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Staphylococcal bacterial infections are
usually referred to as staph infections. Staph bacteria
are widespread and cause mild to severe skin infections in
dogs of all ages.
What are the
symptoms?
Symptoms depend on severity. Mild skin
infections may appear as crusty skin lesions, frequently
about the belly area. More advanced cases will manifest
draining areas and cause severe itching. Occasionally,
usually in adults, individuals are actually allergic to
the staph bacteria. These dogs have severely reddened and
itchy skin.
What are the risks?
The risk depends on the severity of the
individual case. All cases of staph pyoderma can progress
and should be treated as soon as possible.
What is the
management?
Bacterial infections are often secondary
to another problem, so the possibility of parasitic
infections, allergies, and hormonal abnormalities should
be checked. The skin is usually biopsied and/or cultured
to confirm the diagnosis. Oral antibiotics are selected
based on test results, and may need to be given for
several months if the infection is very deep. Medicated
shampoos, such as those containing chlorhexidine, can be
used in conjunction with oral antibiotics. In the rare
case of a staph allergy, steroids or hyposensitization
injections may be prescribed along with the antibiotics.
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Bacterial Hypersensitivity to Staph
Infections
Holly Nash, DVM, MS
Veterinary Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.
Bacterial hypersensitivity is a rare
disease in dogs and occurs when a dog's
immune system overreacts to Staphylococcus
(Staph) bacteria on its skin. When this occurs,
the skin reacts dramatically to the presence of Staph.
What are the
symptoms of bacterial hypersensitivity?
Bacterial hypersensitivity causes the
skin to become very red.
Pustules and large
vesicles filled with fluid develop on the skin.
There is severe itching, and many dogs will cause further
damage to their skin through scratching and biting.
It appears that bacterial
hypersensitivity in the dog is more likely to occur if
other conditions such as
hypothyroidism,
atopy (allergy to inhaled substances like pollen), or
flea allergy dermatitis are present.
How is bacterial
hypersensitivity diagnosed?
Bacterial hypersensitivity is diagnosed
through bacterial
culture and examination of a
biopsy sample. Microscopically, there are
certain unique changes in the blood vessels of the skin in
bacterial hypersensitivity. An intradermal allergy test
may also be helpful. In this procedure, a small amount of
extract made from the Staph bacteria is injected
in the skin. The area is examined for a reaction 15
minutes, 24 hours, and 48 hours after the injection. This
method is not as accurate as the biopsy.
How is bacterial
hypersensitivity treated?
It is extremely important to treat the
underlying disease such as hypothyroidism or flea allergy
dermatitis. A test is run in the laboratory to determine
which antibiotics are most likely to kill the Staph
and the animal is started on one of those antibiotics.
Some animals may need to be on antibiotics or immune
stimulants long-term to prevent the Staph from
multiplying on the skin and causing the hypersensitivity.
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