Blue light could kill at least 99% of bacteria linked to dog ear infections, new research shows

New research from the University of Nottingham and the University of Birmingham has revealed that blue light has the ability to kill strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from ear infections in dogs.

Ear infections are one of the most common infections in dogs, affecting up to 20% of pets worldwide.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacteria associated with persistent and recurring ear infections in dogs, is often resistant to antibiotics. This can lead to treatment failure and surgical removal of the ear canal, resulting in hearing loss and a poorer quality of life for the dog.

Treatment difficulties require new and more effective remedies for this condition.

Research from a collaboration between the University of Nottingham and the University of Birmingham, published in Frontiers in microbiologyused different frequencies of blue light to kill antibiotic-resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from dog ear infections.

Some frequencies of blue light killed at least 99% of bacteria. Combining blue light with antibiotic treatment further increased its effectiveness.

There were differences in the sensitivity of the strains to blue light, but unlike antibiotic therapy, there is no evidence of increased resistance to this treatment.

“Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem in both humans and animals, including their pets. Pseudomonas ear infections in dogs are often very difficult to treat long-term because of this resistance,” says Dr. Robert Atterbury , associate professor of microbiology.

“The possibility of a new, non-invasive treatment for this condition based on exposure to antimicrobial frequencies of blue light has the potential to transform outcomes for pets and avoid expensive and difficult surgery that could ultimately be necessary otherwise”.

The next step in the research is to test the blue light treatment against a larger group of clinical Pseudomonas strains isolated from dogs suffering from ear infections.

The ultimate goal of this research is to develop a simple method of applying the treatment to dogs in clinics.