Methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Staphylococcus pseudinter-
medius (MRSP), and other pathogenic staphylococci can cause infections in companion
animals and humans. Identification of colonized animals is fundamental to research and
practice needs, but harmonized methods have not yet been established. To establish the
optimal anatomic site for the recovery of methicillin-resistant coagulase positive
staphylococci (CPS), survey data and swabs were collected from 196 pets (dogs, cats,
reptiles, birds, fish and pocket pets) that lived in households with an MRSA-infected
person. Using broth-enrichment culture and PCR for speciation, S. aureus was identified in
27 of 179 (15%) pets sampled at baseline and 19 of 125 (15%) pets sampled at a threemonth
follow-up home visit. S. pseudintermedius was isolated from 33 of 179 (18%) pets
sampled at baseline and 21 of 125 (17%) of pets sampled at follow-up. The baseline MRSA
and MRSP prevalence was 8% and 1% respectively from 145 mammalian pets. The follow-
up MRSA and MRSP prevalence was 7% and