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Scott Weese

@scottweese.bsky.social
391 followers 18 following 362 posts

Infectious disease vet. Girl's hockey coach. Herder of (or herded by) critters and daughters

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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 17h
Next in our vaccination scenarios series....the 'minimum interval' in dogs and cats. TLDR? There's no such thing for our injectable vaccines. The only plausible concern is serial administration of different live vaccines and ... 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
A new series of WormsAndGermsBlog posts about vaccination issues in dogs and cats. Part 1: What do do with an animal that is overdue. TLDR: Just vaccinate. While the approach has often been to 'restart the series' there's no immunological basis for that. 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Cat owners...here's a survey about hairballs and grooming from Dr. Samantha Taylor. Direct link here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/The_Fur_Re... Some more details: www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2026/09/arti...
surveymonkey.com
The Fur Report 2026
Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Pathogen contamination of pet products...a tale of two companies. Company 1: Contaminated ingredient is detected. Company notified FDA and recalls it. Company 2: Darwin's Pet Food..serial issues with contaminated raw diets that have caused disease in pets and people.
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Surgical site infections in dogs/cats. Making guidelines is a challenge since data are limited Infection rate, absolute risk reduction, number needed to treat, and balance of harms and benefits Important concepts but ones we often don't talk about in veterinary medicine 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Interestingly, one of the people that keeps sending me harassing notices (Valerie Fayer) is running for Wellington Catholic School Board (presumably focused on anti-LBGTQ and related issues.) An article below shows more interesting info... 1/3
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2026/08/arti...
wormsandgermsblog.com
Amdoparvovirus in dogs: emerging issue or not?
These days, it’s really easy to identify new viruses. The technology has advanced so much you can take a sample from an animal, person or environment, and
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Over 90% of the mail that comes to me at @uofguelph.bsky.social is from anti-vaxxers. They're a persistent lot. Here's todays sampling showing the millions they think I owe them for not stopping all vaccination of people in Canada.
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
"Lyme disease" testing in healthy dogs....does it do more harm than good? Probably, based on how we interpret the results. It's not "Lyme disease" testing, it's testing for antibodies against Borrelia and would best be positioned as a 'tick exposure test'. 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Are there any risks to/from pets with the ongoing Cyclospora outbreak in people? TLDR: No. Full explanation: www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2026/07/arti...
wormsandgermsblog.com
Ongoing Cyclospora outbreak in humans: are there any dog/cat issues to consider?
Cyclospora has been in the news a lot lately because of a large, ongoing outbreak in the US. Total case counts aren’t clear (and official numbers are
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Quick update on Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in dogs in Ontario. www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2026/07/arti...
wormsandgermsblog.com
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever update, Ontario, 2026
Last year around this time I had a lot of posts about Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) in dogs (and people) in Ontario. Prior to last summer, we didn’t
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
The ethics of treating (vs euthanizing) Brucella canis infection in dogs TLDR I’m not a fan of ‘thou shalt euthanize or lock the dog”. I want to prevent disease but I also want to make sure we’re considering the bigger picture and putting things into proper context Full story👇
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Update...nitenpyram has now also been given Emergency Use Approval in the US for dogs and cats over 2 pounds and 4 weeks of age.
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
With the (unsurprising) finding of New World screwworm in a dog in New Mexico, there's more attention being paid to antiparasitic drug options for dogs/cats. Good news: we have a variety of products. 1/n
wormsandgermsblog.com
New World Screwworm prevention and treatment options in dogs and cats
While completely expected given the steady march of New World screwworm (NWS) from Central America into Texas, the recent finding of an infected dog in
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
rophylaxis for veterinary (dog/cat) dentistry. TLDR: There's very little data. Very low certainty evidence but nothing supports a need for antimicrobial prophylaxis for routine veterinary dentistry. 1/2
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Why release millions of mosquitoes to reduce mosquito-borne disease? Biology. Google is proposing to release millions of Wolbachia infected male mosquitoes. When those mate with uninfected females, no viable offspring result. If they mate with an infected female... 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Raw pet food associated Listeria outbreak. Contaminated food ✔️ FDA recall request ✔️ Company ignores request✔️ More animals get sick ✔️ Company (5 months later) issues a recall ✔️ Unfortunately, this is not unique or surprising when it comes to raw pet diets www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2026/05/arti...
wormsandgermsblog.com
Raw pet food recall for Listeria (after months of ignoring an FDA recall request and more sick dogs)
I wasn't very quick to write about this because while some incidents of contamination of raw pet food prompt recalls, it's a largely expected event that
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Should you be worried about your dog/cat getting hantavirus? Should you be worried about getting hantavirus from your dog/cat? TLDR: Infection of dogs/cats is uncommon but happens in areas where hantaviruses are present. Whether it causes disease is still unclear. 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
New CDC podcast on CPE (carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales) in animals. Unfortunately, we're going to have to deal with these highly resistant bacteria more in animals and people in coming years. tools.cdc.gov/medialibrary... www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2026/05/arti...
tools.cdc.gov
Public Health Media Library
