Clinical Differences in Dogs with Enterococcal Bacteriuria Compared with Other Bacteriuria: A Retrospective, Case-Control Study

A retrospective case-control study was performed to determine the clinical differences between dogs with enterococcal bacteriuria (n = 96 cases) and control dogs with any other bacteriuria (n = 288). More dogs with nonenterococcal bacteriuria demonstrated lower urinary tract clinical signs such as hematuria, pollakiuria, and stranguria (40% versus 27%, P = .02). Recessed vulva (odds ratio [OR] 2.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-4.2, P < .001), hyperadrenocorticism (OR 0.149, 95% CI 0.004-0.066, P = .03), chronic kidney disease (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.14-4.51, P = .01), and myelopathy (OR 5.77, 95% CI 3.07-10.82, P < .001) were more common in dogs with enterococcal bacteriuria. Enterococcus spp. cases were more likely to have polymicrobial growth than controls (OR 28.52; 95% CI 12.63-69.62, P ≤ .001). Pugs (OR 7.4, 95% CI 2.6-19.9, P < .001), bearded collies (OR 24.3, 95% CI 2.9-205.5, P = .003), and Saint Bernards (OR 17.3, CI 1.9-154.4, P = .01) had increased odds of enterococcal growth compared with mixed-breed dogs. In the control (but not the case) population, there was an association between resolution of clinical signs and administration of antimicrobials (P = .01). The signalment, clinical signs, comorbidities, and response to therapy in dogs with enterococcal bacteriuria are different from dogs with other bacteriuria.