Assessment of the usefulness of the examination of a gram smear of fresh uncentrifuged urine in the determination of significant bacteriuria in dogs

Abstract

Extract

It is generally recognized that, in man, the presence of micro-organisms in urine samples is not sufficient evidence on which to base a diagnosis of urinary infection. Differentiation between contamination and infection is necessary and is usually achieved by the use of bacterial counting techniques. Although such techniques are standard diagnostic procedures in human urology, their use in veterinary practice has been very limited. The main reason for this has probably been the expensive and time-consuming nature of the counting techniques.