and reduce antibacterial resistance in dogs with corneal ulceration.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33330707/