Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) is a group of bacteria with resistance to powerful carbapenem antibiotics such as meropenem. They’re also usually resistant to various other antibiotics, which makes them a big concern because treatment options are very limited, and unfortunately the rate of CPE infections in people is increasing rapidly. To treat them, physicians typically need
Scott Weese
Cat-to-Human Transmission of H5N1 Influenza
- Historically, H5N1 influenza has had a reported mortality rate of 30-50% in people, but it been a lot lower
Subclinical Bacteriuria: What We Can Learn From Winnie the Pooh

“Doing nothing often leads to the very best of something.” ~Winne the Pooh
I don’t think the beloved wise sage of a bear was thinking about urine when he said that, but we can nonetheless heed the guidance of Winnie the Pooh when it comes to the management of subclinical bacteriuria. Here’s why:
Subclinical bacteriuria…
FIP Treatment Survey for Veterinarians

Colorado State University, in partnership with the University of Bristol, is recruiting licensed veterinarians who have encountered at least one case of Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) since 2019 to complete a brief (20 minute) online survey examining clinicians’ experiences and comfort levels with diagnosing FIP and using antiviral therapies for FIP in cats…
Brucella canis Infection in a Veterinarian

I’m on the way home from ESCMID Global, a clinical microbiology and infectious disease conference. Although the conference didn’t include much veterinary-specific content, it did include a good collection of abstracts about zoonotic diseases, including a couple about diseases in veterinarians, one of which described an infection with Brucella canis.
I’ve written about…
Speaking the Same Language: Consensus Definitions for Infectious Urinary Tract Disease in Dogs and Cats
Words matter. Inconsistency and inaccuracy with terminology can result in misinterpretation, poor communication and creates challenges when discussing cases, interpreting research and developing guidelines.
This has been particularly evident when it comes to urinary tract disease in dogs and cats. For example, “urinary tract infection (UTI)” is a very generic term that has been commonly…
Topical Canine Antiparasitics and Swimming or Bathing: Are There Any Issues?
As the weather (slowly and inconsistently) gets nicer here in Ontario, dogs start to go swimming more. My dog, Ozzie (pictured below), is an embarrassment to the Labrador breed as he will not swim, but he’ll happily wade through water, as long as his feet don’t leave the ground (but he still manages to get…
Canadian Companion Animal Veterinarian Survey: Antibiotic Prescribing Practices
If you’re a companion animal veterinarian practicing anywhere in Canada, please take 10 minutes to contribute to a University of Toronto–led study on antibiotic prescribing practices for common conditions like urinary tract and respiratory infections in dogs and cats!
Your anonymous responses to this survey (available in English and French) will…
Does Splitting Vaccines in Small Dogs Help Avoid Adverse Events?
The short answer: I don’t know, but probably not, and it could potentially do more harm than good.
I get asked a lot about splitting vaccines for pets, that is to say giving different vaccines at different visits instead of giving a bunch of vaccines all at the same time. The questions are often related…
WormsAndGermsMap Redux
When it comes to disease surveillance and communication, we have a tendency to throw lots of stuff at the wall to see what sticks. Some things stick around (like this blog!), others things not so much… like our first attempt at WormsAndGermsMap about ten years ago. It was a good idea, but the technology…