Characteristics of coagulase-positive staphylococci from nose and tonsils of apparently healthy dogs

Abstract

One hundred and twenty-five coagulase-positive cultures of staphylococci were isolated from 470 samples from the nose and tonsils of healthy dogs. The 470 dogs comprised 273 household and 197 kennel dogs. They showed a prevalence of 17·2 and 39·5 per cent respectively. Ninety-two cultures produced both α- and β-lysins, 21 produced α-lysin alone and 12 produced β-lysin alone; 29 were fibrinolytic. 69·5 per cent of 47 cultures from household pets could be phage typed, while of 78 cultures from kennel dogs 35·9 per cent could be phage typed with phages of the international series. The results suggest that there is considerable overlapping in the characteristics of canine and human staphylococci.