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What the Vets are saying about the BMF

When my dog Cooper was diagnosed with MRSA last summer, the first thing I did was get on the internet to find out as much as I could. I had never heard of a dog contracting MRSA, but I thought that with the help of the internet I would be able to find a wealth of information. I was wrong. There is only one website I could find that had any information on MRSA in pets. The Bella Moss Foundation. No one knows how Cooper contracted MRSA. He had been treated for 'idiopathic' staph infections for over three years, one series of antibiotics after another. Finally, in July of 2007, my vet took a skin culture and sent it to Cornell University Companion Animal Hospital. The results came back positive for the human strain of MRSA. Cooper did not get this from me, as my family has been tested and we are all negative. Where would he get it? Who knows? The reasonable conclusion would be he got it from a vet's office. (we had changed vets as we thought his previous one was not very professional.) When questioned, Cooper's vet said in all of her years of practicing she had never seen a case of MRSA. Neither had any of the other vets in the practice. Neither had anyone else I spoke to on the subject. I would mention it, and people would look at me like I was from Mars. So, Jill...............after what I went through with Cooper, I can imagine the pain, anger and frustration you went through with Bella. I found you...........you had no-one. There aren't any words to express the sadness I feel at your loss of Bella, and the gratitude I feel for your determination to help other pets and the people who love them. You are a perfect example of someone who has taken a really heartbreaking situation and turned it around for a good purpose. Cooper is well now, and I will be eternally grateful for all of your help and support. I can't thank you enough. I look forward to the success of the Foundation in disseminating information on MRSA and other infectious (and totally preventable) diseases in animals. It is vital that the veterinary profession, kennels, groomers, pet stores, breeders and anyone else involved with animals, including the general public, be educated about this growing threat.

Andie Irwin and Cooper (Castle Creek NY USA )

Our rabbit got mrsa after surgery on her tummy. My mummy did not know about it and I found the Bella Moss Foundation at my school website. I did a project on how sick my bunny was and my teacher asked me to give her the information so she could let my school know about mrsa in animals. Jill came to our school and gave a talk, she helped our vets to learn more and gave my mum and dad so much support. Bunky is now well and I give my pocket money to the Bella Moss Foundation, every week I get £5.00 and I give £1.00 for sick animals. When I grow up I am going to help Jill with her job, and because of her and the foundation I now want to be a vet.

Sarah (Hertfordshire)

My husband contracted MRSA, 3weeks following hip replacement surgery on August 28th. When we took him to the hospital we left some soiled bandages on the couch. When I came home after he was admitted the soiled bandages were chewed up and scattered all over the house. We have two Dalmatians. Baxter is 9 and Cinnamon is 8. I did a google search and looked to see if MRSA could be spread to dogs from people. In addition to finding some web sites indicating transmission was possible, I found the Bella Moss Foundation site and started talking to Jill Moss. She gave me excellent advise and I took both dogs to the vet, indicating they might be contagious. A week later Cinnamon came back as positive but the other dog was negative. A week later Baxter was sick, but Cinnamon remained health but testing positive for MRSA. Both dogs were given multiple antibiotics. Eventually Cinnamon cleared and Baxter cleared after Cinnamon as given gentramycine intranasally. My home was professionally disinfected and parts were remodeled. My husband is awaiting surgery to replace his hip. As far as I can determine this is the first case of human to dog transmission from soiled bandages.

Margaret McNicholl (Santa Clarita, California)

