Q & A: Staph Skin Infections
By Dr. Kim Everson, DVM
Question: My veterinarian says my dog has a “staph” infection on his skin. I’ve heard that people can die from “staph” infections. Is my dog at risk of dying from this?
Answer: A “staph” skin infection refers to a type of bacteria that lives on the skin of many people and animals called staphylococci. There are several known species of Staphylococcus bacteria. Most live in harmony with their mammal host.
Staphylococcus bacteria are considered “opportunistic pathogens.” This means that in the proper place and in the right amounts they do not cause disease. However, when there is damage to the skin barrier via a wound or incision, parasites (such as mites or fleas), allergies or other illnesses, the staphylococci may invade the tissue and grow rapidly. The result is a skin infection.
In most pets a skin infection appears as a hot spot, rash or sores. A hot spot is a sticky, moist area of redness which may have a foul odor and discharge. Most “staph” skin infections are quite itchy. Your veterinarian may look at samples of the infection under the microscope to determine whether a bacterial (most likely Staphylococcus) and/or fungal infection is present so the proper medications can be given.
Most “staph” skin infections respond to traditional antibiotic therapy. If the infection is limited to one or two sores, you may simply need to keep the wounds clean and apply a topical antibiotic ointment. For more widespread infections you may be asked to give an antibiotic by mouth for several weeks. Many minor skin infections begin to improve after only days of treatment, but it is very important to follow your veterinarian’s instructions and finish the entire prescription. If you stop giving the antibiotic prematurely the Staphylococcus bacteria may become resistant to the medicine.
Antibiotic resistance is a very important and scary problem in human and veterinary medicine. The types of Staphylococcus bacteria that cause death are often resistant to common antibiotics. MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is another name for resistant staphylococci. A MRSA skin infection can spread like wildfire through the surrounding tissue (a.k.a. “flesh eating bacteria”) or spread via the bloodstream to the heart and lungs causing pneumonia, organ failure and death. Even though MRSA sounds terrifying, this strain of bacteria has been found on less than 5% of the human population. Healthy people carrying MRSA can pass it to their pets who in turn become carriers, but pets rarely become ill from MRSA.
Fortunately, the vast majority of “staph” skin infections in pets resolve with a simple course of antibiotics. To ensure that “staph” skin infections remain treatable in our pets – not to mention our children, elderly relatives and ourselves – we must take care to follow veterinarian and physician instructions on the proper use of antibiotics!
Originally printed in Pet Journal, May 2013