The results of our study are directly applicable to initiate rational, preventive and therapeutic measures with greater accuracy in dogs with corneal ulcer.

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Abstract. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of dermatophytes and yeasts in healthy and diseased dogs. A total of 633 samples were collected from 26 healthy animals (104 samples), 131 with dermatitis (343 samples), 74 with otitis (148 samples), and 19 with ocular diseases (38 samples). Cultures from healthy animals were positive for Malassezia pachydermatis in 13.5% (7/52) of samples from skin, 42.3% (11/ 26) from ear, and 3.8% (1/26) from eye. Fungal growth was observed in 20.4% (70/343) samples from animals with dermatitis. Microsporum canis was the most isolated fungus (n 5 39), followed by M. pachydermatis (n 5 30) and Malassezia sp. (n 5 3). Of the 148 samples from dogs with otitis, 90 (60.8%) were positive for M. pachydermatis, and of the clinical specimens from the conjunctiva of animals with ophthalmic disease, 2.6% (1/38) presented positive cultures for M. pachydermatis. Only 14.3% (2/14) of the positive cultures for M. pachydermatis and 40.9% (9/22) of those for M. canis were positive in the direct exam. Direct exams were positive in 84.3% (70/83) of the culture positive samples from affected ears of dogs with otitis. Malassezia pachydermatis may act as an aggravating factor in the occurrence of cutaneous diseases, or the isolation of M. canis may be associated with the onset of dermatophytosis. Fungal culture, rather than microscopic examination, should be used as the definitive diagnostic test for dermatomycoses and otitis.

A total of 22 clinical specimens were obtained from 19 dogs with corneal ulcer (16 unilateral and three bilateral) for isolation and antimicrobial susceptibility evaluation of the isolated bacteria. Bacterial growth was observed in 100% of the samples (n=22). Staphylococcus intermedius was the predominant species (35.5%), followed by Corynebacterium xerosis (19.3%). Gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol and tobramycin had a high efficacy against all of the isolated bacteria. The results evidenced that 80.7% of the isolates were Gram positive cocci and Gram positive bacilli, and that those microorganisms were sensitive to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol and tobramycin.

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A manutenção de culturas de Malassezia pachydermatis em micotecas é importante para estudos retrospectivos e prospectivos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o comportamento de Malassezia pachydermatis frente a diferentes métodos de conservação de culturas. Para tanto, após o processo de identificação, essa levedura foi estocada, por seis e nove meses, em salina e salina com óleo mineral a 28°C, bem como, em ágar Dixon, ágar Dixon acrescido de glicerol e ágar Dixon acrescido de dimetil-sulfóxido (DMSO) a -20°C. Os meios de Dixon e Dixon acrescido de glicerol foram os métodos mais adequados (p< 0,05) para manter a viabilidade das cepas, em seis e nove meses de estoque. Qualquer dos métodos utilizados foi conveniente para manutenção da positividade na prova da urease em seis meses de estocagem, sendo o ágar Dixon e o ágar Dixon acrescido de glicerol, os melhores (p< 0,05) para nove meses. Portanto, para a recuperação e manutenção das características de Malassezia pachydermatis, recomenda-se o emprego do meio de Dixon ou do meio de Dixon acrescido de glicerol.