Flash - March 14, 2000 - November 7, 2006 Flash was born in 2000. He was neutered at age 2 and has had urinary tract problems ever since. He may have even contracted MRSA at this surgery because I remember him taking a lot of antibiotics for a hard to cure bacterial infection (my vet’s words). When we went on vacation in September he seemed fine. The day after we got home, September 25 2006, he could not pee. This never happened before. We took him to the vet and they said he had bladder stones and that he had to have surgery to save his life. Also, the surgery that he had to have was called an urethrostomy. They completely rerouted his urinary tract. I have been going to for 20+ years and trusted the vets completely. Two days after his surgery, he started bleeding profusely through this new opening after urinating. MY vet was away. We took Flash to another hospital and this vet put him on Rimadyl and the bleeding stopped after one day. She said he probably was just inflamed. A week or so went back and Flash was not able to pee again. Back to his regular vet and they catherized him and said he still had some post-op swelling then again he was ok for a few days. Then, not able to pee again. He began this routine of just lying around and panting all of the time. I asked the vet about the panting and he said that he was just anxious. This went on for several weeks, we took him and had to have him catherized to get him to pee. After a while I noticed that his eyes were turning yellow and he was running a fever. At this point, I asked our vet to sign a release so that we could take him to the Virginia Tech Teaching Animal Hospital. He spoke with them on the phone and they recommended that a sterile urine culture be taken first. We took Flash in the first thing the next morning and they drew urine out of his bladder with a syringe and sent it off for testing. The next day, Flash wasn't able to pee again. They said to bring him in and they would put him on a liquid drip and catherize him again. That night we went to visit him at the vet hospital was the last time. Flash died in the middle of the night. Two days after he died, the culture came back positive for MRSA. My Flash is gone after six weeks of uncalled for suffering and after only living for six short years. He was the absolute best dog. He was a beautiful dog. He was a graduate of obedient school and was the most intelligent dog I had ever had. He also very loved. He would kiss and kiss you. He was also the most playful dog I ever had. He was always bringing his toys to you for you to play with him. Everyone loved him who met him and that was because he loved everyone he met. He was so special. I found out about the Bella Moss Foundation over the internet while I was researching MRSA in pets. Jill was so very nice to me and let me tell her about my Flash and let me cry. MRSA is a horrible way for pets to go and I truly hope that the foundation in time can stop this senseless dying. Carol Fisher, Charleston WV USA

Carol Fisher (Charleston, WV USA)

Thankfully I was recommended to Jill and the Bella Moss Foundation through Yvonne the puppy trainer that was helping me with my Great Dane, called Judge. Judge has been with my family since he was 8 weeks old. January 1st 2007 he was running chasing a ball and suddenly went lame. The vet told us he had a ruptured and had severed his cruciate ligament in both his hind legs but the left leg was more severe. They recommended 2 hospitals both had a waiting time of 4 weeks plus. So we decided to take the first appointment. We were advised to go ahead straight away with a TPLO and that Judge would stay in the vet 3 days and then come home and rest and recover. It did not turn out this way. Judge was not ready for me to collect for 1 week as his wound was still bleeding, which I was told, was nothing to worry about. Finally, I collected him and bought him home the kids were very excited to see him and kissed and cuddled him. I noticed within a couple of hours of being home his wound did not seem correct to me and went straight to my local vet to have him assessed. They decided to put staple stitches in to close the wound. A few hours later I was not convinced as the wound was not clear and I drove straight back to where he had the operation. I was told they would keep him in and do blood tests and put a drain in his leg, as there seemed to be a lump of fluid there. It took 5 days to get the results back when I was told MRSA! I was in shock as had only heard of this in hospitals for humans and knew that if bad could lead to death. I rang Yvonne who put me straight on to Jill. Jill was a mind of information comforting and calming me down, and telling me what information I needed to know from the vet. Jill also told me what procedures needed to be carried out to get the MRSA under control. After many weeks of antibiotic beads placed back inside the leg and constant drainage Judge came home. We nursed him and monitored him with sterile gloves until it had been 16 weeks since the operation when we finally could take out all the metal plates and check there was no MRSA there. It was a long 6 months for Judge to fully recover and thanks to Jill and the Bella Moss Foundation with all their support of emails and telephone calls kept us strong and now Judge is over the worst. Thanks Tracey and family x London

Tracy & Family (London)

