It’s truly amazing how much we know about COVID-19 and the virus that causes it (SARS-CoV-2), considering it was only identified a few months ago. However, there are still lots of basic things we don’t understand (yet).
One important question is whether the environment is a significant source of infection. When people breathe, cough, talk
I’m lazy so I’ll use the blog to answer a question that I’m getting a few times a day. Today’s question: how to disinfect a veterinary clinic if there is a concern about canine influenza?
The good news is that influenza viruses are pretty wimpy. They’re enveloped viruses, meaning they are covered by a
A recent episode of the popular TVO current affairs show "The Agenda with Steve Paikin" explores the topic of “Our Relationship with Cleanliness" – an informative, yet fun look at the topic of germs. Panelists (including yours truly) take a cultural, historical, psychological and sociological look at the microorganisms on us and around us –
Here’s a question that I get commonly: “What do I do to an outdoor area that might have been contaminated by a dog with parvovirus?”
There’s not a lot of research to back anything up, but understanding the virus and some basic principles helps us come up with some reasonable recommendations.
Parvovirus is…
So, Amy and I get home from soccer practice, and she gets in the house and yells “The dog pooped on the floor."
My thought: “That’s annoying.”
Amy: “..and it’s EVERYWHERE!”
My thought: “Great. One of the dogs has diarrhea.”
My next thought: “Oh crap… the Roomba.”
Disinfectants aren’t very important for your average pet owner. They are more of an issue for kennels and veterinary hospitals, but there are situations where disinfection of an area contaminated by a pet might be needed.This is particularly true for certain microorganisms that can persist in the environment for a long time. The "poster bug"
A recent question:
"I have two rabbits who just tested positive for E. cuniiculi… Can you please tell me how to disinfect my floors and kill the parasites? I don’t think bleach is doing it."
Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a strange little bug. It a member of a unique group of organisms called microsporidia. Originally thought
As we approach the holidays, a lot of people are going to eat and/or drink too much, and suffer the consequences. The same can happen with dogs, and sometimes both the dog and their owner pay the price. Dogs get into things they shouldn’t all the time… too much food, garbage, dead critters and various
