Normal Bacterial Flora in Canine and Feline Uteri

Bacterial colonization of the ovarian bursa in dogs with clinically suspected pyometra and in controls

“…Bacteria might gain access to the ovarian bursa hematogenously, they might originate from a peritoneal source, or they might ascend from the uterus. In the E. coli cases, at least, the contamination is expected to be ascendant, because its origin is fecal [3,4]. Surprisingly, positive bursal cultures did not consistently reflect the contemporary uterine microflora.…”

“…Maksimovi c et al [5] recently challenged these findings by recording that most uterine cultures during diestrus were positive. Schultheiss et al [4] also frequently isolated uterine bacteria during diestrus. To add to the confusion, all three healthy bitches that tested positive in the present study were sampled in the (early) anestrus.…”

“…In contrast, the flora of the vagina, the cervix, and the uterus has been repeatedly studied in healthy bitches free of reproductive disorders [3][4][5]. Before the advent of endoscopic procedures, the uterus of the cycling bitch was relatively inaccessible for bacteriological culturing (with the exception of proestrus and estrus when the cervix is open) [3], and the vaginal flora was assumed to be a measure of infection of the uterus [10].…”

“…Positive vaginal, cervical, and uterine cultures have been obtained during various stages of the reproductive cycle in bitches free from reproductive disorders [3][4][5]. The relationship between the presence of bacteria in the female genital tract and their role in the etiology of infection of the peritoneal cavity is not fully understood.…”

Bacteriological findings in the canine uterus during Caesarean section performed due to dystocia and their correlation to puppy mortality at the time of parturition

“…(Bruchim, Lutsky, & Rosendal, ; Baba, Hata, Fukata, & Arakawa, ; van Duijkeren, ; Root Kustritz, ; Groppetti, Pecile, Barbero, & Martino, ). Although it is generally accepted that the vaginal microbiota almost represents the bacterial micro‐organisms residing in the uterine in prooestrus and oestrus, data about the uterine microbiota are controversial with some authors reporting bacterial findings only rarely (Olson & Mather, ) and others frequently (Watts, Wright, & Whithear, ; Watts, Wright, Lee, & Whithear, ; Watts, Wright, & Lee, ; Schultheiss, Jones, Kesel, & Olson, ). Similarly, reports about the frequency of bacterial isolation depending on the stage of cycle are contentious: whereas Watts et al., predominantly isolated bacteria in oestrus and rather infrequently in other stages of the cycle, Schultheiss et al., () and Maksimović, Maksimović, Filipović, Beširović, & Rifatbegović, () described the highest isolation rate in dioestrus, and Olson & Mather, () as well as Baba et al., () did not find any significant difference during various stages of the oestrus cycle.…”