If just the thought of ticks and fleas on Fido or FiFi makes you shudder, gear up for something else that’ll have even you scratching—or worse.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)—while it’s usually transmitted through person-to-person contact as bacteria living on the skin—may find its next host on your pet. This “super bug,” as it’s called, can cause minor skin infections if the bacterium is exposed to an open wound or infection if exposed to the bloodstream.
Constantly adapting bacteria, MSRA has become immune to antibiotics and drugs. So, it can be very dangerous to cats and dogs as well as their guardians. It can be transferred between pets through scratches or bites but can just as easily travel between pets and their humans.
In loving your pets, be sure to take care of their fur—and what’s underneath it—while taking care of your body, too. Also keep up with regular vet visits to detect any problems early.
To read more about household pets and MSRA, click here. —Morgan McMillan
Tattle Tails 