The nose is not enough: Multi-site sampling is best for MRSP detection in dogs and households.

Background: Following recovery from meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) infection of any type, dogs may continue to carry MRSP asymptomatically on skin and mucosae, contributing to the spread of this multidrug-resistant, veterinary hospital-associated pathogen with zoonotic potential to others and into the environment.

Objectives: This study determined which canine anatomic and household environmental sites are most sensitive for sampling to identify carriage and contamination.

Methods And Materials: Fifty-one dogs and 22 households, MRSP-positive on at least one tested site, were sampled on 132 and 40 occasions over time, respectively.