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Research Abstract - Oral
Small Animal Internal Medicine
Valerie Nelson, DVM, BS
Rotating Intern
Colorado State University
Apex, North Carolina, United States
Background: Historically, routine urine cultures were commonly performed in diabetic dogs regardless of lower urinary tract signs (LUTS). However, recent guidelines do not recommend screening urine cultures in diabetic dogs that are not showing LUTS. No recent studies have evaluated the association between clinical signs and positive urine culture as defined under the current guidelines in dogs with diabetes mellitus.
Objective: Determine the prevalence of subclinical bacteriuria (i.e. positive urine culture without LUTS) in dogs with diabetes mellitus.
Animals: 107 dogs with diabetes mellitus.
Methods: Retrospective study evaluating diabetic dogs with a paired urinalysis and urine culture. Relationship between presence of LUTS, pyuria, and bacteriuria and urine culture results were compared using Fisher exact testing.
Results: Fifteen dogs (14%) had a positive urine culture, of which 8 (53%) had pyuria, 15 (100%) had bacteriuria, and 4 (27%) had LUTS. Of the 88 dogs (82%) without LUTS, 11 (13%) had a positive culture. A significant association was found between a positive urine culture and the presence of pyuria (OR infinity; 95% CI 20.34-infinity, P
Conclusion and Clinical Importance: Subclinical bacteriuria occurred in this cohort of dogs, and our findings reinforce the recommendation that urine cultures should not be routinely performed in diabetic dogs particularly if pyuria and bacteriuria are also absent.
