A Mahmasi - Department of Internal Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
M Selk Ghaffari - Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University-Karaj Branch,Karaj, Iran
G Sadeghi-Hashjin - Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
M.R Davoodi - Department of Internal Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

BACKGROUND: Normal bacterial flora of the conjunctiva,which inhibits growth of opportunistic organisms, has animportant role in the prevention of ocular infections. If residentflora is inhibited by disease or long-term application ofantibiotics, opportunistic pathogens overgrow, leading to disease.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigatethe effects of ophthalmic chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacinon bacterial conjunctival flora in healthy dogs. METHODS: Atotal of 16 animals were divided into 2 equal groups whichreceived either chloramphenicol (CHL) (0.5%) or ciprofloxacin(CIP) (0.3%). In both groups, the right eye of each animalwas treated with 2 drops of antibiotics every 8 and 6 hours,respectively, for 1 week and the left eye received artificial tearsolution and served as control. Bacterial and fungal cultureswere performed 8 hours before and after the treatment. Fisher’sExact test and SPSS software were used for statistical analyses(p<0.05). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differencesbetween control and test eyes and bacterial isolates inboth groups. In CHL group, after treatment Staphylococcus spp(62.5%), Bacillus spp (12.5%) from the right eyes and Staphylococcusspp (75%) and Bacillus spp (12.5%) from left eyeswere isolated. In CIP group, after treatment the bacterial isolatesof right eyes were Staphylococcus spp (87.5%), Aerococcusspp (37.5%), Viridans streptococcus (25%), Micrococcusspp (12.5%), Bacillus spp (12.5%); Staphylococcus spp (75%),Micrococcus spp (25%), Bacillus spp (12.5 %) were isolatedfrom left eyes of dogs after 1 week administration of artificialtear. CONCLUSIONS: Topically applied chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacinhad no significant changes in or detrimental effectson normal bacterial flora of treated dogs.

chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, conjunctival flora, dog