Comparison between dermatology coursework and veterinary student experience in Indonesian and US veterinary programs.

BACKGROUND: Dermatological cases are commonly encountered worldwide. Dermatology specialists and a specific dermatology curriculum may not be available in some parts of the world. OBJECTIVES: This study's first objective was to describe the dermatology curricula at a sample of American and Indonesian veterinary schools. The second objective was to investigate veterinary students' opinions regarding their readiness and confidence in managing dermatological cases. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Two online questionnaires were designed and distributed to veterinary schools in both Indonesia and the United States. One questionnaire was designed to evaluate the details of the dermatology coursework and distributed to a conveniently selected representative faculty of each school via email. The other questionnaire, which was distributed to veterinary students through a listserv, surveyed students' opinions about their education. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic data analysis. RESULTS: In the United States, 63.7% of responding veterinary schools had a specific faculty member teaching dermatology. Dermatology coursework was mandatory in 55% and 0% of schools in the United States and Indonesia, respectively. Ten of 11 responding US schools offered dermatology rotations, yet this was only required for graduation in three schools. None of the Indonesian schools offered a dermatology rotation. Students in both countries reported that they were confident in their clinical skills regardless of the presence of a board-certified dermatology referral clinician. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our study presents an updated insight into dermatology education in the veterinary curriculum from the perspectives of both faculty and students in the United States and Indonesia.

A pilot study on the comparative minimum inhibitory and mutant prevention concentration values for moxifloxacin and pradofloxacin against canine and human isolates of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and S. schleiferi.

BACKGROUND: Moxifloxacin is a fourth-generation fluoroquinolone (FQ) that is approved for use in people to treat a variety of infections. Some veterinary microbiology laboratories report moxifloxacin in culture and sensitivity profiles for Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and S. schleiferi albeit using Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) breakpoints for S. aureus. Previous studies have shown that S. aureus breakpoints can mischaracterize S. pseudintermedius susceptibility to various drugs. Pradofloxacin is a third generation veterinary FQ with a similar mechanism of action and spectrum of activity to moxifloxacin; however, the dose format (25 mg/mL solution) available in the USA may limit its practical use in large dogs. OBJECTIVE: To determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), mutant prevention concentration (MPC) and mutant selection window (MSW) of moxifloxacin and pradofloxacin for isolates of S. pseudintermedius and S. schleiferi. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was performed to establish that each bacterial isolate selected for testing represented an unique strain. The MIC, MPC and MSW for moxifloxacin and pradofloxacin were determined from 60 strains of S. pseudintermedius and seven strains of S. schleiferi. RESULTS: The MIC and MPC ranges of moxifloxacin and pradofloxacin for meticillin-susceptible S. pseudintermedius were similar. However, MIC and MPC ranges were much wider and resistance to both drugs was more common for meticillin-resistant strains of S. pseudintermedius and S. schleiferi. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The narrow MSW of these drugs may reduce the risk of selecting for antibiotic-resistant subpopulations. Pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and safety studies are needed.

The in vitro antibacterial activity of the anthelmintic drug oxyclozanide against common small animal bacterial pathogens.

BACKGROUND: Repurposing existing drugs is one approach to address the growing concerns of multi-drug resistant bacterial pathogens in veterinary medicine. Oxyclozanide is in the anthelmintic drug class salicylanilide, which has been used primarily as a treatment and preventative for Fasciola hepatica in ruminants. The antimicrobial activity of oxyclozanide has been studied in human medicine; its activity against common small animal bacterial pathogens such as Staphylococcus pseudintermedius has yet to be determined. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to measure and establish the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and mutant prevention concentration (MPC) of oxyclozanide against S. pseudintermedius and other common small animal bacterial pathogens. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The MIC and MPC of oxyclozanide were determined from eighteen meticillin sensitive S. pseudintermedius (MSSP) isolates and eleven meticillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP), as well as single isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis. RESULTS: The MIC of the eighteen meticillin-sensitive S. pseudintermedius isolates was 0.5-1 µg/mL and the MPC ranged between 16 and 32 µg/mL. The MIC of the eleven meticillin-resistant strains of S. pseudintermedius ranged from 0.5 to 2 µg/mL with a MPC ranging between 16 and 32 µg/mL. A single isolate of meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) had an MIC of 1 µg/mL and MPC 16 µg/mL. No inhibition of growth was seen at the concentrations tested for bacterial isolate strains E. coli, P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Oxyclozanide demonstrated in-vitro antibacterial activity against meticillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius. Further studies are needed to evaluate the potential use of oxyclozanide as a topical bactericidal agent.

Uncommon dermatologic manifestation (paronychia) in a cat with diabetes mellitus.

A 3.5-year-old male intact domestic short hair cat presented for a chronic wound and crusts over the claw and claw folds over several months. The cat was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus based on the presence of persistent hyperglycemia, glucosuria, and compatible clinical signs which consist of polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, and weight loss. Glipizide (Glucotrol XL, Pfizer, Indonesia) 2.5 mg orally twice daily was prescribed. By the seventeenth day, the patient's claws and skin around the paw had normalized and the abnormal claw sloughed off, revealing a normal claw underneath. Blood glucose, urinalysis and serum fructosamine were also normalized by the thirtieth day. The patient underwent diabetic remission, and the skin and claw lesions have remained in remission and not recurred since the treatment of the diabetes mellitus. This is the first report of a diabetic cat with dermatologic changes to the skin and claw regions. As the diabetes mellitus went into clinical remission, so too did the dermatologic manifestations, even without any specific dermatologic treatment.