By Scott Weese on Posted in MRSA/MRSPThe European Food Safety Authority, along with the European CDC and European Medicines Agency, have released a report about methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in livestock, pets and food. There’s nothing too earth-shattering in it, and nothing more than what we’ve been saying all along, but some of the points are worth repeating. While food may be… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Cats,Clostridium difficile,Dogs,MRSA/MRSPThere is a nice, concise commentary in the most recent issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal about preventing infections in the home. It covers three important organisms: MRSA, Clostridium difficile and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). An excellent aspect of this particular commentary is its relatively low-key approach, with an emphasis on routine, basic practices such… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in MRSA/MRSPAs a veterinary internist, I’m always looking for a good excuse to harass veterinary surgeons, and a recent study we performed with Dr. Lee Burstiner (an aspiring surgeon but a good guy anyway) at the 2008 American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) conference gives me more ammunition. This study is being presented today at the… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Cats,Dogs,MRSA/MRSPMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important (and high profile) cause of disease in people, and an emerging problem in animals. Evaluating the types of MRSA that we find in pets can help us understand what is happening with MRSA in pets and why. A few different studies have evaluated the types of MRSA found… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Dogs,MRSA/MRSPI received this question on hospital visitation animals today… For patients who are on contact precautions for a multidrug resistant organism, what other than hand hygiene could be suggested? I am currently rewriting our hospital infection control policy related to pet therapy and visitation with clients with a MDRO [multidrug resistant organism]. I was thinking… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Clostridium difficile,Dogs,MRSA/MRSP,Other diseasesA study published recently in the Journal of Hospital Infection (Lefebvre & Weese, 2009) looked at contamination of the haircoat of animals used in hospital visitation programs. In the study, Dr. Lefebvre petted animals that were going into a hospital and we cultured her hands. Then when the dogs finished their visits she petting them… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Cats,Dogs,MRSA/MRSP,Other diseasesMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP, sometimes misidentified as methicillin-resistant S. intermedius (MRSI)) is an increasing problem in dogs and cats. This highly drug-resistant bacterium is a particularly problem in skin and ear infections, and the number of infected animals appears to be increasing significantly. A related bug, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) has been a major problem… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Cats,Dogs,MRSA/MRSP,Other diseasesI’ve had this question a lot lately. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP), which is sometimes misidentified as methicillin-resistant S. intermedius (MRSI), is an important and increasing cause of infections in dogs and cats. After an animal has had an MRSP/MRSI infection, a question people often ask is how long they will carry the bacterium? MRSP can be… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Cats,Dogs,Horses,MRSA/MRSPAs we encounter more infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria (e.g. MRSA), we need to explore treatment options other than antibiotics. While we usually focus on "new" treatments, sometimes we can look back in time for ideas to treat infections. An old treatment method that is getting increasing attention these days is the use of honey.… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in MRSA/MRSPAn MRSA prevalence study was recently performed at the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) conference in San Diego, CA. As per the study protocols, results are being made available through the Worms&Germs website. Click here to download the results file. This file contains code numbers for all positive results. If your number is not… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Cats,Dogs,Horses,MRSA/MRSPAs we see more and more infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, we have to re-think our approach towards antibiotic therapy. This often involves using new drugs, but sometimes it also involves considering the use of older drugs that we haven’t used very much for a long time. One such drug is chloramphenicol. Years ago, this… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Cats,Dogs,MRSA/MRSPIt’s clear that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as a problem in dogs, both in terms of dog health and in terms of dogs as a potential sources of infection for people. It is thought that MRSA in pets is often (if not usually) acquired from people. Until recently, it has been unclear what makes individual… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Cats,Dogs,MRSA/MRSPMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) are important causes of infection in pets, and are resistant to many different antibiotics. It’s therefore very important that these bacteria are cultured and tested in a lab to determine what antibiotics may be effective. Even then, choosing an effective medication can be difficult due to… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Dogs,MRSA/MRSPA common question from owners of pets infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is "Where did it come from?" The answer is not completely clear, but evidence strongly suggests it probably came from humans. The MRSA strains found in pets are almost always teh same as those found in people (including people that don’t have… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Dogs,MRSA/MRSP,Other diseasesThis time of year, hot spots (aka superficial pyoderma, moist pyoderma, pyotraumatic dermatitis) are a common problem in dogs. Hot spots are more common in males, and most often occur on the cheek (pictured), neck or outside of the thigh. Normal skin is covered with various bacteria but infections don’t develop because healthy, intact skin… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Cats,Dogs,MRSA/MRSPSkin reactions from spider bites are usually very mild, if they are even noticed. However, bites from certain kinds of spiders can cause severe skin lesions that may develop into deep open wounds. These are sometimes called "volcano lesions". Deaths due to such bites have been reported, mainly in children. However, the relatively small brown… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Cats,Dogs,MRSA/MRSPThe European Union has announced that November 18 will be the EU’s Antibiotic Awareness Day. Antibiotics are incredibly important drugs and save countless lives (human and animal) on a daily basis. Resistance to antibiotics is a major threat to human and veterinary medicine. While antibiotic resistance is a complex issue, overuse and improper use (in… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Cats,Dogs,MRSA/MRSPThere is a lot of concern and confusion about methicillin-resistant staphylococcal infections in pets. "Staphylococcus" is genus of bacteria which contains numerous different species. All these species can come in ‘methicillin-resistant’ forms that are resistant to many antibiotics, but some of these species are of greater concern than others. The main species of concern are… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Cats,Dogs,MRSA/MRSPMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a multidrug resistant bacterium that is often referred to as a ‘superbug’. It is an important cause of disease in people, both in hospitals and in the general population. It can also infect various animal species, including dogs and cats. A small percentage of healthy people and animals (1-3%) carry… Continue Reading
By Maureen Anderson on Posted in Horses,MRSA/MRSPMany people in the horse world have heard the hype about methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in horses. MRSA can cause infection in horses, just like it can in people, dogs, cats and many other animals. It’s usually what we call an “opportunistic” pathogen, meaning it usually takes advantage of a person or an animal that… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Dogs,MRSA/MRSPThis is a question that I get on a regular basis. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an antibiotic resistant bacterium that is a major cause of disease in people and is also a cause of disease in various animals species, including dogs and cats. It can cause a wide range of infections, from mild skin… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Horses,MRSA/MRSP,SalmonellaRecently, a story about a man who brought a horse into a hospital to visit his father was widely reported. The horse apparently made it to the man’s room, which included a trip in an elevator. The son, who appeared intoxicated, was eventually asked to leave (and take the horse with him). Said a hospital… Continue Reading
