Abstract

Background:
Salmonella spp. are zoonotic pathogens that can be transmitted from pets and other animals to humans. The incidence of antibiotic-resistant strains of Salmonella poses a severe threat to both veterinary and public health.

Aim:
This study aimed to isolate and identify Salmonella spp. from pet dogs and evaluate the antibiotic sensitivities of the isolated bacteria to assess the public health risk in this context.

Methods:
Rectal swabs were taken from 140 pet dogs attending veterinary clinics and cultured in selective media. Biochemical tests and API 20E strips identified presumptive Salmonella spp. Antibiotic sensitivity testing (AST) was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method with a panel of antibiotics commonly used for empirical therapy, and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined for selected strains.

Results:
Salmonella spp. was isolated from 25 (17.9%) of the dogs, with the highest prevalence among younger dogs (≤ 3 years), and higher rates of isolation were observed in Labradors and Bulldogs. Antibiotic resistance testing was performed on all isolates, revealing that 60 percent were resistant to tetracycline, 48 percent to amoxicillin, and 28 percent to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, with lower rates of resistance for ciprofloxacin (12 percent) and gentamicin (20 percent). The isolation of MDR strains, mainly those resistant to the last-resort antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin, is a significant concern.

Conclusion:
This work emphasizes the importance of surveillance for Salmonella prevalence and antibiotic resistance in pet dogs related to public health. The study shows that continued surveillance and research are needed to strengthen our prevention of Salmonella transmission and to control and find new ways to combat antibiotic resistance in veterinary and human medicine.

Key words: AST, Salmonella, Dogs