Identification of enterococcal, streptococcal and Weissella species in the faecal flora of individually owned dogs

Aims: To improve the limited information on the composition of the faecal Gram‐positive coccal flora of healthy dogs by the use of a molecular identification method. Methods and Results: Faecal swabs were collected for the selective isolation of Gram‐positive coccal strains. Colonies with enterococcal‐ and streptococcal‐like morphology were identified by tRNA intergenic length polymorphism analysis (tDNA‐PCR). Fourteen known species belonging to three genera (Enterococcus, Streptococcus and Weissella) and one alleged new enterococcal species were found. Conclusions: The faecal flora of dogs comprises an unusually broad diversity of culturable Gram‐positive coccal species with Enterococcus faecalis being most frequently present followed by not less than six other species of about equal importance. Significance and Impact of the Study: Many human‐ and animal‐associated enterococci and streptococci are also present in dog faeces together with the largely uncharacterized Weissella cibaria and a group of strains resembling Enterococcus dispar, but representing a distinct and hitherto unknown species. Phenotypic characteristics of the latter two species were determined and the test results were compared with the species descriptions of W. cibaria and E. dispar respectively.