S. Pneumoniae in dogs? rodent?

[bulldog24]

I have been reading about s. pneumoniae in dogs. just started but I dont know much yet.

 

But I found there is a PCR test here

 

http://zoologix.com/dogcat/Datasheets/StreptococcusPneumoniae.htm

 

 

Streptococcus pneumoniae is gram-positive, alpha-hemolytic, bile-soluble aerotolerant anaerobe. Besides pneumonia, this organism causes many other types of infection, such as acute sinusitis, otitis media, meningitis, bacteremia, sepsis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, endocarditis, peritonitis, pericarditis, cellulitis, and brain abscess.

 

S. pneumoniae is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in humans, and is one of the two most prevalent isolates found in ear infection, otitis media. Several animal species, including rodents, dogs and monkeys, can also be infected with these bacteria.

 

Culture detection of S. pneumoniae is not very sensitive compared to molecular detection by PCR. In addition, PCR is much more specific and rapid than culture (Virolainen et al., 1994).

 

Utilities:

 

Help confirm the disease causing agent

Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical diagnosis of S. pneumoniae infection.

Help ensure that horse populations are free of S. pneumoniae

Early prevention of spread of this bacterium

Minimize personnel exposure to this bacterium

Safety monitoring of biological products that derive from horses

[fightingmom]

You have got to be kidding me! My lab has majorly big ears and chronic ear infections. Meds from the vet didn't work for a year so I eventually found an enzyme based product that does a real good job, but I have to stay in top of it. Our older dog was put to sleep last year because she went crazy -- literally. Started woth anxiety and OCD like behaviors and I had tried her on Prozac and it didn't do anything. we started having to separate her from the other animals and eventually she wriggled herself loose from her collar and leash (she was twisting and turning and bucking around like a bull, it was insane) while I was with her in the backyard on the patio. She charged my neighbor and tried to attack her little dog. I have never run so fast in my life. I pounced in her in the street. The vet wanted to put her down then saying she clearly had something goin on with her brain, and the cost to do MRI etc was frankly not worth it because at the end of the day, we weren't going to do brain surgery on her (which is probably the one thing I really wouldn't do, but I have been known to spend several thousand trying to get my animals well).

 

Anyway, I couldn't do it. I at least told her I needed to think about it and spend some time with her. Over the course of a week she grew very weary and scared of everything. Started hiding in my sons closet refusing to come out and eventually snapped at my son. That was the end. We took her in and said our goodbyes and it broke my heart. She was the sweetest dog and we watched as she slowly went crazy. It has bothered me since -- the unknown, the question of what happened to her. The possibility of Brain abscess in your post above has me really wondering, and also makes me sad. I sure hope he didn't have something that we could have treated with abx.

 

Can I test my lab? How? Culture from his ear?

Edited May 4, 2012 by fightingmom

[bulldog24]

I am right with you. My buldog has nasty ears too! The link I gave said its a blood test pcr. I am going to call and see what the fee is.

[bulldog24]

I also lost a dog to endocarditis. Makes me wonder.

[bulldog24]

Oh they also test for s.pyogens.

 

Going to call when they open

[fightingmom]

Thanks. Let me know what they say. I know we are fairly close, what vet do you use? We go to one in Providence, but I tend to avoid them if possible these days because they try to push yearly vacs and I'm not doing it. So, I really would like one that doesn't mind that I'm not vaccinating more than every 3 yrs. It seems your vet has been supportive in trying to unravel this stuff for you and doesn't think you are bonkers for testing your dog to see if he may be the source of infection for your family....thought maybe if they are close enough I could give them a whirl? I question my cat with stomatitis too....

Edited May 4, 2012 by fightingmom

[bulldog24]

I go to weymouth ma. I think they thought I was a bit nutty tilll the test came back positive, now I am not the crazy lady! I can pm you the info if you want.

Alot of vets in the area are on board with vax every 3 years. But they lose money that way so some are not into it.

[bulldog24]

I called the lab. the man was very helpful. He said each test was $85 which I think is a reasonable amount. He said it could be done with blood, or a swab or the airway (nasal throat) I forgot to ask about ear. Shoot!!

 

The request form is on the site.

 

you could prob swab your dogs nose with him awake. Throat not so much. I am going to try like ###### to do these tests.

 

I just cant decide blood or swab? he said lots of false neg with blood. Since she will be under I think I will do the swab.

 

If anyone needs help with this lmk. I think the do cats too.

[fightingmom]

I called the lab. the man was very helpful. He said each test was $85 which I think is a reasonable amount. He said it could be done with blood, or a swab or the airway (nasal throat) I forgot to ask about ear. Shoot!!

 

The request form is on the site.

 

you could prob swab your dogs nose with him awake. Throat not so much. I am going to try like ###### to do these tests.

 

I just cant decide blood or swab? he said lots of false neg with blood. Since she will be under I think I will do the swab.

 

If anyone needs help with this lmk. I think the do cats too.

 

Wait, so I can swab myself and send it, or still has to be submitted by the vet? Could probably swab my dogs throat awake with more than one set of hands. He's kind of stupid like that and even likes me to brush his teeth and pry his mouth open. LOL

[fightingmom]

My dog is in the ER.

He started urinating excessively and peed in his bed. Has a fever of 105.4 and urine came back with multiple types of different "cocci" bacteria. They admitted him. Doing bloodwork, IV fluids and try to figure out source of infection. I had them take samples of his ears too.

 

First, poor doggie!!!

Second, makes me wonder....

[bulldog24]

I would also ask if the urine sample was a sterile collection via catheter or cystocentisis (needle aspiration of bladder)

 

If they just did a free catch thats not the best.

[fightingmom]

The first one was free catch. Then they sedated him for an X-ray and took another sample. Not sure how they got it though.

[T_Mom]

--just to add, when we took our dogs in to the vet to be strep tested he recommended just going ahead and treating as them, as the testing was so difficult (they would have to be sedated, etc. for a "correct" culture we were told.) So we did choose to go ahead and treat them both as if they were positive, both dogs were put on VERY strong abx.

[fightingmom]

--just to add, when we took our dogs in to the vet to be strep tested he recommended just going ahead and treating as them, as the testing was so difficult (they would have to be sedated, etc. for a "correct" culture we were told.) So we did choose to go ahead and treat them both as if they were positive, both dogs were put on VERY strong abx.

 

 

We are doing another urine test today and they are going to culture it. Told me on the phone it would be more expensive but didn't mention sedating him, though I can't imagine they can do it without. They are also going to do a lyme test, too. His last one was negative but was September of 2010. He's on amoxi and cipro right now, but wondering if they will change it?

[bulldog24]

no there is no need to sedate him to get the urine in a sterile fashion. They will prob use a catheter and it takes 2 seconds.

 

yes my dog had to be under anesthesia for her throat swab. I am glad I KNOW that the dog had it, if I just treated everyone I would have not known ya know?