Identification and composition of the tonsillar and anal enterococcal and streptococcal flora of dogs and cats

Abstract

Enterococcus faecalis was the most frequently isolated enterococcal species from anal swabs and tonsils of dogs and cats, although in the anal samples from dogs Ent. hirae was found almost as often as Ent. faecalis. Most Ent. faecium strains from dog tonsils differed from those associated with humans and other animals in that they fermented sorbitol. Typical Ent. avium as well as atypical Ent. avium-like strains were seen in dogs, while the related species Ent. raffinosus was associated with cat tonsils. Enterococcus cecorum also occurred mainly in cats. Certain atypical strains, presumptively identified as Ent. cecorum, shared characteristics with Ent. columbae. The most frequent streptococcal species in tonsils of cats and dogs were Streptococcus suis and Strep. canis. Streptococcus canis and Strep. bovis predominated in anal swabs. The canine Strep. suis differed from the common porcine strains in fermenting mannitol. Forty-seven of the 288 isolates examined could not be identified or related to known species. The characteristics of two groups of these bacteria, provisionally called 'Ton 31 group' and 'O7 group' are described.