Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pseudomonas ear infections in Midwestern dogs and antibiotic
By KuKanich, Kate S et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary pharmacology and therapeutics·2022·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pseudomonas aeruginosa susceptibility, antibiogram and clinical interpretation, and antimicrobial prescribing behaviors for dogs with otitis in the Midwestern United States.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at ear infections in dogs caused by a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which often doesn't respond to standard treatments. Researchers tested 216 ear swabs from dogs and found that topical medications containing aminoglycosides, like gentamicin and amikacin, were more effective than fluoroquinolones for treating these infections. Many veterinarians prefer to use topical aminoglycosides as the first treatment option, especially when the bacteria are present. However, some dogs showed resistance to multiple drugs, highlighting the importance of testing to find the right treatment for stubborn cases.
People also search for: dog ear infection treatment · Pseudomonas aeruginosa in dogs · aminoglycoside ear drops for dogs
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) can cause otitis in dogs that is nonresponsive to empirical therapy. This study evaluated P. aeruginosa isolates (N = 216) from canine ear swabs submitted to the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory from 2018-2020 to create an antibiogram and minimum inhibitory concentration distributions using Clinical Laboratory Standards Institutes breakpoints. Multidrug resistance was defined as non-susceptibility to ≥1 drug from ≥3 antimicrobial classes. Submitting veterinarians (N = 83) were invited to complete a survey about antimicrobial use and otitis management. Susceptibility was higher for aminoglycosides [gentamicin (82%, 177/216) and amikacin (81%, 175/216)] than fluoroquinolones [marbofloxacin (67%, 145/216), enrofloxacin (32%, 70/216), and orbifloxacin (18%, 39/216)]. Most responding veterinarians (54%, 15/28) prescribe topical aminoglycosides as first-line therapy for canine otitis, but 71% (15/21) prescribe fluoroquinolones if rods are seen cytologically. Ceftazidime, imipenem, and piperacillin-tazobactam showed high susceptibility and are used rarely. Multidrug resistance was present in 13% (28/216) of isolates. Based on in vitro susceptibility, topical aminoglycosides might be more effective than fluoroquinolones for P. aeruginosa otitis, but efficacy studies are required. Susceptibility testing is encouraged for cases not responding to empirical therapy but has limitations because topical preparations have high concentrations and otic breakpoints are not available.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35698441/