Cytological Features of the Normal Ear Canal of Wild Jackals (Canis aureus) and Domesticated Dogs (C. domesticus)

Gila Zur, Roni King, Tali Bdolah-Abram

Nature and Parks Authority, Jerusalem, Israel.
Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.

DOI: 10.4236/ojvm.2012.22015                

Abstract

This is the first reported study in which various cytological and microbial components of the ear canal of wild jackals (Canis aureus) were examined and compared with those of domesticated dogs (C. domesticus). It is proposed that the differences between them might be attributable to domestication. The normal cytology of the jackals' ears includes cerumen, keratinous debris, coccoid bacteria and yeast-like organisms similar to domesticated dogs, but the frequencies of these findings differed significantly between the two species. In the jackals the incidences of ceruminous debris and yeasts were significantly lower (p < 0.001, p = 0.004 respectively), while keratinous debris and coccoid bacteria were significantly higher (p < 0.001). During domestication some changes have probably occurred in the dogs' lifestyle that predisposed them to the growth of yeasts in their ears but less to bacterial growth. It is possible that the higher numbers of bacteria might be a result of environmental contamination, because some of the jackals lived near urban centers and feed on garbage.

Keywords

Canine; Golden Jackal; Otitis Externa; Cocci; Yeast

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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