ABSTRACT
ETIOLOGY AND PATHOGENESIS Superficial pyoderma describes cutaneous bacterial infection that is confined to the stratum corneum of the interfollicular skin and hair follicles. Normal canine and feline skin is colonized by a variety of resident bacterial and fungal organisms. These are not normally pathogenic and they may help prevent colonization by pathogenic species through niche competition. Potential pathogens such as coagulase-positive staphylococci frequently colonize mucocutaneous junctions from where they are seeded to the skin by licking and grooming. Mucosal reservoirs are, therefore, an important source of transient contamination and potential infection1. Infection with gram-negative species can result from oro-fecal or environmental contamination2.
