2015 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

All body site swabbing samples were chilled on ice for transport and processed the same day. Swabbing samples were mixed with 10 mL of sterile saline, agitated, and plated on Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA). At 24 hours, plates were read and up to 10 morphologically distinct staphylococcal colonies were sub-cultured onto Columbia Blood Agar (CBA). All pre-partum secretions and milk samples were cultured according to the National Mastitis Council guidelines and these samples were considered to be culture positive if one or more colonies were observed (≥100 cfu/mL). All staphylococcal isolates were banked in phosphate buffered glycerol at À20°C. All staphylococci isolates were speciated using polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing of the rpoB housekeeping gene.