Antibiotic resistance profile of bacteria isolated from the external ear canal of healthy dogs in a kennel in Pelotas-RS, Brazil

Resumo

The proximity and sharing of spaces between dogs and their owners create a favorable scenario for zoonotic transmission of bacteria. The presence of bacteria resistant to antibiotics in healthy dogs indicates that they could be reservoirs of such microorganisms, representing a significant risk to animal and human health. The aim of this study was to establish the antimicrobial resistance profile of bacteria present in the external ear canal of healthy dogs. Samples were collected from 48 external ear canals of healthy mixed breed dogs. A total of six strains of Staphylococcus sp. were isolated, characterized and subjected to antibiogram. Two of them were identified as S. intermedius (Si) and four as coagulase-negative Staphylococcus sp. (CNS). All isolates were sensitive to amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, erythromycin, tetracycline, tobramycin, neomycin and cephalothin. All strains were resistant to at least one antibiotic. Five strains (2 Si and 3 CNS) were not sensible to amoxicillin. Four strains (2 Si and 2 CNS) were not sensible to penicillin. The two Si strains were also resistant to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, demonstrating resistance to two different antibiotic classes. Further studies are needed to determine whether the isolated microorganisms could be multidrug-resistant.