Canine bacterial urinary tract infections: new developments in old pathogens

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Uncomplicated bacterial urinary tract infections (UTIs) are prevalent in dogs.
• Persistent or recurrent UTIs are less common and often associated with underlying diseases, sometimes being asymptomatic.
• Escherichia coli is the most frequent cause of UTIs in dogs, while Enterococcus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. are more common in recurrent infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the epidemiology of complicated UTIs in dogs.
• To discuss the pathogenic traits of uropathogens.
• To outline novel therapeutic concepts for managing challenging UTIs.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on canine UTIs.
• Analysis of bacterial uropathogen prevalence and characteristics.
• Examination of antimicrobial resistance and host immune evasion mechanisms.

Main Results:

• E. coli is the predominant uropathogen in both simple and complicated canine UTIs.
• Recurrent UTIs show an increased prevalence of Enterococcus spp. and Pseudomonas spp.
• Bacterial resistance and immune evasion are crucial for persistent infections, necessitating new control strategies.

Conclusions:

• Antimicrobial resistance and bacterial virulence present significant challenges in managing canine UTIs.
• The emergence of multi-drug resistant strains like E. coli O25b:H4-ST131, shared between humans and dogs, is a major concern.
• Novel therapeutic approaches are essential for effective control of complicated and recurrent canine UTIs.