Veterinar, Vol. 64 No. 1, 2026.
Professional paper
https://doi.org/ISSN 0303-5409
Multidrug-resistant bacteria in dogs and cats
Anisja Andričević
*
Selma Pintarić
; Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Bacterial resistance is a term used to describe the resistance of bacteria to antimicrobial drugs. If a
certain microbe is resistant to at least one drug from three or more different groups of antibiotics, it can
be characterized as multidrug-resistant. Some of the most commonly isolated multidrug-resistant bacteria
in dogs and cats are Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius
and Enterococcus spp. This paper aims to provide an overview of the most frequently reported multidrug-
resistant isolates in dogs and cats and to present recent data on their prevalence in Croatia and across
Europe. Multidrug-resistant bacteria pose a serious threat to human and animal health, as the treatment
of infections caused by these pathogens is particularly challenging due to the extremely limited choice of
effective drugs. Therefore, it is crucial for veterinary practitioners to be continuously informed about this
issue and ensure that their practice is consistently guided by the principles of responsible and rational use
of antimicrobial drugs.
Keywords
multidrug-resistant bacteria; dog; cat; antimicrobial resistance
Hrčak ID:
348973
URI
Publication date:
8.7.2026.
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