Mr Beebs had a torn ACL. I had heard that this new procedure called a TPLO would be a permanent solution to our problems. Expensive but nothing was too much for my Mr Beebs.I decided to meet with the surgeon who explained the procedure but never mentioned any complications that might ensue. It sounded wonderful. We went in on 06/06/06. I should have known it would turn out bad. They kept Beebs in there for several days and finally I was able to take him home to recoup and get that back leg working well again. He had to be leashed walked everywhere...and I mean everywhere including inside the house for 8 weeks. About ten days into this I noticed a serum oozing out of his incision. It was hot to the touch and the dog was lethargic and moody. I looked closer and a track opened up in that incision sight and reddish brown smelly serum came flowing out of it. I took him quickly back to the surgeon. He said it was the tissue rubbing against the metal plate and that was normal and nothing to be alarmed about. The next week the oozing got even more foul smelling. One week before I was too leave the dog was prostrate on the ground, unable to stand and had the glazed look of pain in his eyes. I was hysterical. I called the surgeon once again. It was no use his return call never came. I asked a vet tech friend of mine to come over. She took one look and said he is suffering get him to the emergency hospital now. Mr Beebs was in the week before the surgeon had ordered a culture and sensitively report. I don't think he ever read it because he kept us on a treatment program that was useless in the face of the results. We kept on the anti biotic's he had prescribed although they didn't seem to be doing any good at all. Finally. I called my regular vet who was deeply concerned and took the dog into the hospital where he was sedated and a deep culture taken. What came back changed our world. It was enterobacter cloacae. It was resistant to just about everything .The vet called the lab back and begged them to give me some hope...after all there must be something that can kill it. I had to inject his muscle with a 25 gauge needle which horrified me. It was an inch and a half long and tapered and thick time. What if I did it wrong? I thought. 4 months later and I was now finding it harder and harder to even find a muscle not so calcified that I could penetrate it with a needle. I had to look for other places near his neck, on his rump. I was studying anatomy charts to make sure I knew where it was safest. I couldn't bring him to the vet’s office 3 times a day...I had to do it myself. The drug cost me $800.00 per ten days of use. After about 2 solid weeks of injections ....The wound started closing I was so happy...we were killing it! But....as soon as the injections stopped (with in 5 days) the track in his incision opened up and globs of thick smelly pus oozed out of his leg. I then was told by my vet to take a needle nose syringe fill it with an antiseptic solution and every 4 hours blast it up into the track and flush the debris from the leg. It was a horrendous job and the stuff was flying everywhere. Because Scar tissue had formed at the site and the plate and screws were the best hiding place a bacteria could ever ask for. I had no idea the nightmare I had stepped into. There was never any hope of saving that leg. I know that now. The plate broke 6 months after it was put in. A week before Christmas 2006, 2 screws broke off into the bone and were never able to be removed. The leg was in shambles and so was I. Mr Beebs has had 13 surgeries ...none of which did much good at all. The bacteria had colonized in the screw holes and there was no blood supply to the bone so they continued to wreak havoc on the leg. It was eating its way through his leg. My last ditch attempt came back in May of 2007. I drove for 2 days to the University of Georgia to meet the team who were doing beading implants for super bugs and osteomilistus. The surgeon had placed a hybrid fixator on his leg which held the bone together by big bolts that went right through his leg. I had to clean around the bolts and screws every single day 3 times a day to keep more infection from getting into the holes. I had to pad the sharp edges that were pointed enough to rip upholstery and clothing on contact. If it hit his skin it would rip into it. I had bolts of cotton I stuffed in there to protect him. I had cotton swabs full of antiseptic I would swirl around the open holes in his flesh and bones. The drug that they had implanted was so powerful that the only way you can use it is with permission from the CDC (Center for disease control). After ten days the beads were removed and beads made of imipenam cilastastin were implanted. I stopped all the shots and held my breath a year plus has passed and I was $50,000. out in expenses and no closer to salvation. With in five days the incision opened up and began to drain. I knew I had lost. The battle was over. I had done all science could offer and I could not kill the bacteria and save his leg. I finally gave permission to amputate. I saw Mr Beebs walking away into the hospital to have his leg that had only had a torn ligament cut away from him forever. I had brought Mr Beebs in to help him but instead had brought so much suffering into his life. Today he has 3 legs and I'd like to say it’s been just terrific but that would be a lie. He wobbles and falls and I carry him everywhere. Up and down stairs in the truck. Massage him, give him injections. I have done everything I can and it seems my best isn't good enough. The moral of the story ASK QUESTIONS TO YOUR VET. The Bella Moss Foundation is a place for pet owners to find support and advice about infections in animals – take this information and challenge your vets. Lor Fogler USA

Lor Fogler (USA)

