ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY OF STAPHYLOCOCCI ISOLATED FROM VARIOUS DISEASE CONDITIONS IN DOGS - A FURTHER SURVEY

Two hundred and sixty-eight strains of staphylococci were isolated fro m canine samples submitted by the Sydney University Veterinary Teachin g Hospital over a six-year period. Most were coagulase positive staphy lococci (84% S. intermedius, 10% S. aureus). Staphylococci were isolat ed most frequently from skin disease, urinary tract infections, bones, joints and surgical wounds. Skin and urinary isolates were predominan tly S. intermedius. Strains from infected surgical sites were predomin antly S. aureus although joints infected after cruciate surgery yielde d a preponderance of S. intermedius isolates. Seventy-two percent of S . intermedius strains and 92% of S. aureus strains were beta-lactamase producers. All S. intermedius and S. aureus strains were sensitive to cloxacillin/oxacillin and therefore to clavulanic acid/amoxycillin an d cephalothin. All S. intermedius strains tested were also sensitive t o gentamicin, neomycin and norfloxacin. In contrast, resistance to lin comycin (26%), erythromycin (7%), tetracycline (16%), chloramphenicol (5%), trimethoprim (58%) and sulfoximazole (60%) was appreciable.