Is Pseudomonas aeruginosa a possible aetiological agent of periodontitis in dogs?

Introduction: Periodontal diseases are the most frequently diagnosed problem in small animal veterinary medicine. Although their exact cause is not fully understood, bacteria play an important role in their development. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacterium. The living environment of this bacterium may be soil and water; however, it can also be found in humans and animals. Antibiotic treatment of periodontitis may be complicated by the carbapenem resistance of some P. aeruginosa strains, if these bacteria are found to be an aetiological agent. The aim of the study was to identify all bacterial strains isolated from dog with periodontitis.

Material and methods: After a clinical examination of a Schnauzer dog in the Department and Clinic of Animal Surgery in the University of Life Sciences in Lublin Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, periodontitis was diagnosed. A swab was taken from the diseased tissue and submitted for microbiological tests. Microorganisms were initially identified by colony morphology, haemolytic pattern and Gram staining, and subsequently by sensitivity tests, VITEK 2 and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time-of-flight.

Results: Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated and identified as a probable aetiological factor of periodontitis in dogs.

Conclusion: In our opinion, attention should be paid to Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a possible aetiological factor of periodontal diseases in dogs.