Staph Infections in Dogs

You’re probably here to find an answer to the question, can a dog get a staph infection? That answer is yes, absolutely they can — and this guide will explain more.

Staphylococcus infections are the most common skin problems in canines, but in worst-case scenarios they can be very serious.

Staphylococcus is a group of bacteria that tend to live in and around the genitals, eyes, nose and mouth of a dog (and a human). In itself, Staphylococcus is nothing to worry about; it helps form part of the healthy microbiome in an animal. 

What’s less healthy is when an infection in this bacteria takes hold. Whenever your dog has a cut, they will be at risk of the Staphylococcus entering the wound and infecting it. If their immune system is compromised and they become ill, pathogenic bacteria in the skin can overwhelm the healthy bacteria and cause infection.

But it’s a mistake to think that staph infections are just irritations on the skin. They can also occur in the spinal cord, the brain, the heart, the kidneys, the urinary system, and the reproductive organs. In these instances, you may notice that your dog has a fever and is unusually weak. 

As with all conditions, the best precaution if you’re at all worried is to call your vet and explain what’s happening, giving them your dog’s dermatological history so that they can offer advice and examine your dog if they need to. In order to confirm a diagnosis, they will probably recommend tests like a skin cytology.

Your dog won’t display all of these symptoms, of course, but it’s worth noting that the features of a staph infection can be numerous and wide-ranging. Look out for any of these tell-tale staph infection in dogs:

• Fever
• Inflammation near a wound — this is painful and sometimes hot to the touch
• Itchiness
• Pus around the wound
• Coughing or particular difficulty breathing
• Lethargy
• Crusting or scaling of the wound
• Loss of appetite
• Skin lesions 
• Atopic dermatitis

Can humans get a staph infection from a dog?

You might be wondering, can I get a staph infection from my dog? Unfortunately, yes — a dog staph infection can be contagious, but it happens so rarely in humans that in the vast majority of cases you needn’t be worried about it.

It’s also possible that dogs can get a staph infection from humans, so it’s advisable to act quickly if you suspect an infection.

If your dog develops a staph infection that needs treatment, does your pet insurance cover the cost? Use our fast comparison tool to get quotes from leading pet insurance providers.

First of all — staph infections in dogs are completely normal and it’s worth pointing out that most of the time they aren’t scary at all. 

So, what causes staph infections in dogs? Well, there are a range of causes as to how dogs get staph infections, including:

• An existing fungal or bacterial infection in the blood
• A pre-existing chronic or debilitating disease
• Allergies that make a dog vulnerable to infection 
• Contaminated material entering the body through the eyes, mouth, nose, or stomach
• An infected wound, scrape or cut
• An operation, performed on your dog, with equipment that had not been properly sterilized

Licking and staph infections in dogs

Staph infections in puppies

If your furry friend is a young puppy — or an older dog — they will be slightly more likely to contract a staph infection because their immune system won’t be as strong. Labrador retrievers, American and French bulldogs, shar-peis and pitbull-type breeds are some of the breeds with a slightly higher chance of developing the infection.  

Staph infections are secondary infections so it’s important that the vet does their best to discern the primary cause in case the staph infection returns with a vengeance.

While most of the bacteria that cause staph infections are basically harmless, Staphylococcus aureus is one of the few that can cause a nasty infection in almost any part of your dog’s body.

While dogs, like humans, can get MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), it’s methicillin-resistant Staph pseudintermedius (helpfully shortened to MRSP) that concerns vets more because it’s more common. 

In MRSA and MRSP, the bacteria is becoming resistant to antibiotics, making the infection much harder to treat. This may leave vets with no option but to perform surgery — a serious course of action that’s always best avoided if possible.

Of course, surgery is far better than the alternative: if you don’t treat a staph infection, it can lead to far more serious problems like blood poisoning, organ infections, and sometimes death. 

If you have any concerns at all about your dog’s health, always consult a vet. A wellness plan covers the cost of vet examinations and routine appointments. Check out the wellness plan options available to you in addition to your standard pet insurance. 

Because staph infections are topical, the more mild examples can be treated with remedies like ointments, creams, sprays and shampoos. But a lot of the time — sometimes as well as, not just instead — a vet will use antibiotics to stop the infection spreading. 

These drugs will usually be administered over a period of three to six weeks and you must stick to a schedule when administering them; if you don’t, the antibiotics may do more harm than good.

They tend to be taken orally at home but can sometimes be administered via an injection in hospital. A vet may also insert a stent to drain excess fluid.

What you shouldn’t forget is that in the scenario that your dog has a type of Staphylococcus that has become resistant to antibiotics — as multiple strains of the bacteria have — the drugs won’t be a simple course of action.

Your vet may prescribe a course of multiple antibiotics or have to perform surgery on your dog in order to remove the infected tissue from the animal’s body. 

Generally, if all has gone well, the antibiotics are administered correctly, and the dog is kept clean and in a sanitary environment, it will take between several days and a couple of weeks for your furry friend to be completely back to normal after suffering a staph infection of the skin. 

While they’re recovering, ensure that they are eating and drinking regularly — If you need any information on good-quality dog food, our friends at Dog Food Advisor will be able to help you.)

With an internal dog staph infection affecting tissue and organs, however, it’s a little more complicated. While the chance of recovery is still significant, sometimes antibiotics don’t solve internal staph infections by themselves — hence the need for interventions like surgery.

If you want more guidance on canine health conditions and anything else dog-related, check out the Wag! app and get expert advice at your fingertips in seconds. 

Staph infections can most commonly be a skin infection or an internal infection. For most staph infections classified as skin infections, the veterinarian will prescribe an antibiotic cream (Mupirocin $15 on average) to help combat the infection.

The veterinarian may prescribe oral antibiotics ($10-$30) as well. If the staph infection is caused by an internal infection then there could be more extensive treatments done. In addition to oral antibiotics ($10-$30), the veterinarian may combat the internal infection with stents ($100-$130) to drain any fluid buildup. Surgery ($1,000-$2,500) may also be an option in order to remove any necrotic tissue.