Sally is the most beautiful, kind, intelligent and loving dog that you could ever wish to meet, truly exceptional. Sally had an operation at the start of September 2007 to remove wires from her chest. This was done because following her initial heart surgery two and a half years previously, she had big scabs all down her sternum where the wires were, and we thought they were irritating her skin. In September when she had the sternum wires removed, they were sent to be cultured and we found out she had MRSA. By this point, her stitches had been taken out and the wound under her chest had completely opened up To date Sally has had pretty much every antibiotic there is, but the bacteria just becomes resistant to them very quickly and she has three openings under her chest which are discharging. Swab results keep coming back as ‘no growth’ and sterile, yet there is plently of yucky discharge, so we are all a bit confused at the moment, and about to give Manuka Honey a try. Without a swab analysis showing the current bacteria, we are unable to see if there are any other antibiotics to try. It is suspected that the MRSA might be in the bone of her sternum, and therefore not shifting. Sally is well in herself, though with no walks or life for four months, bandaged every other day, and a big cone on her head for four months, her resilience and strength is incredible. Jill has been a constant source of support, and has a really fantastic network of contacts. There have been many times when I have been freaked out and frustrated by this, and Jill has been a god send. We’ll continue to work together and do everything we can to get Sally well. It’s been going on a terribly long time!!

Fiona Martin (Liverpool UK)

Our beautiful Momo, a black cat with one perfectly shaped white heart on her chest, came to us homeless one day, and of course we took her in. She changed our lives in the best of ways and brought and continues to bring us unlimited unconditional love every single day. One day in 2005, Momo was at her vet for a routine physical and teeth cleaning. while there she also had a urinalysis done which involves the insertion of a needle into the bladder. Shortly after momo returned home, we came to learn that our other cat, Fluffy, had a urinary tract infection, and after a culture, that it was MRSA. Fluffy was given antibiotics and, lucky for him, he cleared the infection. We then learned on November 12, 2005, that Momo had the same infection. She wasn't so lucky. Momo was treated with antibiotics for two years, and still she had MRSA. This past September we learned there were virtually no antibiotics left to try. In desperation, I went online and began researching MRSA. in this way, we were both lucky, as we discovered The Bella Moss Foundation and came to meet Jill Moss who so unselfishly gives of too much of her time to help animals who are infected like Momo in honor of her dearest precious Bella who tragically and heedlessly was lost to Jill from MRSA and medical ignorance and fear. Having determined to transform Bella's suffering and death to prevent the needless suffering and death of so many others, Jill has reached out across the huge Atlantic Ocean and shown us first-hand what a small world it can be. In an instant, it felt and continues to feel like Momo's fate has changed. Where she was hopeless, now there is hope. Where we were alone, now we have Jill and her representatives, Vikkie, the Reiki Healer, and Kim, the Veterinary Naturopath, and all of their help has known no boundaries. Because of Jill and the Foundation, Momo chose to participate in the Canadian MRSA study conducted by Drs Scott Weese and Meredith Faires, and their unselfish involvement and input have helped guide Momo's family and many other pet owners to make better and more informed life-saving choices. Because of Jill and the Foundation, we have this date retained the services of Bella's homeopathic veterinarian, Dr Richard Allport who we have every faith will improve Momo's health and with that, the quality of her life. Because of Jill and the Foundation, there is no ocean too wide. We feel we have gone from nothing to everything we could possibly need to make a difference. For this and for so much more, we are eternally grateful to Bella who gave her life so others may live. In Peace, Love, Hope and the Global Healing of Momo and many other animals.

Lori (and Joseph) Spagnoli (NY-USA) and,of course, our Momo

I lost my beautiful Rosie on July 25th 2007. She had been ill with skin / allergy problems and also cervical disc disease for several years. In January 2007 she had a major spinal operation on the first disc in her neck because it had burst and was crushing her spinal cord. She recovered over the next 3 months and it seemed as though she was going to be ok. Sadly this was not the case. At the end of May she seemed to be in pain again and had once more taken to becoming very with drawn only moving as little as possible. My vets suggested she needed to see an orthopaedic specialist and this was arranged for the following Thursday June 7th. This was not with the same practice as her previous op. I was advised she needed a milogram which showed two discs unstable and it was proposed that 5 discs in total would be treated to alleviate the problem. I agreed as I was told it would help Rosie> I was then told to collect her the next am. She was brought out to me looking very poorly. She did not seem to recover at all over the next few days. Her wound was also weeping and not healing as it should have done. She developed sore patches on her tummy and lesions and soreness round her eyes. Whilst all this was happening she had developed a really acute water infection that would not clear up despite having 3 weeks of intensive treatment. By week 5 Rosie was looking really poorly and on the advice of a skin specialist I knew we asked for biopsies to be carried out to find out what was going on. 6 days later came the news that she had MRSA and was totally resistant to all antibiotics. The next thing came and it was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make but I decided the kindest thing I could do for Rosie was to put her to sleep so there would be no more pain. I shall never forget hr as she was my soul mate and there will always be a special place in my heart for her. I was told about the Bella Moss Foundation and a few day’s after I lost Rosie, Jill gave me so much support through this terrible time, and she still does. I now help the foundation with events and without the foundation’s help I would not be able to help other owners who are now losing their pets to mrsa. HEATHER Coventry

