Animals & MRSA

MRSP: The other staph infection threatening dogs

MRSP: Assessing the threats to patients and practices - DVM.

When it comes to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP), resistance is increasing and it could signal new therapeutic challenges for veterinarians. The infection rates in human hospitals have been well-documented for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), but new data is suggesting MRSP may emerge as a similar threat to dogs, but without the same zoonotic potential to people. A study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (Perreten V, et al.) in late March suggests that two major clonal MRSP lineages "have disseminated in Europe and North America. Regardless of their geographical or clonal origin, the isolates displayed resistance to the major classes of antibiotics used in veterinary medicine and thus infections caused by MRSP isolates represent a serious therapeutic challenge." How serious? These isolates are showing resistance to many popular antibiotics including: trimethoprim (90.3 percent), gentamicin/kanamycin (88.3 percent), kanamycin (90.3 percent) streptomycin (90.3 percent), streptothrycin (90.3 percent), macrolides and/or lincosamides (89.3 percent), fluoroquinolones (87.4 percent), tetracycline (69.9 percent), chloramphenicol (57.3 percent) and rifampicin (1.9 percent).

MRSA in Animals - Your Guide

Pets MRSA has been answering questions on MRSA in animals for over 5 years. Here are some of the most common questions and the answers we've discovered.

What is MRSA and how does it affect animals?
How did my dog become colonized with MRSA?
Are some animals more MRSA prone than others?
What are the MRSA challenges for dogs with dermatitis issues?
What kinds of treatment are available for animals with MRSA?
Should I isolate my mrsa positive pet?
What can you do at home to help your MRSA infected pet?
What should I be asking my vet about MRSA
What is known about MRSA in cats?
Is it possible for dogs to be decolonized?
Is there bedding that will help a animal with an MRSA infection?
If family members and/or pets are mrsa positive will a newborn catch it?
Is clothing and other household items an MRSA problem for pets?
If my pet is MRSA positive will I catch it?
Will my MRSA positive pet contaminate my home?
What is known about MRSA in horses?
How long does MRSA stay alive on surfaces
Handwashing is effective in thwarting household MRSA - what's the best method?
Will my pet get MRSA if they eat infected bandages?
What is good infection control practice for Pet Visitor animals?
How can I choose a good vet
Where can I find scientific evidence about MRSA and staph in animals

Got an MRSA Pets Question? Use the comments box below and we'll try and help you

The Bella Moss Foundation has been granted Charity Registration, and celebrated the event at Crufts this year

The Bella Moss Foundation celebrates our charity status at the worlds largest dog show

Crufts NEC Birmingham England

See our photos, read our update of the event and download a live interview with Jill Moss President and Founder talking to Mike Gardner of Talkpoint. We would like to express our thanks to Talkpoint, The Kennel Club, Showorld Toys, and Principal Hayley St Johns Hotel in Solihull.

Listen to audio interview with Jill Moss:
http://tpbaudioserver.co.uk/crufts/2008/audio.html

The Bella Moss Foundation has been granted Charity Registration, and celebrated the event at Crufts this year.

MRSA in USA Pets

The Bella Moss Foundation has been contacted more and more by USA pet owners concerning MRSA infections. This is a recent story on Fox News in the USA. Andie & her dog Cooper are featured in this story. Andie mentions the Bella Moss Foundation as the only place she could find information on MRSA in pets to help her dog Cooper:

Video:
http://www.wicz.com/fox40/video.asp?video=11%2D9%2D07+MRSA%2Ewmv

News article:
http://www.wicz.com/news2005/viewarticle.asp?a=4952

MRSA - a growing menace for humans and animals alike

Link: Today - 999 Today

      Over the last few years the MRSA 'superbug' has been in the news with alarming regularity as one hospital after another has been affected by it. However, it can also have a devastating effect on veterinary surgeries, as Christine Lee of World Animal Day has been finding out.

MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) is a generally harmless bacterium, but one which can prove fatal to a person or an animal with a weakened immune system, for example someone who has just undergone surgery. It can be spread by direct contact, or by coughing or sneezing, and can be carried from people to animals and vice versa. MRSA is notoriously resistant to antibiotics, and it is thought that over-reliance on antibiotics in the past has led to its evolution.

The spread of MRSA in hospitals has often been linked to poor hygiene practices. So it is unsurprising that it should also be on the increase in veterinary surgeries.

More at the link above

Essential Oils and MRSA

Link: Essential Oils and MRSA.

Natural preventative pet care isn't a new thing but it certainly isn't fully mainstream yet. One of the challenges is being able to re-educate the public to think outside of the box. For so many years we've been told over and over again by traditional care providers that our pets need yearly vaccinations, prevention medicines for heartworm, fleas, and ticks, and feeding premium kibble. We've been told these will all lead to ultimate wellness in our pets. Nothing could be further from the truth.

While we continue to struggle with conquering the mountain of "alternative care is for new age, crystal toting, chanting hippies", our pets are getting sicker rather than healthier.

One of the most challenging problems on the rise is super resistant bacteria that are increasingly resistant to the traditional use of antibiotics. Most notably is the rise of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). This is a staph infection that the antibiotic methicillin can no longer kill. MRSA is passed from humans to pets and it is still mutating into strains in different species animals. Horses have developed their own strain and antibiotics are not the answer! In fact, the overuse of antibiotics is part of the main reason that these bacteria have mutated and evolved.

More at the link above

MRSA - a growing menace for humans and animals alike

Link: Today - 999 Today

Click the link above for more on this helpful story

The Bella Moss Foundation and the PETS-MRSA website exist to raise awareness and educate both animal-owners and veterinary professionals. Jill and her supporters back this up with campaigning, distributing material, talking to people and piloting research studies. Undoubtedly the team works very hard, and Jill makes the following poignant comment about her work: "The hardest part for me is telling my story over and over, but I do so to help raise awareness and save the lives of our pets," she says.

'Superbug' blamed in British dog deaths

Link: 'Superbug' blamed in British dog deaths.

A powerful bug that has killed at least two dogs has British health officials taking notice. The bug -- methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus -- infected the animals after relatively routine surgeries in veterinary hospitals.

The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs has created a committee to examine MRSA, said the Sunday Times of London.

One of the dog's owners, London soap opera actress Jill Moss, is raising the issue through a charity she created. Moss' 10-year-old Samoyed Bella died last year from an MRSA infection following surgery.

More at the link above and in the Indian media here

Experts examine MRSA pets 'link'

Link: BBC NEWS | Health | Experts examine MRSA pets 'link'.

Dr Donald Morrison, of the Scottish MRSA Reference Laboratory, said his centre had received reports of pets developing MRSA and was helping the government research the issue.

"So far it seems to be a case of the patient passing it on to the pet, but there is no reason why it cannot be passed from pet to pet, and pet to human.

"However, it is too early to draw any firm conclusions, we need to look into this further.

"What is interesting that all the cases seem to be the hospital strain, which is very good at surviving and spreading.

"As for livestock, again it is possible."

However, he said it was very unlikely MRSA would be passed on to humans from drinking cows' milk or eating meat.

More at the link above

World Animal Day

Join The Bella Moss Foundation and many other charities in helping animals all over the world" Visit www.worldanimalday.org.uk - click on E cards to send your E card of Bella to friends and family. Read about The Bella Moss Foundation in the WAD monthly column in the international online newspaper www.999today.com later this month.