| Summary: | Dogs are reservoirs of different <i>Staphylococcus</i> species, but at the same time, they could develop several clinical forms caused by these bacteria. The aim of the present investigation was to characterize 50 clinical <i>Staphylococcus</i> isolates cultured from sick dogs. Bacterial species determination, hemolysins, protease, lipase, gelatinase, slime, and biofilm production, presence of virulence genes (<i>lukS/F-PV</i>, <i>eta</i>, <i>etb</i>, <i>tsst</i>, <i>icaA</i>, and <i>icaD</i>), methicillin resistance, and antimicrobial resistance were investigated. Most isolates (52%) were <i>Staphylococcus pseudointermedius</i>, but 20% and 8% belonged to <i>Staphylococcus</i><i>xylosus</i> and <i>Staphylococcus chromogenes</i>, respectively. Gelatinase, biofilm, and slime production were very common characters among the investigated strains with 80%, 86%, and 76% positive isolates, respectively. Virulence genes were detected in a very small number of the tested strains. A percentage of 14% of isolates were <i>mecA</i>-positive and phenotypically-resistant to methicillin. Multi-drug resistance was detected in 76% of tested staphylococci; in particular, high levels of resistance were detected for ampicillin, amoxicillin, clindamycin, and erythromycin. In conclusion, although staphylococci are considered to be opportunistic bacteria, the obtained data showed that dogs may be infected by <i>Staphylococcus</i> strains with important virulence characteristics and a high antimicrobial resistance.
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