Heather (Coventry)

Freya is our 2 1/2 year old Doberman. On the 16th September 2007, she was running to pick up her toy in the park and as she turned to come back, she was on 3 legs. There was no noise; no I'm feeling sorry for myself just this one leg tucked up and Freya still running quite fast on the 3 normal legs. We massaged the leg And used ice and we didn't walk the following day. There was no sign of pain except that this one leg was being carried high and she was protecting it. I called the vets early and decided to take her to our own vet and just check the leg was okay. Unfortunately it was a lot worse. Freya had snapped her right cruciate ligament. We were amazed at how high Freya's pain threshold must be. The vet told us we would have to wait for the swelling to go down then he would operate. The operation was set for 21st September at 08.40 after what seemed like an eternity of Freya being cooped up indoors and still running mad around the house on 3 legs. The operation we were told was a success although the vet told us it had taken longer than he had originally thought. Freya was home with us again all sleepy and feeling sorry for herself now, but we didn't mind she must have been in pain. We gave her plenty of cuddles and love as usual and we hoped that she would feel better real soon. I was working nightshift approx a week later and came home to find that my usual greeting at the front door by Freya didn't happen, she didn't even look up, she was just gently whining and I sensed that something was wrong. I woke my partner (as we had both been taking turns at sleeping-well attempting to grab half hour's sleep here and there!! on a mattress in the sitting room to look after Freya around the clock. Freya wasn't herself at all, the leg was swollen and hot and the change in her it was upsetting to see such an active dog go downhill so fast. We took her back to the vet, who put her on a broad spectrum antibiotic "SYNULOX 250mg twice x daily” Following this visit the swelling in the leg steadily got worse and the top two stitches had the flesh cutting above them. I came home and saw that had happened overnight and too k her back to the vets. They removed two top stitches. We continued to ice her leg on return to home and were told to keep an eye out for leakage from the wound and to take her back if there were any other problems. My partner is a paramedic and she said to me that night "you don't think it could be MRSA do you?" my god I had been silently worrying myself sick about that and had seriously started looking into her wound and what it looked like etc on the internet. I had never even heard of animals getting mrsa. I found The Bella Moss Foundation website and began been reading through it, I read for hours. I decided to call the number. I got hold of Jill on her birthday she was out with friends, but took my call in a quiet room. We spoke for a long time and Jill called me back to save my phone bill. Jill helped me feel calmer about Freya's situation, explained what may happen, what we needed to do and what we needed to ask our vet and how we needed to barrier nurse her as until now we had not worn gloves (the vet either!!) Jill was a blessing in disguise, she promised to call me the next day, which she did and continued to do so throughout Freya's illness, offering advice and giving me contact numbers of genuine knowledgeable people who were a fantastic help in our time of upset-(Thanks to all the friends of The Bella Moss Foundation who were so kind and helped us greatly.) I again returned home in the am to find Freya's leg had completely swollen out from the hip to her ankle/foot area and she had become so withdrawn and disinterested and I was seriously worried. I even tried to get her interested in her favorite treats and sliced up an apple for her she placed it in her mouth. She looked up ate me and let it drop to the floor. She had no energy. Back to the vet and this time they took all of her stitches out on the 4th October 2008, to see if these were the problem causing the swelling reaction. My partner and I asked the vet “could it be MRSA?" the vet looked at us and said “no I don't think so I've never had any cases of it but we'll take a swab of the leg and see what the results say”. The vet did not wear gloves and put Freya on more antibiotics. The sample came back a few days later confirming it was MRSA. My partner and I were very anxious and upset about the confirmation of our fears for Freya but at last we may get somewhere along the lines of curing her of this awful illness. The vet gave us ANTIROBE 150mg 2x daily. I also explained to the vet about our contact with Jill and the foundation, he had never heard of it so I called him later to give him all the details of the website to look it up and he said he would find out as much as he could now that we knew what Freya had. We did feel that the vet’s staff must have all been briefed on Freyas illness before we arrived and we soon realized that the staff became reluctant to give us information without first asking the vet. Also their attitudes changed towards us, we felt like we had caused the infection and we were the bad ones, it was awful. I actually told the vet how I felt and that it was pretty poor considering we all should be aiming for the same end result : to have Frey get well again and for us not to be treated like criminals when the greater chance of the infection being picked up was in his surgery. The vet disagreed, told me they had a locum member of staff and he would talk with her but he never really owned up to the source of the MRSA. Since then have treated much much better from his staff. I did threaten with taking this matter further if we couldn't afford Freya's treatment after the insurance money ran out and he said he would sort it out for us if it did, therefore I guessed that was as good of an admission I was going to receive. The infection took approx a week to show on Freya after her operation, this begs the question - How many dogs/cats and other animals are treated in that theatre in that week and no matter how much cleaning is done it has to be the right type of cleaning, using the right type of materials to avoid cross contamination etc. ? We knew Freya had contracted the infection during hospitalization and we even asked for a swab to be taken to find out the strain of the infection but that was never done. If we wanted to know the strain it would cost us an extra £100.00 !. Freya is now starting to return to her old self : eating and drinking and greeting us when we come home. We continue to build her walks up and have had two swabs back as normal. I really thought we'd loose Freya, but through Jill's positive ness, kindness and help most days on the phone or text, she pulled me through it. Even now Jill still continues to ask how Freya is and offer's us help in any way she can. Jill is a god send to people like us and dogs like Freya, because if you need information on MRSA it's still a battle to get the right information and knowing what to do for the dog going through this awful infection. It's paramount that the help that you need is available- and thanks to brave Bella and Jill it is! Freya had an awful lot of muscle wastage in her right leg after the operation and we now continue to build it up by taking her to hydrotherapy and we saw a physio for advice. Freya is not a natural swimmer so it is taking her a while to relax and enjoy it but I'm sure when the leg feels stronger she will stop splashing so much and learn to enjoy her time in the pool. We also had advice from Jill about building up her immune system and we continue to do this. There is a round, raised soft lump left joined through her second set of scars after her second operation (which removed the crimp incase the MRSA was hiding under it and the surgery that was originally done to mend Freya's cruciate ligament). December 12th 2007 we visited the vet for a check up, he is pleased with her progress, she has even put on weight but the lump needed to be swabbed and now we await the return of the results. Fingers crossed it's nothing serious. We will keep you updated and I know we have a friend in Jill for the help we need and the friends surrounding Jill to contact for advice and we will never be able to thank them enough! Thank you and big hugs from Chris and Julie, London

