What the Vets are saying about the Bella Moss Foundation

Paul Gayford
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
Like it is in humans, MRSA is one of the most important emerging infectious disease problems in companion animals. MRSA infections can have devastating impacts on animals, and on the relationships of people and their pets. The ability of MRSA to move between people and their pets is of tremendous concern. Jill Moss is an active member of Defra’s MRSA working group which brings together vets, human and animal health officials and, through Jill, pet owners to determine the scope of the problem and ways to minimise the impact of MRSA on animal treatment and to consider whether this has any relevance to MRSA in humans’.

Click the link below for several other testimonials

Freda Scott Park, BVM&S PhD MRCVS
President of The British Veterinary Association

“The BVA takes the threat of MRSA to animals very seriously and practice protocols, constantly under review, have been prepared to help vets protect the companion animals they treat. The Bella Moss Foundation, established following the loss of a much-loved pet, has played a significant role in promoting better awareness of this infection. The BVA aims to promote the highest possible standards for the control of all infectious diseases within veterinary practice.”

Mike Jessop, MRCVS
President
BSAVA
“The BSAVA welcomes the raised awareness of MRSA infections, as promoted by the work of the Bella Moss Foundation. The practical benefits gained by developing effective guidelines for dealing with this evolving problem will help reduce the frequency and consequences of MRSA.”

Trevor Turner, Bvet Med, MRCVS
Forty years experience in general veterinary practice and is now a forensic expert witness and chief vet for Crufts.

“Jill Moss was understandably devastated following the death of her beloved Bella, a ten years old Samoyed, who had been admitted for routine orthopaedic stifle surgery and died in August 2004 as a result of MRSA infection.

“At that time MRSA was relatively unknown, unrecognised or unacknowledged in general veterinary practice but as a result of her loss Jill Moss has worked tirelessly to ensure that awareness both within the profession and generally is raised in relation to this threat.

“In the spring of 2005 this resulted in the launch of the Bella Moss Foundation, a charitable company, aimed at providing a source of information regarding the threat of MRSA to our pets. As a result, many routine veterinary procedures have been revised to reduce the risk from this previously unrecognised bacterial threat.

“Jill Moss is to be congratulated on her efforts.  She has achieved much in a relatively short time; long may it continue.”

Prof David H Lloyd BVetMed PhD FRCVS DipECVD
Dr Anette Loeffler Dr.Med.Vet DVD. Dip. ECVD, MRCVS
Department of Clinical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College Hertfordshire “There has been a worrying increase in the numbers of pets reported with MRSA infection. The causes for this seem to be complex and research to understand this emerging infection in animals and people is continuing. The Bella Moss foundation has been very helpful explaining to pet owners the complexity of issues involved.” 

Dr Tim Nuttall, BSc BVSc PhD CertVD CBiol MIBiol MRCVS,
Dr Tim Nuttall is Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Dermatology, The University of Liverpool Faculty of Veterinary Science
“MRSA and other meticillin-resistant staphylococci have emerged as important infections of dogs, cats and other animals in recent years. It is also clear that, in rare circumstances, colonised animals can act as a reservoir for colonisation and infection in people. It is therefore vital that vets are aware of MRSA and work closely with the medical profession and the general public to raise awareness, prevent and manage infections, and minimise the risks to human and animal health. The Bella Moss Foundation has worked closely with the veterinary profession to counter alarmist stories, promote further research and educate people about MRSA.”

J Scott Weese DVM DVSc DipACVIM
Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Canada
"Like it is in humans, MRSA is one of the most important emerging infectious disease problems in companion animals. MRSA infections can have devastating impacts on animals, and on the relationships of people and their pets. The ability of MRSA to move between people and their pets is of tremendous concern and has implications for both the human and veterinary medical fields. While there no realistic hope that MRSA will be eliminated, it is becoming clear that MRSA can be controlled if adequate time, energy and resources are dedicated to the task. However, a clear, concerted and organized effort is required to have any hope of achieving this. The efforts of the Bella Moss Foundation to increase the profile of MRSA in animals and to help bring together MRSA researchers, is a critical first step to achieving this lofty but realistic goal. "

Chris Laurence, QVRM TD  BVSc MRCVS
Veterinary Director, Dogs Trust
“The Dogs Trust is very conscious of the risk to dogs’ health from MRSA.  We are very supportive of the efforts made by the Bella Moss Foundation to publicise those dangers and educate the public and veterinary profession about how those risks can best be controlled.”

