Risk assessment – Pets

This is a double-edged sword. Pets are a danger to you and your family and are also in danger from you and your family.

Pets are your danger. A pet can be an MRSA carrier. In other terms just like you, a pet can be colonized by MRSA. Are you going to handle a pet? It can be to stroke them, or to check that they are fit and well. Wash your hands before and after. You do not want to spread MRSA on them, and do not want to carry MRSA from them. That may seem hard but there are cases where a family has been infected with MRSA, they have been treated, and were getting better only to get re-infected by their pet. The answer was to treat the family members and the animal for MRSA and then they all were rid of the infection.

I know it is tempting to pet a pet, but wash your hands first. Also be aware of any surface that the dog or cat jumps or climbs onto as they can carry MRSA on their paws. It may sound melodramatic, but they can pass MRSA on. This is true of the living areas of your home and also any bedrooms the pets go into (especially if they are not allowed).

Pets are in danger. They can so easily be colonized by humans or other animals and it only takes a cut or an operation and they have MRSA. If an animal is not recovering from a cut or scratch, especially if that is oozing puss then get it checked out by the vet. If it persists then get it checked for MRSA. You are the only one who can help your pet get better by appropriate antibiotics at an early stage of this infection. Leave it too late and there will be no pet in our home.

It is important that all the family remain vigilant and careful. Vigilant if there is a change in the behavior, or walk of the pet. It may look to be only a scratch but that is what has been said about so many of the victims of MRSA – it was only a scratch. Careful not to touch anything that could be infectious. It almost gets to a place where we must barrier-nurse our animals to prevent any cross infection, in either direction. Take good care of your pets.