Thank you and big hugs from Chris and Julie (London)

A letter from Amber My fight for life

I am 11 years old (a rough Collie). Here is my story.

On a beautiful June morning I was chasing pigeons in my garden when I trod on a small apple and broke the cruciate ligament in my back leg. My folks took me to the vet who decided to operate - in total the cost came to £2,000.

By this time my leg was very swollen, and I felt so ill, I thought I was going to die. For ten day's I could not eat and my folks kept me alive on glucose and water, they took me back to the vet and he told them I had mrsa and I had to be put to sleep. My folks refused. (Thank god)

My folks took me home: my dad slept on the floor with me and my mum massaged my leg with olive oil and I took the antibiotics for weeks. I could not eat for weeks, my folks tried everything then eventually I remember corn beef was one thing I could eat beef with oxo gravy, as soon as I ate I could see the relief on their faces. Once I had begun to eat I gobbled it up . We went back to the vet each week and finally I was cleared of the mrsa. I now go for 2 walks a day and thinking back my first outing to the park was only 20 yards it has been a very gradual slow process. I am now getting stronger and I now manage over half a mile walks each time we go out.

The biggest stroke of luck was finding The Bella Moss Foundation, Bella died so sadly but without Bella's mum's guidance and passion to keep me alive - I would not be here today. I would love to meet Jill and give her a very big kiss of thanks. Jill phoned my folks several times each week, putting my folks in touch with other vets, giving support and practical advise.

It's nearly 6 months since my accident and when I contracting mrsa. I look back and remember how ill I was, unable to eat, my folks had to lift me with a sling when I needed to go out to the garden.

I am so grateful that I have such a loving family and a wonderful friend in Jill Moss who refused like my folks to let me die.

Thank you all so much for giving me the courage and will to fight for my life, Bella your spirit lives on in me.

