Approaches Used to Construct Antibiograms for Dogs in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital in the United States.

Non-judicious antimicrobial use (AMU) is a major driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In human hospitals, cumulative antibiograms are often used by clinicians to evaluate local susceptibility rates and to select the most appropriate empiric therapy with the aim of minimizing inappropriate AMU. However, the use of cumulative antibiograms to guide empiric antimicrobial therapy in veterinary hospitals in the United States is limited, and there are no specific guidelines or standardized methods available for the construction of antibiograms in veterinary clinical settings.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bacteria Isolated from Freshwater Mussels in the Wildcat Creek Watershed, Indiana, United States.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health crisis that threatens the health of humans and animals. The spread of resistance among species may occur through our shared environment. Prevention of AMR requires integrated monitoring systems, and these systems must account for the presence of AMR in the environment in order to be effective.

Nested PCR Detection of sp. from Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Canine Tissue Sections.

is an infectious oomycete affecting dogs that develop the cutaneous or gastrointestinal form of pythiosis with a poor prognosis. If left untreated, pythiosis may be fatal. This organism is not a true fungus because its cell wall and cell membrane lack chitin and ergosterol, respectively, requiring specific treatment.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and risk factors for resistance among Escherichia coli isolated from canine specimens submitted to a diagnostic laboratory in Indiana, 2010-2019.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the most common Gram-negative pathogen isolated in human infections. Antimicrobial resistant (AMR) E.

Presumed acquired dynamic pectus excavatum in a cat.

An 11-year-old, spayed female American domestic shorthair cat was presented with open-mouth breathing and dyspnea due to respiratory tract disease. Radiographically, there was thickening of the retropharyngeal soft tissue and soft palate, focal pulmonary change, and severe pectus excavatum (PE), best seen on the left lateral view. Repeat thoracic radiographs 4 months later showed persistent PE, but only on the right lateral view; PE was absent on the left lateral view.

Comparison of 2 assays for measuring serum total thyroxine concentration in dogs and cats.

Background: No gold standard assay for serum total thyroxine (TT4) concentration in small animals exists. The Microgenics DRI TT4 (MTT4) assay is used by most reference laboratories.

Hypothesis/objectives: IDEXX Catalyst Total T4 (CTT4) and Immulite 2000 TT4 (ITT4) results will agree with MTT4 results.

Serologic investigation of exposure to influenza A virus H3N2 infection in dogs and cats in the United States.

We investigated, in a cross-sectional study, the prevalence of antibodies against canine influenza A virus (CIV) H3N2 in serum samples collected from dogs and cats using a commercial ELISA and a hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. Samples were obtained from 519 cats and dogs from 13 states within the United States. Data were analyzed for potential risk factors with positive sera (vs.

Patient management.

Hospital-associated infections, including those caused by zoonotic agents, represent an increasing concern in veterinary practice. Veterinarians and hospital staff are obligated and expected to provide education about and protection from transmission of pathogens among animal patients and between animal patients and human beings (eg, veterinary staff, volunteers, owners) who come into contact with infected animals. Patient management involves assessing risks of pathogen transmission, identification of animals either suspected of or proved to be infected with a transmissible infectious disease agent, and the implementation of measures that minimize the likelihood of transmission of the infectious agent.

Antibacterial activity of novel cationic peptides against clinical isolates of multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius from infected dogs.

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is a major cause of skin and soft tissue infections in companion animals and has zoonotic potential. Additionally, methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) has emerged with resistance to virtually all classes of antimicrobials.

In vitro effect of multiple hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilizations on the rate of closure of ameroid constrictors.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of multiple hydrogen peroxide gas plasma (HPGP) sterilizations on the rate of closure of ameroid constrictors.

Sample: Thirty-six 5.0-mm ameroid constrictors.

Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. in the conjunctival sac of healthy dogs.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of selected coagulase-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRS) in the conjunctival sac in a group of healthy dogs and to compare the prevalence of ocular MRS colonization with colonization of typically assessed body sites including the nasal cavity and rectum.

Animals Studied: 123 healthy dogs were used in the prevalence study: 40 dogs from a shelter and 83 privately owned dogs.

