ASPECTS OF NASAL, OROPHARYNGEAL AND ANAL CARRIAGE OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS-INTERMEDIUS IN NORMAL DOGS AND DOGS WITH PYODERMA

Aspects of carriage of Staphylococcus intermedius were studied in thre e groups of dogs. In 150 normal dogs presenting for annual booster ino culations, carriage rates for S. intermedius in the anterior nares (36 %) and on the anal ring (36%) were recorded. In 44 dogs presented for routine elective surgery, carriage of S. intermedius was higher on the caudal nares (41%) than on the anterior nares (34%), oropharynx (25%) or anal ring (30%) allowing an assessment of the accuracy of basing n asal carriage rates on swabbing the anterior nares alone. A new findin g was that animals from multidog households had significantly higher ( P < 0.005) nasal and anal carriage rates than dogs from single-dog hou seholds. In 33 dogs with superficial pyoderma, carrier rates were simi lar to those reported by others and significantly higher than in the o ther two groups with regard to both nasal and anal carriage (P < 0.05 and P < 0.005, respectively).