Dick Voigt, VetMed DCP MRCVS
Director, Veterinary Services, The Blue Cross
“As a charity providing both veterinary and adoption services for dogs, cats and other animals, The Blue Cross is only too aware of the dangers posed to people and their pets by MRSA. The Bella Moss Foundation is to be commended for its work in raising awareness of this disease, as well as providing advice and promoting further research.”

Nicholas J. Mills, M.A., Vet. M.B., M.R.C.V.S.
Senior Partner, Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates, E Sussex
“It takes many years to build up the reputation of one’s veterinary practice.  MRSA can damage this reputation overnight.

“The practicing veterinary profession has been given a warning from the human hospital environment that MRSA can become a very serious clinical problem.

“In my opinion, practicing vets should heed this warning and institute the highest standards of hygiene and management to protect patients, clients and staff from MRSA.”

Andrew Waller, PhD BSc Head of Bacteriology at The Animal Health Trust.
“Jill Moss is to be congratulated for her unerring determination to prevent MRSA needlessly claiming more lives through a lack of awareness. Her web site is an invaluable resource for pet owners, veterinarians and researchers alike and I am proud to be associated with her campaign.”

Mrs Sue Paterson MA Vet MB DVD DipECVD MRCVS, RCVS and European Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology, Director Rutland House Referral Hospital St Helens Merseyside.
“As a consultant dermatologist I deal with MRSA infections in pets if not on a daily but a weekly basis. This frightening but totally treatable disease causes devastating clinical signs in dogs and cats. The Bella Moss Foundation works tirelessly to increase client and owners awareness of this dreadful infection. I can only applaud Jill Moss's efforts to educate pet owners and veterinary professionals so we can identify disease early, treat successfully and prevent animal and owner suffering.”

MEG CURNICK, CALDER VETERINARY GROUP. West Yorkshire BVSc MRCVS – Small animal vet and associate partner in a large veterinary first opinion/referral hospital practice.
“The Bella Moss Foundation is to be congratulated for bringing MRSA into the forefront of veterinary consciousness, and for doing so consistently, rationally, scientifically, and without hysteria. Its efforts to encourage the Veterinary profession to educate itself  about this increasingly common condition are to be applauded, and will contribute significantly towards the raising of practice standards in this area."

Dr Mary Fraser BVMS PhD CertVD CBiol MIBiol MRCVS Lecturer in Veterinary Nursing at Napier University, Edinburgh
“It is thanks to the commitment and hard work of the Bella Moss Foundation, that the prevalence of MRSA in animals has been recognised by both veterinary professionals and the pet owning public. By bringing together researchers in the field of infection control from both a human and a veterinary perspective the foundation plays a vital role in the advancement of knowledge and practical applications of this work to veterinary practice.”

Harley Farmer, PhD BVSc(hons) BVBiol(path) MRCVS   
“The emergence of MRSA in dogs is a worrying matter with the potential to become an ever increasing problem for both humans and animals. Too many humans in the community now carry MRSA, usually without any problems, and it would be nice to prevent the same high carrier rate developing in dogs. The human situation evolved in the absence of any sustained prevention strategy, but the Bella Moss Foundation provides the opportunity to prevent that being repeated in dogs.  MRSA is here to stay, and I am pleased that Jill Moss is striving to introduce our prevention philosophy into her commendable campaign.”

James Hunt, BVetMed CertVA MRCVS
Hunt and McGinn, Veterinary Surgeons
“I am very grateful to Jill and Mark for their in valuable help and practical advice on dealing with a case of potential MRSA infection.”

Richard Allport, BvetMed, VetMFHom, MRCVS
The Natural Medicine Centre Potter Bar, Herts
“The increasing number of cases of MRSA in pets proves how vital the work of Jill Moss and the Foundation is.

“I have known Jill as a client and a friend for many years and had the privilege of knowing Bella, and treating her with acupuncture and other natural therapies. Bella's death will not be in vain if the Foundation, which Jill has devoted so much time and energy to, achieves it's aims.

“There is so much that vets can do to prevent the occurrence of MRSA, and to treat affected pets. Vets must become aware of the potential dangers of MRSA, put strict protocols in place to check for and prevent the spread of MRSA, and be able to treat any cases that occur.

“The Foundation is instrumental in promoting this awareness and keeping the profession up to date with developments, as well as giving advice and help to concerned pet carers.

“I am proud to be associated with Jill Moss and the Foundation.”

Comments

[jill moss]

I am replying to your personally if you do not recieve my reply let me know as I am sending you PDF files for both you and your vet.

[Nats]

What measures should a pet owner take to ensure their pet is operated in an environment preventing MRSA infection. The problem we have is that we place our trust in the veterinary professionals and do not feel we can ask questions regarding the cleanliness of operating room.