EVALUATION OF THE INHIBITION OF THE GROWTH OF PATHOGENIC BACTERIA CAUSING CYSTITIS IN DOGS BY LACTIC ACID-PRODUCING BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM THE VULVA AND GLANIS OF HEALTHY DOGS

• Grant number: 24/10448-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Priscylla Tatiana Chalfun Guimaraes-Okamoto
• Grantee: Isabela Teodoro Adriano
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In veterinary clinical routine, cystitis is a common cause of urinary tract infections in dogs and cats. In veterinary clinical care, the main complaints made by owners include behavioral changes during urination, being reported clinical signs such as dysuria, polyuria, urinary incontinence and changes in color and smell of urine. Choosing the appropriate treatment for cystitis first requires a proper diagnosis, always considering the possibility of recurrence of these infections, as well as, the pathogenic microorganism causing the infection. Probiotics can be an adjuvant treatment option for urinary tract infections in humans, especially cystitis, as they activate the immune response, regulate the microbial flora and produce antimicrobial metabolites. Therefore, this scientific initiation work aims to evaluate the ability of potential probiotic bacteria isolated from the vulva and glans of dogs to inhibit pathogenic bacteria causing cystitis in dogs. For the realization of this scientific initiation research will use microorganisms previously collected from the gland and vulva of proven healthy dogs and cystitis-causing bacteria previously obtained from uroculture of dogs diagnosed with cystitis. The ability of bacteria with probiotic potential isolated from healthy animals to inhibit bacteria that cause cystitis in dogs will be evaluated using five techniques including: spot on the lawn, radial streak, agar well diffusion, liquid coculture assay and modified cross-streak. The results will be evaluated by analyzing the formation of inhibition halos and biochemical changes in the medium according to the methodology used in each technique. It is expected to verify after the competition tests that the bacteria isolated from healthy animals with probiotic potential, known as lactic acid producers (BAL's), have the ability to inhibit the growth of cystitis-causing bacteria. If the results are satisfactory, subsequent studies can be developed for more accurate and applicable research of bacteria with probiotic potential in the veterinary clinical routine.