Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. in the conjunctival sac of healthy dogs.

Objectives To determine the prevalence of selected coagulase-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRS) in the conjunctival sac in a group of healthy dogs and to compare the prevalence of ocular MRS colonization with colonization of typically assessed body sites including the nasal cavity and rectum. Animals studied 123 healthy dogs were used in the prevalence study: 40 dogs from a shelter and 83 privately owned dogs. Procedures The sampling procedure included culturing three separate sites per subject in the following order: the lower conjunctival fornices, the nares, and rectum. Results A low prevalence of 1.6% (2/123) of MRS was detected in healthy dogs. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius was isolated from two dogs, one from a conjunctival swab and the other from a rectal swab. Conclusion The survey data indicate the ocular surface is a potential site of MRS colonization, although the prevalence was low in healthy dogs.