• Antibiotic resistance is a well-known phenomenon with several implications • The contribution of Veterinary Medicine is underestimated. • It was believed that only livestock was responsible for antibiotic resistance. • Companion animals, wild animals and environment are more involved than estimated. • Educational tools for public and more veterinary specialists are needed.

Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) have been suggested to reduce antimicrobial resistance phenomena in veterinary medicine, as antibiotics are commonly used without microbiological confirmation. The aim of the present study is to design a specific working flow for a tailored antimicrobial treatment in the case of canine and feline urinary tract infections (UTIs). Urine samples were collected by cystocentesis from 16 dogs and 12 cats presenting acute signs of UTI. The therapy was decided according to the minimal inhibitory concentration, and it was possible to monitor 14 dogs and 11 cats. Rescue therapy (amoxicillin and clavulanic acid) was included in emergency cases. Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Streptococcus canis were isolated in dogs, and Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, and Staphylococcus aureus were isolated in cats. No multidrug-resistant strains were detected, but all Staphylococci were methicillin resistant. Only one cat received rescue therapy, and only one dog was recruited. Dogs were treated with tetracycline (1/14), fluoroquinolones (6/14), beta-lactams (6/14), and gentamicin (1/14), while cats received fluoroquinolones (3/11), nitrofurans (1/11), clindamycin (1/11), and beta-lactams (6/11). The success rate was very high. Our findings are interesting because this is the first ASP in Italy, and it may be used as a model to develop ASPs for other pathologies.

The vanilloid receptor type 1 (TRPV1) plays a pivotal role in modulating thermal, chemical, and inflammatory pain. TRPV1s are expressed in some dorsal horn (DH) neurons, but their contribution, if any, to central pain processing still remains unclear. We studied the effects of 2microM capsaicin-induced TRPV1 activation in organotypically cultured substantia gelatinosa neurons from post-natal (8-12) mice. Capsaicin affected sIPSC frequency (272+/-60% of control, n=14, P0.05) in patch clamp recordings, also in the presence of 50microM AP-5 (frequency: 265+/-69% of control; n=8, P0.05). The frequency increase was reduced by TTX (181+/-21% of control; n=12, P0.05, n=12; amplitude: 97+/-4% of control, P>0.05, n=12). NADA (1microM), an endovanilloid/endocannabinoid agonist of TRPV1, induced a significant increase of sISPC frequency (191+/-40% of control; n=8, P0.05), and the co-application of two naturally occurring N-acyldopamines, PALDA (5microM) and STEARDA (5microM) that facilitate the effect of TRPV1 agonists, also induced a significant increase of sIPSC frequency (278+/-67% of control, n=6, P<0.05). The presence of TRPV1 protein and mRNA in DH neurons was confirmed by histological (immunocytochemistry, in situ PCR) and biochemical (Western blotting, PCR) procedures. These data show that TRPV1 modulates inhibitory neurotransmission in cultured substantia gelatinosa neurons, and suggest that endogenous agonists can activate the spinal receptors in vivo.

Canine otitis externa is frequently encountered in veterinary practice, caused by primary factors with bacteria and yeast overgrowth acting as secondary and perpetuating factors. The pharmacological support includes anti‐inflammatory, antimicrobials, and antimycotic drugs, but therapeutic failure and antimicrobial resistance are leading to alternative strategies based on phytotherapic products. This study aimed to evaluate an essential oil blend (Otogen^®) to treat otitis externa in dogs. The experimental design was divided in: (a) an in vitro approach, based on the European Normative UNI EN 1275:2006, to assess the efficacy of the product against the most frequently isolated microorganisms during otitis externa. (b) an in vivo part, 12 owned dogs presenting with acute otitis externa were enrolled. A significant growth reduction (>99.9%) of Malassezia pachydermatis and Candida albicans after 15 min of contact and Pseudomonas aeruginosa after 1 h of incubation was recorded. For Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, 50% of growth reduction were appreciated after 15 min. Results obtained in vivo after 7 days of blend administration, noted a significant improvement of all the considered parameters (most important were head shaking, erythema, and scraping). The results obtained may support the usefulness of the tested phytotherapic blend to manage acute otitis externa in dogs.