Microbial Isolates from Vegetable Foreign Bodies Inhaled by Dogs

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Grass awns commonly cause foreign body-related disease (GSFBD) in dogs, particularly during summer.
• These foreign bodies can migrate to the upper and lower respiratory tracts, harboring bacteria and fungi.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the aerobic microbial flora on grass awns from dogs with GSFBD.
• To determine the antibiotic susceptibility of isolated bacterial strains.

Main Methods:

• Grass awns were extracted via endoscopy from 41 dogs diagnosed with GSFBD.
• Bacteriological and mycological cultures, strain identification, and antibiotic susceptibility testing were performed.

Main Results:

• Bacterial strains were isolated from all grass awns; fungal strains were found in only 4 cases.
• Staphylococcus sp. was most common in the upper respiratory tract (36.8%), E. coli in the lower tract (24.4%).
• Fluoroquinolones and Doxycycline were most effective; high resistance was noted for Gentamicin, Cefapirin, and Clindamycin.

Conclusions:

• The study identified common bacterial pathogens associated with canine GSFBD.
• Antibiotic susceptibility data are crucial for effective treatment and mitigating the spread of antimicrobial resistance.