ABSTRACT. To understand species distribution, trends of antimicrobial susceptibility and prevalence of methicillin resistance in canine staphylococci in Japan, 190 coagulase-positive staphylococci (CoPS) were isolated from dogs with pyoderma in 2 Japanese veterinary referral hospitals. Using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (M-PCR) method, two CoPS species were identified: 170 Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (89.5%) and 20 S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans isolates (10.5%). In these isolates, susceptibility to 7 antimicrobial agents was determined. Overall, the levels of susceptibility to cefalexin (CEX), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (CVA/AMPC), minocycline (MINO), ofloxacin (OFLX), norfloxacin (NFLX), lincomycin (LCM) and clindamycin (CLDM) in S. pseudintermedius isolates were 38.2, 52.4, 34.7, 31.2, 34.1, 1.2 and 11.2%, respectively. In S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans isolates, 55% demonstrated susceptibility to CEX, 80% to CVA/AMPC, 70% to MINO, 45% to OFLX or NFLX and 30% to CLDM. None of S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans isolates was susceptible to LCM. To determine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant strains, we used a PCR method, which enabled detection of the fragment of mecA gene in 66.5% (113 of 170) in S. pseudintermedius and 30.0% (6 of 20) in S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans isolates. The frequencies of susceptibility to CEX, CVA/AMPC, OFLX, NFLX and CLDM were significantly lower in methicillin-resistant CoPS than in methicillin-susceptible CoPS isolates. These data suggest a high level of methicillin resistance in staphylococci isolated from dogs with pyoderma in Japan.

Abstract— Two Pugs and two Miniature Schnauzers with multiple pigmented epidermal nevi were investigated. The four dogs had pigmented cutaneous maculae and plaques. Histopathological evaluation showed papillated or digitated epidermal hyperplasia with hypermelanosis and giant keratohyalin granules in the stratum granulosum. Immunohistochemical staining revealed papillomavirus group‐specific antigen in the skin specimens from all four dogs. Electron microscopic study of the specimens from two dogs revealed numerous round viral particles within the nuclei of the keratinocytes in the upper stratum granulosum. It was suspected that papillomavirus was the etiologic agent of the lesions, and that Pugs and Miniature Schnauzers might be predisposed to infection. These findings indicate this canine dermatosis resembles epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) of humans, a rare chronic disease caused by human papillomavirus. The potential for transformation of the lesions to squamous cell carcinoma is also suspected and discussed. Résumé— Deux Carlins et deux Schnauzers nains présentant de multiples naevi épidermiques pigmentés sont examinés. Les quatre chiens présentent des macules et des plaques pigmentées. Les lésions histopathologiques montrent une hyperplasie épidermique papillaire ou digitée avec une hypermélanose et la présence de grains de kératohyaline dans le stratum corneum. Les colorations immunohistochimiques révèlent des antigènes spécifiques du groupe des papillomas virus dans les biopsies des quatre chiens. L'étude ultrastructurale à partir des biopsies de deux chiens montrent de nombreuses particules virales rondes dans les noyaux des kératinocytes des couches supérieures du stratum granulosum. II a été suspecté que le papilloma virus était l'agent causal des lésions et que les Carlins et les Schnauzers nains pouvaient être prédisposés à cette infection. Ces éléments font que cette dermatose observée chez le chien ressemble à l'épidermodysplasie verruciforme de l'homme, une dermatose chronique rare causée par un papilloma virus humain. La potentialité de transformation des lésions en épithélioma spinocellulaire est aussi suspectée et discutée. [Nagata, M., Nanko, H., Moriyama, A., Washizu, T., Ishida, T. Pigmented plaques associated with papilloma virus infection in dogs: Is this epidermodysplasia verruciformis? (Plaques hyperpigmentées associées à une infection à papilloma virus chez le chien: est‐ce épidermodysplasie verruciforme?). Resumen— Se investigó dos perros de raza Pug y dos de raza Schnauzer Miniatura con múltiples nevos epidérmicos pigmentados. Los cuatro perros presentaban máculas y placas cutáneas pigmentadas. El estudio histológico mostró hiperplasia epitelial con papilas y digitaciones, así como hipermelanosis y gránules de queratohialina gigantes en el estrato granuloso. Las tinciones immunohistoquimicas detectaron antígeno grupo‐específico de papilomavirus en las muestras de los cuatro animales. Mediante estudios de microscopía electrónica en muestras de dos de los perros se observaron numero...

