Microbial Profile and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Isolates From Dogs with Otitis Externa in Kenya

Exudates from 78 dogs with clinical signs of otitis externa in the period 1991 to 2000 were submitted for culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The microbial isolates recovered were Staphylococcus aureus, 40/78 (51.3 %), Streptococcus spp 11/78 (14. 1 %), Pseudomonas spp 11/78 (14.1 %), Proteus spp 8/78 (10.2 %), Escherichia coli 2/78 (2.6 %), Corynebacterium spp 1/78 (1.3 %) and yeasts 3/78 (3.8 %) were infrequently isolated. No organisms were isolated from 2/78 (2.6 %) of samples submitted. Otic cytology is useful in demonstrating yeasts from dogs with otitis externa. These isolates were resistant to tetracyclines, sulphonamides, kanamycin and streptomycin, hence the drugs may not be effective in treating bacterial otitis externa in dogs. However, good sensitivity was observed with gentamycin, chloramphenicol, ampicillin and penicillin. This study has characterized microbial isolates and antimicrobial susceptibility from dogs with otitis externa, information that can be used to provide appropriate antibiotic therapy to affected dogs. The Kenya Veterinarian Vol. 29 2005: pp. 40-44