About Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are the most common infectious disease in dogs, affecting approximately 14 percent of dogs during their lifetime. UTIs are commonly caused by E. coli, Streptococcus, Proteus, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas in dogs. Due to the short doubling time of these pathogens, they can evolve rapidly in response to environmental stresses, whether it is the host’s immune system or prescribed antibiotics. Such evolution can turn benign bacteria into a virulent, drug-resistant form and threaten the animal’s life.
Many bacteria are common in the environment and are often found in healthy animals’ intestines, on their skin, mucosal surfaces, and nasal passageways. The genetic makeup of these bacteria is very diverse. Most of these bacteria have strains that have evolved to be resistant to one or more classes of antibiotics. Some are multi-drug resistant (MDR), as they are resistant to three or more classes of antibiotics.
In addition to UTIs, these bacteria cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections, and surgical site infections, which are important to veterinarians.
LexaGene developed assays for pathogen detection and whether they possess drug resistant genes. Our market research indicates veterinarians and clinicians want technology to enable them to determine the cause of a UTI and other types of infections quickly, while identifying antibiotic resistant genes, so they can provide the appropriate therapy upon the first visit to the veterinary clinic.
This point of care diagnostics allows for a much better outcome than traditional culture and sensitivity testing, which requires waiting three to five days for results. During this time, the animal’s condition may deteriorate.
LexaGene’s MiQLab™ veterinary diagnostic technology allows veterinarians to better care for their patients by arriving at a correct diagnosis faster and minimizing unsuccessful treatment pathways.
Download Our Antimicrobial Resistance in Veterinary Medicine Infographic to Learn More
