Canine Health Foundation Grant #02837

Project Abstract: Canine superficial bacterial skin infection in dogs is the main presentation leading to antibiotic use in small animal practice. Commonly prescribed duration of treatment for bacterial infections are not evidence-based and it has been anecdotally recommended that all cases of bacterial skin infections take antibiotics for seven days beyond clinical resolution of lesions. Bacterial skin infections often recur. This study will determine if superficial bacterial skin infection recurs sooner in dogs not treated beyond clinical resolution of the lesions. The secondary goals are (i) to determine the average time for a bacterial skin infection to resolve, (ii) to investigate if the clinical severity of infection correlates with the bacterial resistance pattern, and lastly (iii) to compare the susceptibility pattern of the bacteria isolated at the study entrance and at infection recurrence. The study results will establish appropriate recommendations for the treatment of canine superficial bacterial skin infection.