Infections by Staphyloccocus pseudintermedius in the skin of dogs have been object of studies, since such microorganisms often present multiple resistance to antibiotics. This study aimed to identify and evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (SP) strains isolated from dogs with otitis. Swabs from both ears of 52 dogs with otitis (n=104) were included. Bacteria were cultured using Muller-Hinton agar (supplemented with 5% equine blood and incubated at 37°C for 24 to 48 hours. All colonies underwent biochemical evaluation for identification of staphylococci. The identity of colonies as SP was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. The antimicrobial susceptibility of SP strains was evaluated by disk diffusion. The presence of the gene mecA was evaluated in all SP isolates by PCR. Forty-four SP strains were isolated from swabs of 31 dogs (31/52, 59.6%). Seventy-five percent of the strains were susceptible to cephalexin and 93.2% to amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid. Less than 23% of the strains were susceptible to penicillin. For non-beta-lactam antimicrobials, 63.6% of the strains showed resistance to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, 61.4% to tetracycline, and 38, 64% to enrofloxacin. Aminoglycoside resistance rate was 27.3% for gentamicin. Resistance to oxacillin in vitro was detected in 13 of the 44 strains (29, 55%). A total of 12 strains (27.3%) were positive for mecA gene and five of these 12 strains were susceptible to in vitro oxacillin. Twenty-six (59, 1%) strains were resistant to three or more classes of antimicrobials, and classified as multi resistant. Our results showed high frequency of SP and multi resistant isolates to antimicrobials commonly used in veterinary.

Caregiver burden, a response to the challenges faced by those caring for sick loved ones, combines objective caregiving aspects with subjective experiences. This study aimed to describe the caregiver burden in guardians of ailing animals with dermatological and oncological pathologies. Additionally, this study aimed to correlate the degree of caregiver burden with the duration of the animal’s treatment, disease stability, family income, owner’s age, and the number of people living in the same household responsible for the animal’s treatment. Using a cross-sectional approach, questionnaires were administered to guardians at a veterinary hospital. Out of 182 valid responses, 50.55% related to oncological patients and 49.45% to dermatological patients. Notably, 36.9% of oncological and 37.8% of dermatological guardians exhibited a clinically significant burden, with no statistical differences between the groups. Of the respondents, 84.6% were dog guardians, with 34.4% showing a significant burden. Feline guardians (15.4% of respondents) exhibited a higher burden (53.5%) compared to dog guardians (p = 0.02). Disease stability, time since diagnosis, and guardian age significantly influenced the burden, while household composition, income, and treatment duration showed no substantial impact. These findings underscore the psychosocial impact of caring for animals, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive understanding of the caregiver’s perspective.

The role of cats in the epidemiological cycle of leishmaniasis remains unclear. To better understand the occurrence of leishmaniasis in cats, we studied the frequency of Leishmania in serum samples of 100 cats living in an endemic region for canine and human leishmaniasis by serological, parasitological, and molecular methods. Of the 100 cats, 54 were seropositive for Leishmania antibodies by immunofluorescence antibody test. None of the bone marrow aspirates collected from these cats tested positive for the parasite in culture or upon polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Biopsy samples of the ears also tested negative for Leishmania upon PCR analysis. These findings may indicate that the region is endemic for canine leishmaniasis and cats are infected by Leishmania; or that cross-reaction with antibodies against other parasites increases the frequency of seropositivity; or that cats respond to Leishmania infection by producing antibodies when few or no parasites are present in bone marrow and tissue samples. Overall, our results suggest that cats can be infected by Leishmania ; however, we failed to demonstrate feline parasitosis. These findings highlight the need to study leishmaniasis in cats, since sandflies feed on cats, these animals may act as a reservoir for the parasite.

Blood samples and swabs from ocular conjunctiva and mouth were obtained from 64 cats. Of 64 serum samples, 19 were positive for Leishmania antibodies by ELISA (29.80%). Eight cats were positive by PCR (12.5%) in swab samples from mouth and/or ocular mucosa. Poor kappa agreement between serological and molecular results (k = 0.16) was obtained. From five positive PCR samples one was L. braziliensis and four were L. infantum. Phylogenetic analysis performed with the five isolates of Leishmania, showed that samples of L. infantum isolated from the cats were phylogenetically close to those isolated from domestic dogs in Brazil, while the L. braziliensis is very similar to the one described in humans in Venezuela. The study demonstrated that, despite high seropositivity for Leishmania in cats living in the study region, poor agreement between serological and molecular results indicate that positive serology is not indicative of Leishmania infection in cats. Parasite DNA can be detected in ocular conjunctiva and oral swabs from cats, indicating that such samples could be used for diagnosis. Results of phylogenetic analyzes show that L. infantum circulating in Brazil is capable of infecting different hosts, demonstrating the parasite's ability to overcome the interspecies barrier.