Periodontal Bacteria in Rabbit Mandibular and Maxillary Abscesses

Abstract

Despite the high incidence of odontogenic abscesses in pet rabbits, published data on the bacteriology of these infections are lacking, and clinical cultures are often ambiguous, making antibiotic choices difficult. In order to define the bacteriology of these infections, 12 rabbit mandibular and maxillary abscesses were cultured aerobically and anaerobically. All specimens yielded pathogenic bacteria, including Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella heparinolytica, Prevotella spp., Peptostreptococcus micros, Streptococcus milleri group, Actinomyces israelii, and Arcanobacterium haemolyticum. These organisms are consistent with the characterized bacteriology of periodontal disease in human and other mammalian studies. The isolates were tested against 10 antimicrobial agents commonly used to treat rabbits; 100% of the strains tested were susceptible to clindamycin, 96% were susceptible to penicillin and ceftriaxone, 54% were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, and only 7% were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.Odontogenic abscesses in rabbits are common and often lead to significant morbidity and mortality (10). Treatment of these abscesses is frequently unsuccessful because of aggressive capsule formation and the development of fistulous tracts. The thick consistency of rabbit pus makes aspiration and drainage of these abscesses very difficult and antibiotic therapy problematic; therefore, surgical excision of the abscesses is often the best treatment option. However, since the abscess tracts may be microscopic and thus visually undetectable, total excision is difficult and recurrence of the infection is likely. Osteomyelitis and retrobulbar involvement are common sequelae.The lack of published data on the microbiology of odontogenic abscesses in rabbits has made interpretation of culture reports difficult, and the antibiotic treatment options remain unclear. Less-than-optimum specimen collection techniques that do not exclude normal gingival flora can produce ambiguous culture results. Additionally, because rabbits are coprophagic herbivores, cultures of molar pocket pus instead of the abscess capsule may grow organisms not generally considered to be oral pathogens in other mammals; members of the family Enterobacteriaceae and Bacteroides fragilis group and environmental contaminants such as Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter spp. are often isolated from such specimens. Therapy directed against these organisms alone has frequently consisted of an aminoglycoside and has typically been ineffective. In addition, routine culture and identification of oral pathogens have often been unsuccessful (28,29). And when mixed oral organisms are isolated from these specimens, culture reports of "oral flora isolated" may not preclude such pathogens as the Streptococcus milleri group or Actinomyces israelii. Finally, susceptibility testing of these organisms is problematic and thus not usually performedIn lieu of adequate clinical data, empirical antibiotic therapy has often been directed against established rabbit pathogens such...

Surgical treatment of a paraspinal abscess with osteomyelitis and spinal cord compression in a rabbit

“…Alternatively, a primary infectious focus may have occurred distant to the spinal cord (eg, dental infection), with secondary hematogenous or lymphatic spread. However, results of microbial culture of swab specimens obtained intraoperatively from the surgical site were negative, consistent with results of previous studies [7][8][9] in which culture of specimens obtained from abscess contents infrequently identified pathogenic bacteria. In published reports, 3,7 the bacteria most frequently isolated included Pasteurella multocida, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas spp, and Fusiform spp.…”

“…We speculate that it may achieve effective drug concentrations in abscesses, with efficacy against commonly isolated bacteria. 8 It also seems to be well tolerated in rabbits when administered parenterally. 8 Because of the high clinical suspicion of a bacterial infection on the basis of the purulent exudate evident intraoperatively, the previously reported 7-9 low likelihood of identifying the causative organism, and the potentially catastrophic clinical consequences of failure to resolve the infection, we elected to continue antimicrobial treatment for 8 weeks for the rabbit of this report.…”

Acquired Oronasal Fistula in a Domestic Ferret (Mustela Putorius Furo)

“…These anaerobic bacteria are commonly associated with periodontal disease in humans and other mammals, including rabbits. 13,14 In addition to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, metronidazole was used to pack the wound. Metronidazole has been used both orally and topically in humans with periodontal and other oral diseases owing to its specificity for anaerobes and the inability of susceptible bacteria to develop resistance.…”

Arcanobacterium haemolyticum in a badger (Meles meles)

“…Previous reports of isolations of A. haemolyticum from animals have involved domesticated 3,9 and farmed animal hosts 6,7 for which human contact is a possible source of infection. The current study reports the isolation of A.…”

“…Although human beings are considered to be the reservoir of infection, 4 reports of sporadic isolations from other animals, including horses, 3 sheep, 7 cattle, 6 and a pet rabbit 9 have been published.…”