Aerobic bacteria occurring in the vagina of bitches with reproductive disorders

A retrospective survey was performed of aerobic bacterial species found in the vagina of 203 bitches with genital disorders, e.g. infertility, vaginitis, pyometra and puppy death. Escherichia coli, beta-hemolytic streptococci, Staphylococcus intermedius and Pasteurella multocida were the species most often isolated. From bitches with pyometra E. coli in pure culture was the most frequent isolate. In contrast, the majority of infertile bitches gave rise to mixed cultures, and no specific bacterial species was consistently associated with infertility. Thus, bacterial sampling from infertile bitches was concluded to be of low diagnostic value. Bacterial species isolated from the bitches having vaginitis were present in pure culture in 26.9% of the samples while nonspecific mixed cultures were obtained from 34.6% of the samples from these bitches. E. coli was the most frequently isolated bacterial species from bitches with dead puppies. However, in such cases it is important to relate the vaginal bacterial findings to autopsy findings and the results of bacteriological cultures of the pups.