Detection and effects of helicobacters in healthy dogs and dogs with signsof gastritis

Objectives-To determine prevalence, colonization density, and distribution of helicobacters and gastric histologic findings in healthy dogs and dogs w ith signs of gastritis; to evaluate association of colonization density and gastric inflammation; and to compare the number of Helicobacter spp with d egree of inflammation. Design-Cross-sectional prevalence survey. Animals-25 healthy dogs and 21 dogs with signs of gastritis. Procedure-During endoscopy, gastric mucosal biopsy specimens were obtained from healthy and affected client-owned dogs. Histologic and cytologic evalu ation and results of a urease test were used for detecting helicobacters, w hich were identified definitively by use of transmission electron microscop y and bacterial culture. Results-Helicobacters were detected in all 25 healthy and 20 of 21 affected dogs. Cytologic examination was a more sensitive method than histologic ex amination or the urease test. Helicobacters were found least frequently and in fewest number in the antrum in both groups of dogs. Gastric inflammatio n was evident in both groups of dogs and did not differ significantly betwe en groups. A significant association was not detected between colonization density or the number of Helicobacter spp and degree of gastric inflammatio n. In both groups, H bizzozeronii, H felis, and H salomonis were cultured. Clinical Implications-Histologically verified chronic gastritis is common i n dogs with signs of gastritis as well as in healthy dogs. Colonization den sity of helicobacters was not associated with degree of gastric inflammatio n in the dogs of our study. it remains to be determined whether certain str ains of Helicobacter spp can induce gastritis in dogs.