Therapy dogs can be colonized with MRSA

The AVMA has issued a backgrounder on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that incorporates recent research into the colonization of therapy dogs that visit health care environments as part of animal-assisted intervention programs (AAIs). One study cited indicates that dogs that participated in health-care AAIs were six times as likely to become colonized with MRSA than dogs in non-health-care-related AAIs.
The MRSA backgrounder includes guidelines for AAIs in health care settings.

Veterinarians helped “spread” the news about insects and disease

In the late 1800s and early 1900s it was proven that insects could spread disease to humans. Both medical and veterinary research were launched to control yellow fever, malaria, bubonic plague, and typhus. This research helped to protect animals and people worldwide from many deadly illnesses.