Update October 7th 2006 by Jill Moss - "I am so upset by the fact that after so many months of battling with all the very best care there could be for Xena, she passed away this evening. The Bella Moss Foundation has been very close with Vicky Yates and our hearts go out to her at this difficult time."

Jill, I can never repay you for the help you have given me So this is a small token of thanks for thee, An amazing person you are With strength incomparable by far, These words I have written So please sit back and listen.

Xena is everything, my baby and my life To watch her suffer and lie in pain hurt like a knife, We thought the end was near With no help, desperation and fear, My heart had sunk and been ripped out With nowhere to turn I would cry and shout, Then I found you with light and hope From the stormy black sky like A ray of sunshine you helped me cope,

Then new medicine to make her better you helped me to find, So without you I think you can see my hands would still be bind, And so the story ends with a smile Because of you Xena will be around for a long while. These angels' wings remind of you As you gave me hope when emptiness was all I knew...

Just before Christmas 2005 I discovered a growth on Flo's the terrier's chest. We knew about MRSA because a family member had contracted it while in hospital and we were naturally anxious that Flo should not become infected during the procedure to remove the lump.

I emailed the pets-mrsa web site and immediately Jill got in touch. I had so much good and practical advice from her and her expert contacts as well as moral support when needed.

Thanks to Jill and the kind care of our vet, Flo came through, infection free and with her joie de vivre undimmed, and continues to give us delight.

Zack Weeks-Brown is yet another Samoyed who contracted nosocomial MRSA, at a university vet hospital in February 2006. Fortunately, his surgical site was not involved, and he suffered "only" a MRSA skin infection. It took almost 2 months before a dermatologist figured out what was going on, and, by that time, Zack had been on the wrong antibiotics continuously since surgery. Samples collected in August 2006 finally confirmed that he was free of the MRSA. Jill provided on-going counseling to me over a period of months. She sent me scientific proceedings from the Liverpool conference, which were helpful both to my understanding of the affliction and in helping me craft a proposal for reimbursement to the university. She called me overseas and stood ready to help me in any way. Yesterday, the hospital administrator agreed to refund a good portion of Zack's MRSA-related expenses. Really, the expenses didn't end with the lack of detection of MRSA. After long courses of several different antibiotics, Zack's skin was cycling back and forth between population explosions of yeast alternating with population explosions of several types of bacteria. That cycle was initiated by the initial wrongful course of antibiotics that was given to Zack right after his routine (!) surgery. Zack is a darling boy. My husband and I adopted him (on the left in the photo) and his twin sister Zoey (on the right) in November 2005. The prior spring, they had been taken to the vet for euthanasia at age 7, due to uncontrolled diabetes. The vet refused to kill two beautiful, sweet dogs for no good reason, and asked that they be surrendered to him. He stabilized their diabetes (the owners had not complied with medical advice) and turned them over to Buckeye Samoyed Rescue, where they lived for several months prior to adoption to us. I have found "second-hand" Samoyeds to be extremely affectionate and bonded to their owners, as Bella was to Jill.

Their love and charming dispositions inspire tremendous love in return. There is no such thing as an unwanted Sammy, there are only some Sammies in unwanted homes! Rescue seeks to unite these wonderful beings with owners who will understand them. www.samoyedrescue.com

Maple our beautiful bouncing boxer went in for a TPLO operation on 19th July 2006. We were not at all worried about it as she had gone through the same operation a couple of years before for her other leg. That operation was a total success, this one was not!!

She came home two days after her TPLO weight bearing and looking pretty healthy, but three days later her leg became very swollen very quickly and I took her straight back to the veterinary specialists. She was immediately put onto a course of antibiotics and there she stayed for over a week while the vets waited for the swab results. It came back MRSA positive! I was horrified - it had not crossed my mind that she would have such a frightening bug. In total panic I went onto the internet and there I found The Bella Moss Foundation, Jill emailed me back almost immediately, what a relief it was to find such a wonderfully informed person who was able to give much more reassurance that the vets had been able to for fear of reprisals if all went wrong. Luckily the vets had put Maple onto the correct intravenous antibiotic immediately, and then on confirmation of the MRSA they implanted antibiotic beads into the infected area, and tapped her knee joint to check that was clear – it was. These were in place for 10 days during which Maple was in isolation and not able to come home as the wound was weeping.