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The clinical efficacy of a surgical scrub containing 2% chlorhexidine acetate (2CA; Nolvasan® Surgical Scrub; Fort Dodge Animal Health, USA) was evaluated for the topical management of canine superficial pyoderma. The first study was a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. The control was a shampoo containing 4% chlorhexidine gluconate (4CG; Skin Clinic Shampoo; CHD MEDICS, Goyang, Korea). Ten dogs with symmetrical lesions of canine superficial pyoderma were allocated to receive either 2CA or the control shampoo applied to either side of the body twice weekly for 1 week. Both the owners and the investigators subjectively scored skin lesions including pruritus, erythema, crusted papules and scales on a scale of 0-3. The 2CA and 4CG resulted in almost the same degree of improvement of skin lesions, and there were no significant differences between the two groups. The second study was an open trial of 2CA monotherapy in eight dogs with cefalexin-resistant Staphylococcus intermedius group-associated superficial pyoderma. The 2CA monotherapy was applied every 2 days for 2 weeks. Five dogs improved with 2CA monotherapy, one partially improved and two did not. No adverse reactions were seen in either trial. This suggests that a 2CA surgical scrub could be a useful and safe topical adjunct therapy for dogs with superficial pyoderma involving cefalexin-resistant Staphylococcus intermedius group.

Oral administration of K71 can be useful in dogs with cAD as a complementary therapy, by providing a steroid-sparing effect.

Background Aural cholesteatomas, also called tympanokeratomas, are destructive and expansile growths of keratinizing epithelium that develop in the middle ear. They have been reported sporadically in dogs, and surgery is usually the recommended treatment. Objectives To describe the common clinical, radiological and histological findings of cholesteatoma; to report on the outcome of conservative management. Animals Eleven dogs (13 ears) with cholesteatomas. Methods and materials Medical records were reviewed for dogs diagnosed with cholesteatoma between 2012 and 2018. All dogs had computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) followed by trans‐canal endoscopic procedure (TEP) for removal and biopsy of middle ear lesions. Dogs were then treated with in‐clinic flushing initially weekly tapered to monthly, as well as at‐home ear cleaning and application of topical otic steroid medication, initially daily then tapered to once or twice weekly. Results Nine dogs had a history of chronic otitis externa; head tilt or facial paralysis was present in seven and four cases, respectively. Otic examination identified a protruding nodule in seven ears. CT demonstrated soft tissue‐like material in 12 bullae and expansion in seven bullae. MRI revealed minimally contrast‐enhancing bulla contents in 12 ears. Post‐TEP and with maintenance medical treatment, nine ears had no further signs of middle ear disease during a mean follow‐up of 27.9 months. Conclusions and clinical importance The results suggest that otitis externa may not necessarily precede cholesteatoma in all dogs. MRI appears to be more sensitive than CT for identifying cholesteatomas. Conservative treatment of cholesteatomas could be useful before or as an alternative to surgery.

Topical or oral azole antifungals are commonly used in canine atopic dermatitis (AD), as the lipophilic yeast Malassezia pachydermatis exacerbates canine AD. To examine whether canine AD lesions harbor azole-resistant M. pachydermatis isolates in East Asia, we investigated the in vitro susceptibility of M. pachydermatis isolates to ketoconazole (KTZ) and itraconazole (ITZ) obtained from AD lesions of canines in Japan, Korea and Taiwan. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of KTZ and ITZ were measured by the E-test using Sabouraud dextrose agar with 0.5% Tween 40. The MICs of KTZ and ITZ for isolates from canines with AD were significantly higher than the MICs for isolates from healthy canines. Our findings suggested that the clinical isolates from canine AD skin lesions were less susceptible to azoles than those from normal canine skin in East Asia.

Staphylococcal exfoliative toxins are involved in some cutaneous infections in mammals by targeting desmoglein 1 (Dsg1), a desmosomal cell-cell adhesion molecule. Recently, an exfoliative toxin gene (exi) was identified in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolated from canine pyoderma. The aim of this study was to identify novel exfoliative toxin genes in S. pseudintermedius. Here, we describe a novel orf in the genome of S. pseudintermedius isolated from canine impetigo, whose deduced amino acid sequence was homologous to that of the SHETB exfoliative toxin from Staphylococcus hyicus (70.4%). The ORF recombinant protein caused skin exfoliation and abolished cell surface staining of Dsg1 in canine skin. Moreover, the ORF protein degraded the recombinant extracellular domains of canine Dsg1, but not Dsg3, in vitro. PCR analysis revealed that the orf was present in 23.2% (23/99) of S. pseudintermedius isolates from dogs with superficial pyoderma exhibiting various clinical phenotypes, while the occurrence in S. pseudintermedius isolates from healthy dogs was 6.1% (3/49). In summary, this newly found orf in S. pseudintermedius encodes a novel exfoliative toxin, which targets a cell-cell adhesion molecule in canine epidermis and might be involved in a broad spectrum of canine pyoderma.