Shows
WormsAndGermsPodHalf dose vaccination in dogsBig dog, small dog, same vaccine.Does that make sense?Can we, and should we, use smaller doses of vaccines in smaller dogs?How does that impact the immune response and adverse event risk?Like a lot of things in veterinary medicine, data are sparse, but this podcast reviews what we know, and don't know, about half dose vaccines in dogs.
2025-06-1818 minWormsAndGermsPodFlu antivirals: should we use them in animalsAs H5N1 influenza continues to cause havoc across the world, there's continued spillover of this virus in domestic mammals. While antivirals aren't used much for influenza in animals, they might be effective in some situations.However, should we use them?What's the benefit and what are the potential resistance concerns?This podcast dives into issues regarding antiviral use in animals, with thoughts about if/when/how to use them.
2025-04-1021 minWormsAndGermsPodH5N1 influenza and raw pet foodAs H5N1 continues its unprecedented march through wild and domestic animals, recent infections of cats have highlights concerns about risks to dogs and cats from raw diets. This quick podcast outlines the main issues and prevention measures related to H5N1 exposure from raw diets.
2025-02-1114 minWormsAndGermsPodH5N1 influenza testing in dogs and catsAs H5N1 avian influenza continues to spread, we are seeing more issues with spillover into companion animals. This episode provides some thoughts about when, why and how to test dogs and cats for this virus. It's not as straightforward as you might think.A companion podcast to a post on WormsAndGermsBlog: https://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2024/12/articles/animals/cats/h5n1-testing-in-dogs-and-cats-who-when-why-how/
2024-12-2725 minWormsAndGermsPodDo changes in antibiotic use in animals lead to changes in resistance in humans?Do changes in antibiotic use in animals lead to changes in resistance in people? It's a bit of yes, no, maybe situation because it's complicated. However, there are some good data showing that what we do in animals can affect resistance in humans. We dug into the archives for this interesting and still highly relevant 2010 paper (see link below) about changes in the use of ceftiofur in chickens and 3rd generation cephalosporin resistance in Salmonella from people.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2874360/
2024-11-2107 minWormsAndGermsPodUsing antibiotics in animals for growth promotionOur World AMR Awareness Week series continues with Dr. Weese talking about the issues around use of antibiotics in animals for growth promotion.Here's the link to he World Organization for Animal Health's ANIMUSE program that was mentioned: https://amu.woah.org/amu-system-portal/home
2024-11-2015 minWormsAndGermsPodAntimicrobial prophylaxis in animals...it's messyPart 2 of our World AMR Awareness Week series covers the controversial issue of antimicrobial prophylaxis in animals. Should we use antibiotics in healthy animals to prevent disease? No...except when we need to.It's not a black and white issue....there's a lot of grey in between and understanding that great area is important. This pod tries to explain some of those issues and nuances.
2024-11-1911 minWormsAndGermsPodAntimicrobial dogmas, misconceptions and barriersAs part of World AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance) Awareness Week (WAAW), Dr. Scott Weese outlines some dogmas, misconceptions and barriers that are commonly encountered in antimicrobial treatment of companion animals (and beyond).
2024-11-1819 minWormsAndGermsPodMission RabiesAndy Gibson and Ian Battersby from Mission Rabies join Scott Weese to talk about canine rabies and Mission Rabies's international efforts to control this virus, that kills ~59,000 people a year.To learn more about Mission Rabies, check out http://www.missionrabies.comThe Nature Communications paper about Mission Rabies' work in Goa, India that was discussed can be found here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-30371-y
2024-10-3144 minWormsAndGermsPodTick talkDr. Katie Clow joins Scott Weese for a talk about ticks and tick borne diseases in companion animals. Resources mentioned in the podcast:Ontario risk map: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/O/24/ontario-blacklegged-tick-established-risk-areas-2024.pdf?rev=d7dafd390245466483d51e910f02c882&sc_lang=eneTick: eTick.ca AEROH lab: https://aeroh.uoguelph.ca/
2024-10-0738 minWormsAndGermsPodQuick bite: Antimicrobial targetsFreshly back from the United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance, where antimicrobial use targets in animals were a key topic, Dr. Scott Weese provides an overview of the issues around this controversial but important area.Do we need targets for antibiotic use in animals? What are they meant to do? Why are they controversial? What can do to make them actionable, aspirational and effective? This quick podcast highlights those important topics.
2024-10-0114 minWormsAndGermsPodAntiviral treatment of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP): how long should we treat?Antivirals have revolutionized treatment of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), turning it from an almost invariably fatal disease to one that's usually treatable. However, antivirals are expensive and administration can be a hassle (as many cat owners can attest to). "As long as needed but as short as possible" is what we aim for with anti-infective treatments, but what does that really mean? In this Quick Bite, we discuss treatment duration, highlighting a recent paper that shows we might be able to use shorter durations.
2024-09-1013 minWormsAndGermsPodRabiesAll things rabies; a discussion with Dr. Maureen Anderson DVM DVSc PhD DACVIM. Why do we care about rabies? What's rabies exposure? What do we do if an animal may have been exposed to rabies?How do we vaccinate and can titres be used?...and much more.For more about rabies and other infectious diseases, check us out at http://www.wormsandgermsblog.com
2024-08-3144 minWormsAndGermsPodQuick bite: Is MRSP zoonotic?Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) is a multidrug resistant bacterium that's an increasing problem in dogs. But can it poses a risk to people as well? This episode will delve into the potential zoonotic disease risks from MRSP and what we can consider to assess and mitigate risks.
2024-08-2613 min