Colonization of neonatal puppies by staphylococci

The composition of the normal staphylococcal flora of bitches and their litters held in a breeding unit was studied. The animals were sampled at a number of sites using moistened swabs. Six bitches were sampled daily, for 10 days, before whelping and then, together with four puppies per litter, at whelping (day 11) and at 1 and 7 days thereafter. Staphylococcus intermedius formed the predominant staphylococcal isolate. S. intermedius counts at the oral and nasal sites on the bitches did not change markedly before whelping and remained low (< 6 cfu/swab). Significant rises in the oral counts on both the bitches (P < 0.05) and puppies (P < 0.001) were then observed after whelping (days 11-18). Abdominal counts on both the bitches and puppies also rose (P < 0.001) after whelping. S. intermedius counts at the vaginal vestibulum of the pregnant bitches were found to be higher than at any other site sampled and did not alter markedly until whelping when a decrease (P = 0.05; days 10-12) was observed. S. intermedius was not found at the anal site in any of the six bitches and only transiently colonized five of the puppies.