Bacteriological investigation and antimicrobial sensitivity in corneal ulcers of dogs

Abstract

The present cohort study was conducted on 24 clinical cases of dogs diagnosed with corneal ulcers and presented to the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology, Veterinary College, Bidar, Karnataka, between September 2022 and October 2023. Corneal swab samples collected from affected dogs were subjected to bacterial isolation and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The predominant bacterial isolates were Gram-positive cocci (58.33%), predominantly characterized as Staphylococcus aureus, followed by Streptococcus β-hemolyticus (4.17%). Notably, 37.50% of the samples showed no bacterial growth. Isolation and identification of bacterial pathogens were performed using culture characteristics, Gram staining, and standard biochemical tests. Antibiogram analysis revealed that tobramycin and moxifloxacin were highly effective against the isolates, indicating their therapeutic potential in managing canine corneal ulcers. The study emphasizes the importance of corneal culture and sensitivity testing as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for determining appropriate antimicrobial therapy in canine corneal diseases.