Isolation, identification, pathotyping and antibiogram of Escherichia coli from rectal swab of pet dogs and cats.
Two hundred seventy two rectal swabs were examined from diarrhoeic and non- diarrhoeic pet dogs and cats. Out of 240 samples from dogs, 131 (54.58%) and out of 32 samples from cats, 15 (46.87%) were positive for E. coli by cultural characteristic, gram staining, motility, biochemical reactions and sugar fermentation tests. Out of 146 total positive isolates, only 12 isolates were pathogenic. Out of 12 pathogenic isolates of E. coli 6 isolates were O group non- typable and rest 6 E. coli strains were O25, O86a, O44 and O1 from dogs and O36 and O8 from cats. Out of 12 isolates 9 were sensitive to ceftriaxone, 8 were sensitive to ciprofloxacin and gentamicin, 4 were sensitive to amikacin, neomycin and norfloxacin, 2 were to Co-trimoxazole and 1 was sensitive to lomefloxacin. None of the isolate was sensitive to amoxyclav & cephotaxime.