Back in 2008, we reported an association between feeding raw diets to dogs and shedding of cephalosporin-resistant bacteria in dogs (that makes me feel old… one of many things that does these days, I guess). It didn’t get too much attention at the time, since the main focus of the study was on Salmonella, the most commonly discussed concern with raw diet feeding. We also didn’t pay as much attention to those other bacteria 11…

In a presentation yesterday at the 2019 ACVIM Forum in Phoenix AZ, Dr. Ray Kaplan from the University of Georgia gave a somewhat scary talk about the emergence of multidrug-resistance in the hookworm Ancylostoma caninum. Resistant parasites don’t tend to get as much attention as resistant bacteria, but they can present similar challenges. The concern is that there is now pretty solid evidence of hookworms that are resistant to most or all approved drugs…

As part of our research into antibiotic use and resistance, we’re looking at what drives antibiotic prescribing, use and compliance. It’s a complex subject and needs to be approached from a variety of angles. One angle is looking at what pet owners perceive or want, as this can be an important influencing factor. To address this, we’ve launched a survey designed to gather information about pet owners’ perceptions and preferences when treating their pets for…

Brucella canis is getting a lot of attention these days, and taking up more of my time than I ever would have thought a few months ago. Identification of infected dogs linked to a commercial breeder in Iowa (also see our previous post from Tuesday) has attracted a lot of attention. It’s hard to say how noteworthy it is, because we know the bacterium is present in some commercial breeding (puppy mill) operations and…

Recently another couple of good examples have cropped up of the risks of canine brucellosis (caused by Brucella canis) associated with both canine breeding kennels and international movement of dogs. The state veterinarian for Iowa confirmed that there were several cases of brucellosis diagnosed in dogs from a small breeding facility in Marion County.  Officials are attempting to reach any individuals who may now have a dog that could have been exposed at the…

The latest companion animal infographic from the Ontario Animal Health Network (OAHN) is now available!  Currently the network is working on a series of infographics focused on good antimicrobial stewardship.  Stewardship includes knowing when NOT to use antimicrobials, and what to use when antimicrobials are needed.  Guidance is available from leading veterinary infection control experts, through the open-access ISCAID Guidelines for the diagnosis and antimicrobial therapy of canine superficial bacterial folliculitis (Hillier et al. 2014)…

The latest issue of Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice includes a number of chapters on infectious diseases that have been making regular appearances on this blog, including rabies, influenza, brucellosis, Lyme disease, and more, as well as chapters on certain feline-specific infectious diseases.  Check out the full table of contents and summaries here. While we can’t provide direct access to the full content of the issue, we worked directly on two of…