Pregnant and Dog has staph infection

[mlmccauley]

My dog recently tore her ACL. She went in for surgery two weeks ago. A week ago today we noticed some “oozing” from the wound. The drainage was cultured and it turns out it is a staph infection – MRSA to be exact. The dog is on the correct antibiotic now and the wound seems to be healing fine. But I am 6 months pregnant and FREAKING out. How worried do I need to be? I talked to my OB and he said to follow proper hygiene protocol and I should be fine. My concern is from the time the drainage began, Friday, until Tuesady when we found out what it was. Is anyone familiar with MRSA? Will it pose a problem to the pregnancy? Any insight is greatly appreciated.

Maria

 

[FitNurseRN]

Sorry to hear about your dog. You should be fine just make sure you wash your hands after touching your dog. I am in MRSA rooms almost everyday at the hospital and its really not that big of a deal. Its really incredible how many people these days have MRSA. The people that serve or cook your food when you go out to eat may have MRSA and you wouldnt have any clue. Hope this helps

melissa

 

[mlmccauley]

>Sorry to hear about your dog. You should be fine just make
>sure you wash your hands after touching your dog. I am in MRSA
>rooms almost everyday at the hospital and its really not that
>big of a deal. Its really incredible how many people these
>days have MRSA. The people that serve or cook your food when
>you go out to eat may have MRSA and you wouldnt have any clue.
>Hope this helps
>
>melissa


Is an open wound the only method of transmission that would cause a serious problem?

Maria

 

[FitNurseRN]

In normal healthy people MRSA is of no great significance even if it exists on the skin. People who are most vulnerable to its affects are people in hospitals on ventilators in intensive care, for example. If your dog has MRSA in the wound there is a theoretical possibility that you could then become a carrier of the bug. Normally this would not be a problem, but because childbirth may involve medical procedures and the potential for an episiotomy, or a vaginal tear, this would put you at more risk, and of course the baby too, whose skin could become colonized with the bugs from you. My advice would be not to touch your dog (if at all possible) until the wound is healed. ie; changing dressings ect. If you do just make sure you are practicing good hand hygiene. I hope this helps.

melissa

 

[mlmccauley]

>In normal healthy people MRSA is of no great significance
>even if it exists on the skin. People who are most vulnerable
>to its affects are people in hospitals on ventilators in
>intensive care, for example. If your dog has MRSA in the wound
>there is a theoretical possibility that you could then become
>a carrier of the bug. Normally this would not be a problem,
>but because childbirth may involve medical procedures and the
>potential for an episiotomy, or a vaginal tear, this would put
>you at more risk, and of course the baby too, whose skin could
>become colonized with the bugs from you. My advice would be
>not to touch your dog (if at all possible) until the wound is
>healed. ie; changing dressings ect. If you do just make sure
>you are practicing good hand hygiene. I hope this helps.
>
>melissa

Should I get tested to see if I have been colonized are am a carrier?

 

[FitNurseRN]

If you have a break in the skin that is infected or a open wound that is draining that is different. I dont think you need to be tested to see if you are a carrier. They are not going to treat you unless you have an actual infection. If you have episiotomy or a section just make sure that it does not get infected. If it starts to look that way make sure you call your dr.

melissa