Natural Pet Health

Scary new pets stats on drug-resistant bacteria

While many of us are aware of the worldwide pandemic of deadly ‘super-bugs’ (also known as strains of bacteria that have mutated and become resistant to conventional antibiotics) that have been affecting hospitals to households, we now have to worry about our pets having the same fate.

In dogs and cats, the bacteria are slightly different than the strains that affect people, which are usually methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. Animals are likely to contract methicillin-resistant staphylococcus intermedius, or MRSI, but it’s overall causing the same problem in which some strains of common bacteria have evolved to resist the antibiotics we normally use to treat it.

While your pet may initiate certain behaviors regarding eating habits and exercise, through the evolution of domestication, many of these normal processes fall under the influence of our hands. Therefore, making just a few tweaks in routine may greatly benefit your pet’s overall health and well-being.

There is much that can be done to support a healthy immune system in pets. Here are a few tips:

• Avoid exposure to toxins and chemicals as much as possible.
• Don’t expose your pet to second hand cigarette smoke.
• Give your pet a healthy varied diet – making sure to include lots of raw meat, fresh vegetables and fruit.