title: Studies of certain factors affecting the microenvironment and microflora of the external ear of the dog in health and disease.
abstract: A total of 187 dogs, 110 with clinical signs of otitis externa (OE), and 77 without history or clinical signs of OE, were examined microenvironment and microbiological analysis of their ear exudates made. The aural temperature and humidity of 160 dogs were measured. There were no significant difference between healthy dogs and OE dogs. German shepherd showed relatively lower temperature (p<0.01) and higher humidity (p<0.01). The mean log(10) number of microbial organisms of ears of OE dogs (4.16 +/- 0.31 cfu/g) was significantly increased, compared to that from the ears of non-OE group (2.55 +/- 0.24 cfu/g). Pseudomonas spp. and Proteus spp. were detected only from OE dogs. In addition, three enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus were isolated from ear specimens.
authors.affiliation: Gifu University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Agriculture, Gifu University, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Tsuneo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D004285:Dogs / Q000382:microbiology*; D004423:Ear / Q000382:microbiology*; D004777:Environment; D006262:Health; D006813:Humidity; D010032:Otitis Externa / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D011511:Proteus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013696:Temperature