Methicillin Resistant Staphyloccus pseudintermedius:
“This boo boo is not going away!”

Staphylococcus (staph) pseudintermedius is the most common bacteria found on dogs. This bacterium is a normal resident bacteria that happily lives on most dogs and rarely presents day-to-day problems. If there is a break in the skin barrier, then the bacteria can take advantage and overpopulate leading to infection.
Common antibiotics are usually the solution to these infections, but a small percentage of dogs may develop a skin infection caused by methicillin resistant Staphyloccus pseudintermedius (MRSP). MRSP does not cause more damage or worse disease than regular Staphyloccus, rather it is resistant to commonly used antibiotics and is more difficult to eradicate.
To confirm if a poor response to antibiotics is due to methicllin resistance, the veterinarian will take a sample for culture from the infected area and submit it to a microbiology laboratory. There, the lab will grow the bacteria and determine which antibiotic will be most effective in clearing the infection. Based upon the lab results, the veterinarian will then prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection often in combination with topical antiseptic solutions (baths, rinses, wipes and sprays).
Often the plan is to gain control of the infection and then formulate a plan to discover the cause of skin irritation and begin treatment for that disease. MRSP is most common in pets with recurrent skin infections due to underlying causes such as allergies. Additionally, dogs that have had previous courses of antibiotics are susceptible to MRS.
MRS only affects animals and rarely causes infections in people, but those with immune compromised systems, the elderly or the very young should take extra caution after handling a dog with MRS by washing hands well and always before meals. The risk is low, but if a non-healing skin wound develops, see your physician.

Dr. Andrew Rosenberg wins Resident Award at Derm Convention

Dr. Andrew Rosenberg, third-year resident at Animal Dermatology Clinic was recognized for his presentation of “Evaluation of azithromycin for the treatment of ciclosporin-associated gingival overgrowth in dogs” at the North American Veterinary Dermatology Forum (NAVDF) held in Louisville, KY last month.
The NAVDF is the annual meeting for veterinary dermatologists from across the United States to convene and learn of the latest findings and trends in veterinary dermatology.
It is also the forum used for dermatology residents to present their case study projects to their peers.
Dr. Rosenberg’s presentation was deemed the best among all other presenting residents as decided by the American College of Veterinary Dermatology research committee. He received a cash prize of $1,000.
Dr. Rosenberg concludes his residency program this summer and will sit for his board certifying examination to become a Diplomate in November.
He sees patients in Tustin and Palm Desert.