Antimicrobial Resistance in Urinary E. coli of Dogs and Cats: What Vets Should Know
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing concern worldwide, affecting humans, animals, and the environment. In dogs and cats, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common and often caused by antimicrobial-resistant E. coli, making antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) essential for effective treatment.
A recent study analyzed 344,862 urinary E. coli isolates from dogs and cats in the U.S., collected between 2019 and 2022, to examine seasonal trends and the influence of climatic zones. Key findings included:
AST trends: Testing increased over time, peaking in summer, suggesting a seasonal pattern in UTI occurrence.
Resistance patterns: Amoxicillin resistance was highest—27.9% in dogs and 28.4% in cats. Overall, resistance declined over time for all drugs in dogs, while in cats, decreases were significant only for cefovecin, marbofloxacin, and enrofloxacin.
Climatic influence: AMR rates varied significantly by climatic zone, with the hot-humid region showing the highest resistance but the lowest testing rates per million pets.
Seasonality in AMR: Despite seasonal patterns in testing, no clear national or regional seasonal trends in resistance were observed.
Takeaway: Regular AST remains crucial for guiding UTI treatment, especially in areas with high resistance rates. While more testing occurs in summer, resistance patterns appear stable across seasons but vary regionally, underscoring the importance of considering local AMR data when selecting antimicrobials.
Read full story here: Assessment of seasonality in antimicrobial susceptibility testing and resistance of urinary Escherichia coli from dogs and cats in the United States (2019 – 2022)
