Last week I wrote about the recently updated ISCAID antimicrobial use guidelines for canine pyoderma, specifically regarding surface pyoderma. The full guidelines are freely available online (Loeffler et al. Vet Derm 2025). Today I’m going to cover the highlights about the “big one”: superficial folliculitis. I call it the big one
ISCAID Canine Pyoderma Antimicrobial Use Guidelines Update, Part 1: Surface Pyoderma
The updated ISCAID antimicrobial use guidelines for canine pyoderma have just been published (Loeffler et al. Vet Derm 2025). This is the first major update since the guidelines were first published in 2014. The document is a bit of a monster, so I’ll break down some of the key points in my next
New methicillin-resistant Staph veterinary dermatology guidelines
A new Clinical Consensus Guideline, coordinated through the World Association for Veterinary Dermatology, has been released: Recommendations for approaches to methicillin-resistant staphylococcal infections of small animals: diagnosis, therapeutic considerations and preventative measures. Clinical Consensus Guidelines of the World Association for Veterinary Dermatology
This large and comprehensive document is open access and can also be
Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pyoderma in dogs
Clinical guidelines are fairly new (and limited) in veterinary medicine, although they’re widespread in human medicine. Following up on recent guidelines for diagnosis of treatment of urinary tract infections in dogs and cats, a working group from the International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases (ISCAID) has completed guidelines for the treatment of a
Hot spot…again
Surprise, surprise – Meg has a hot spot.
"Hot spots" (aka focal bacterial pyoderma) are common skin infections in some dogs. Meg has underlying skin issues and lately has spent a lot of time wallowing around in ponds (because that’s what she likes to do). With her skin issues, potentially weaker immune system because of
Treat the pet, not the lab result
The title of this post describes a very basic concept, but one that is sometimes forgotten or hard to follow. The key point is that the goal of treating a sick pet is to make the pet well. Getting well and getting "normal" laboratory data aren’t necessarily the same thing.
A question that comes up
Skin infections in dogs: Stopping the downward spiral
A large percentage of advice calls that I get about methicillin-resistant staph infections in dogs are regarding skin infections. Skin infections (pyoderma) are a common problem, a leading cause of antibiotic use in dogs, and an often frustrating problem for vets and pet owners alike. One problem is that, unlike many other types of infections, skin