Procedures: The sampling procedure included culturing three separate sites per subject in the following order: the lower conjunctival fornices, the nares, and rectum.

Seroprevalence of Ehrlichia canis, Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii in dogs in North America.

Background: This study evaluated the exposure of dogs to three different Ehrlichia spp. in the south and central regions of the United States where vector-borne disease prevalence has been previously difficult to ascertain, particularly beyond the metropolitan areas.

Methods: Dog blood samples (n = 8,662) were submitted from 14 veterinary colleges, 6 private veterinary practices and 4 diagnostic laboratories across this region.

Feline bartonellosis.

Bartonella infection is common among domestic cats, but the role of Bartonella species as feline pathogens requires further study. Most Bartonella species that infect cats are zoonotic. Cats are the mammalian reservoir and vector for Bartonella henselae, an important zoonotic agent.

Detection of antibodies against Leptospira serovars via microscopic agglutination tests in dogs in the United States, 2000-2007.

Objective: To use results of microscopic agglutination tests (MATs) conducted at a commercial veterinary diagnostic laboratory to determine temporal and demographic distributions of positive serologic test results for leptospirosis in dogs and identify correlations among results for various Leptospira serovars.

Design: Serosurvey.

Study Population: MAT results for 33,119 canine serum samples submitted to a commercial veterinary diagnostic laboratory from 2000 through 2007.

Spatial and spatio-temporal clustering of overall and serovar-specific Leptospira microscopic agglutination test (MAT) seropositivity among dogs in the United States from 2000 through 2007.

Leptospirosis is a re-emerging disease of dogs in the United States (U.S.).

Bartonellosis.

Bartonellosis is a constellation of clinical conditions affecting human beings and a variety of animals. Many Bartonella infections are zoonotic, with some of the most commonly reported zoonotic manifestations of infection including cat scratch disease, bacillary angiomatosis, endocarditis, and neuroretinitis. Companion animals serve as reservoirs for several zoonotic species of Bartonella, and may also serve as sentinels for zoonotic Bartonella species harbored by wildlife.

Failure to identify an association between serologic or molecular evidence of Bartonella infection and idiopathic rhinitis in dogs.

Objective: To determine whether infection with or exposure to Bartonella spp was associated with idiopathic rhinitis in dogs.

Design: Case-control study.

Animals: 44 dogs with idiopathic nasal discharge and 63 age- and weight-matched control dogs without nasal discharge and no clinical signs of bartonellosis.

Adverse events after vaccine administration in cats: 2,560 cases (2002-2005).

Objective: To determine the incidence of vaccine-associated adverse events (VAAEs) diagnosed within 30 days of vaccination in cats and characterize risk factors for their occurrence.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Animals: 496,189 cats vaccinated at 329 hospitals.

Bartonella henselae exists as a mosaic of different genetic variants in the infected host.

Bartonella henselae is a fastidious bacterium associated with infections in humans and cats. The mechanisms involved in the long-term survival of bartonellae despite vigorous host immune responses are poorly understood. Generation of genetic variants is a possible strategy to circumvent the host specific immune responses.

Time trends and risk factors for diabetes mellitus in cats presented to veterinary teaching hospitals.

Veterinary Medical Data Base records of cats with diabetes mellitus (DM) from 1970 through 1999 were reviewed to identify trends in hospital prevalence of DM and potential host risk factors. Hospital prevalence increased from eight cases per 10,000 in 1970 to 124 per 10,000 in 1999 (P < 0.001).

Canine leptospirosis, United States, 2002-2004.

The proportion of positive Leptospira microscopic agglutination tests for 23,005 dogs significantly increased from 2002 to 2004 (p < 0.002) regardless of the positive cutoff titer used and was highest (p < 0.05) for serovars Autumnalis and Grippotyphosa.

Adverse events diagnosed within three days of vaccine administration in dogs.

Objective: To determine incidence rates and potential risk factors for vaccine-associated adverse events (VAAEs) diagnosed within 3 days of administration in dogs.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Animals: 1,226,159 dogs vaccinated at 360 veterinary hospitals.