Microbiological investigation and determination of susceptibility to antimicrobial agents in feline otitis externa

This study aimed to investigate the bacterial and yeast populations in cats with otitis externa, and to assess their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents. Fifty-six cats showing clinical signs of otitis externa were included in the study. The cats were of different ages, genders, and breeds. Sterile cotton swabs were used to collect samples from the external ear canal, and conventional microbiological techniques as well as biochemical testing were used to isolate and identify the microorganisms. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted using Kirby-Bauer's disc diffusion method. Of 56 swab samples analyzed, 8 (14.28%) showed no microbial growth, while Malassezia pachydermatis was found in 26.79% of the samples, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (25%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12.5%), Proteus mirabilis (10.71%), and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (5.36%). The examined bacterial isolates exhibited the highest sensitivity to ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, amikacin, and doxycycline.