recovery rate/time for dogs with MRSA

Question
My 3 year old Basset Hound, Mini, has been diagnosed with MRSA. She contracted it because she has had dermatological issues since birth. These issues were being treated at NC Vet Hosp in Raleigh, and she had been on steroids for a long time. WE believe that her immune system was compromised which led to the MRSA.
The MRSA has gone systemic and we are fighting to keep her going. She is on SMZ and Doxycycline. She has also developed a secondary eye infection. She is very tired right now, and sore in her joints, but slowly, slowly showing some improvement. She is now drinking on her own again and eating soup, pedialite and ensure protein drink. She is staying away from solids as we think her throat is sore from the swollen lymph nodes that she has had.
We are doing everything we can to nurse her back to health, and its hard and draining seeing her this way. What are the success rates for recovery from MRSA in dogs? How long does a recovery take? We don't want to give up, but we want to be realistic as well.  Thanks.

Answer
True Methcillin Resistant Staph Aureus is extremely rare in the dog.  Dogs have MRSI (Staph intermedius) usually. It is also very rare for these to go systemically in dogs.  YOu may need to go to the Vet school at NC state for this dog.

Treatment should be based on the results of a culture and sensitivity of the MRSA.  I doubt that either doxycycline or SMZ will knock out a MRSA.  I believe they usually use intravenous Vancomycin in people.