Raw diets have been in the news a lot lately because of Salmonella contamination. It’s not surprising at all since bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter and Listeria are expected to be found in raw meat (that’s why we cook it). We know that dogs and cats fed raw meat are at increased risk of
New infographics: Echinococcus multilocularis, feline upper respiratory tract infection
The title says it all… see below for the latest and greatest infographics from the Ontario Animal Health Network, including an update to the very popular E. multilocularis infographic and a new one on treatment of feline upper respiratory tract infection.
To download the infographics in pdf format, visit oahn.ca at these links:
Revised ISCAID guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections in dogs and cats
Hot off the press… the newest edition of the International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases (ISCAID) guidelines for the diagnosis and management of bacterial urinary tract infections in dogs and cats has been published in The Veterinary Journal. These are updated and expanded clinical guidelines that have been in the works for the
Canadian Pet Tick Study
We’re getting ready to launch the Canadian Pet Tick Study, with funding from the OVC Pet Trust. We’ve had great response from veterinarians in Ontario, but need more clinics from other provinces, so please share this link with out-of-province veterinary colleagues who may be interested! Details are available here:
https://www.petsandticks.com/news/calling-all-veterinary-clinics-join-the-canadian-pet-tick-survey
Leftover zoonotic disease Q&A, Part 2
Here are some more leftover questions from the talk I did a talk recently for Third Age Learning in Guelph:
As West Nile virus seems to be spreading, is there a vaccine becoming available for the general population?
Probably not, but that’s just a guess. While it should be possible to make an effective
Leftover zoonotic disease Q&A, Part 1
I did a talk recently for Third Age Learning in Guelph, and there was an abundance of questions. I didn’t get through them all at the time, so I figured I’d address some of them here:
Do mice carry rabies?
Mice aren’t rabies reservoirs like raccoons, skunks or bats, as they don’t have a
Rabies vaccine conspiracy
Before the emails start rolling in… yes, it’s from a satire site.
See Dr. Sarah Boston (veterinary cancer surgeon extraordinaire)’s take on how veterinarians are misleading people into protecting people.
EXPOSED – Vaccination of Pets Found to be Part of Larger Plot to Prevent Rabies in Humans
Rabies knowledge of vets and physicians
I spend a lot of time answering questions about rabies exposures, and sometimes trying to clear up misinformation. Rabies is a very important infectious disease but in many regions (like here) it’s fortunately rare in domestic animals and people. However, rarity can breed complacency or lack of (or loss of) knowledge. That creates problems when
Endangered panthers and a domestic cat virus
The indoor vs outdoor cat debate never seems to end.
Some decry outdoor cats as the world’s most destructive “invasive species.”
- Some say that outdoor cats do what outdoor cats (and any other carnivores) do… they hunt to eat.
Cats kill large numbers of birds every year.
- So do lots of other things.
In an
Annual US rabies report 2017
As is typical for this time of year, the annual US rabies report has been published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (Ma et al, 2018).
Here are some highlights:
- 4454 rabid animals were identified across the country. This is certainly a marked underestimate of the actual number since most