We did not see her for the first 10 days as every day I thought she would be coming home but upon confirmation of the MRSA we needed to see her. What a shock we had, she had dropped an enormous amount of weight and although very pleased to see us she was very poorly. We really thought that we would lose her. The vets were becoming increasingly worried about her lack of weight bearing on the leg and tapped her knee again 10 days after the previous tapping. The MRSA had invaded her knee joint! Another operation was needed to implant yet another string of beads. She stayed in for another 10 days, we went to see her every other day, but I felt this was only upsetting her even more so we stopped going. The wounds finally healed up and she came home for almost two weeks, we knew that the beads needed to be removed and were dreading her going back in, she had them removed and she came home the next day, only to go back two days later when the second wound erupted again. The MRSA was still in the knee joint, she underwent yet another operation to implant yet more beads into the joint, this time they left the wound open to drain fully. Three weeks later she was still in isolation and the wound was still weeping, but by now the discharge was clear - it was the joint fluid preventing the knee capsule from healing up. So yet again she had another operation to stitch up the hole. Eventually the wound stopped weeping and she came home. She had been in for a month this time.

In total Maple was in hospital in isolation for 10 weeks barring the two weeks she came home in the middle. It has been the most emotional and worrying summer for all of us, but Jill and Mark were there for us for the entire time, constantly reassuring us that Maple would be OK as the infection had been caught so early. They were right. Maple is back to normal with a slight limp and a lack of muscle, but both should improve over time. We now live with the threat that the plate from the original TPLO operation (which is still in her leg) could flare up at any time, so we are being vigilant. Out vets admitted that Maple had had the most persistent case of MRSA that they had even experienced.

I hope that Maple’s story will give hope and reassurance to anybody who’s pet is suffering with MRSA, it can be beaten! Keep up the good work, Jill; you are an inspiration to us all. Thank you.

Inca is our 3 year-old gentle and kind rottweiler who came to us as a stray. She broke both her back knees in 2006 and whilst at the Queen Mother's Hospital contracted MRSA. After 8 months of excellent treatment I am happy to say she is now healed and just lovely.

Helen Mansfield

Dowie was 8 years old when he contracted MRSA. He was admitted into the Veterinary Hospital due to a persistent problem with his ear. I'm not sure what you call it, but basically blood collects in-between the flaps of skin and can be drained off. If this doesn't work, a small operation is carried out to remove all the blood and then stitch the two flats of skin down.

The op went well and Dowie soon was back to his old self. However, about five days later, his ear was very inflamed and sore and causing him great distress.

I returned him to the Vets who gave him more antibiotics and sent him home, only for me to have to return with him again the following evening because it was much worse. They then booked him in as an in-patient and put him on a drip of antibiotics.

Two days later all seemed to be well and home he came.

Sadly after a few more days the ear was a dreadful mess and this time "something" was spreading onto his face.

They admitted him once again and he was in the Vets for a total of 12 days on three different antibiotic drips at once. For 10 of those days, I didn't think he would return home to me, but finally the corner was turned and he did, although he still had to have the ear cleaned three times a day and more antibiotics.

At no time was I told that Dowie was suffering from MRSA, only a "particularly resistent bug". It was only after Dowie was given the all clear, that one of the Vets actually said, "not many dogs recover from MRSA, he certainly is made of strong stuff". You can imagine my horror at being told this.

None of the Vets in the practice ever explained to me how he had caught MRSA, merely asking whether or not I was a nurse - I'm not, I work in the legal profession.

Poor Dowie suffered horrendous pain and discomfort during the time as an in-patient and when he got hom. He was a very brave dog (he had 13 malignant tumours removed in his life) but seeing the distress he suffered with the MRSA was nearly too much to stand.

Last year, Dowie died suddenly after suffering seizures in the middle of the night. He had never had seizures before and I have to wonder if it had something to do with the MRSA in his ear - perhaps spreading into his brain - unknown to me or the Vets. The only way they could know for sure would to have been to carry out a post-mortem and I wasn't going to have him put through that.

The Vets never admitted liability, but it seems very strange to me that their procedures have since changed at the Hospital.

I never knew that animals could become infected with MRSA so I hope that this story and the other stories on your website help others to realise that their beloved pets can be in great danger of infection when undergoing "routine" operations so that the pain that Dowie suffered and the subsequent loss that I suffered won't be felt by others.

Jane Bostock