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Suspected cat-to-human (veterinarian) transmission of H5N1. No apparent disease, which is good. The fact that it happened is still concerning, since more inter-species transmission leads to more risk of adaptation and recombination. www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2026/05/arti...
wormsandgermsblog.com
Cat to human transmission of H5N1
As H5N1 continues to spread in birds, and spillover into a wide range of animals, zoonotic risks are hard to message. Historically, H5N1 has had reported
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
Here's the program for our annual CPHAZ Symposium, May 12. Free, online. Registration here: www.eventbrite.ca/e/2026-cphaz...
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Look to Winnie the Pooh for guidance on subclinical bacteriuria New study of cats with chronic kidney diseases provides peer reviewed support for his theory...subclinical bacteriuria doesn't typically need to be treated (and, we probably cause more harm than good by trying) 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Nice abstract the @escmid.bsky.social Global conference describing Brucella canis in a British vet Source was likely imported dogs, probably from contact during reproductive procedures Disease was pretty severe, but fortunately was diagnosed and treated with multiple antibiotics for 6 months
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Consensus definitions for infectious urinary tract disease in dogs and cats. Speaking the same language is critical for consistent and accurate surveillance, communication and guidelines, but some terminology is pretty loose and variable. 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Does bathing/swimming mean wash off topical antiparasitics for dogs/cats? Do dogs that swim a lot need more frequent treatment? tl:dr: No. Depending on the product, keeping them out of water for a few hours to a few days may be needed, but after that, they're fine. 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
I'll give the anti-vaxxers credit, they're determined. They keep sending me bills because I haven't stopped vaccination of people in Canada (who knew I was that powerful) The 'escalator clause per the third book of Moses is a killer I don't think @uofg will let me expense this
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Splitting vaccines in dogs/cats is sometimes done with a hope of reducing vaccine reactions. But does it help (or harm)? We don't have good data but should think about it more. Yes, giving fewer vaccines at one visit decreases the risk...at that visit... But.. 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
We just released an update to Firstline-OVC/CPHAZ....free online antimicrobial prescribing guidance (canine and feline guidelines). Nothing major in this update, but I've added a few new diseases and drugs, and some minor updates. firstline.org/ovc-cphaz/
firstline.org
OVC-CPHAZ
Acknowledgements This initiative was based on the Stewardship of Antimicrobials for Veterinarians Initiative (SAVI), led by the Cana...
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
A while ago, we launched WormsAndGermsMap, for crowd-based reporting of infectious diseases in companion animals It didn't really work out, in large part because the tech wasn't ready (at least in our $ range) But, since tech (and diseases) have advanced, we're trying again 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
UK study of commercial raw pet food diets....unsurprisingly concerning. 380 diets were tested. 1+pathogenic bacteria in 35% Salmonella: 21% Multidrug resistant Salmonella: 9% Campylobacter: 14% (and 21% of C. jejuni were multidrug resistant) 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Registration for the 2026 free online Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses symposium, May 12 from 9-4 Eastern time, is now open. www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-cphaz...
eventbrite.com
2026 CPHAZ Symposium
2026 CPHAZ Symposium, a virtual symposium by the University of Guelph's Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
"Antiviral resistance in cats….let’s not screw up our game changing drugs" The title sums it up. Antivirals have saved countless cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), but does increased (non-evidence-based) use for other things pose a risk? 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
Close to 50% of imported dogs with rabies vaccine certificates didn't have adequate titres. Many had no detectable antibodies. Surprising? Not really. Concerning? It should be. More details below www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2026/03/arti...
wormsandgermsblog.com
(Inadequate) Rabies titres in imported dogs
Many countries have import requirements for dogs and those are largely based on concerns about rabies. Usually, that focuses on a history of rabies
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
First finished batch of the season.
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
Human intestinal infection with the canine hookworm Ancylostoma caninum. Rare. Probably of limited healthy concern. But maybe overlooked. www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2026/03/arti...
wormsandgermsblog.com
Human intestinal infection with canine hookworm
A lot of case reports get published in human medical and veterinary journals. I always take case reports with a grain of salt…not that I don’t trust the
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Does cranberry have an impact on urinary tract infections in dogs and cats? We don't know. We did a systematic review and found.... we don't know. Few studies, and even fewer good studies, and none that showed a positive effect. 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
More thoughts and Q&A for the IMRAB 3TF canine/feline/ferret rabies vaccine recall. www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2026/02/arti...
wormsandgermsblog.com
IMRAB 3 Canine/Feline/Ferret Rabies Vaccine Recall
Apparently, Boehringer Ingelheim has issued a voluntary recall of one lot (serial # 18665) of IMRAB 3TF rabies vaccine. Some vials in the lot were found
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Apparently, Boehringer Ingelheim has recalled IMRAB® 3TF, 1 mL, Serial 18665 after some vials were found to contain sterile water instead of vaccine. I've seen it on a few state veterinary medical association website in the US but not anything from the company or FDA. 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
Some things are worth taking more time to assess Banning the practice of inflicting pain to make horses walk a certain (abnormal) way is not one of them. If you can't train them without pain, just stop. Delaying a rule that prevents abuse is more abuse news.vin.com/default.aspx...
news.vin.com
USDA postpones horse protection rule changes for third time
Effort to strengthen anti-soring regulations dismantled and derailed
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
H5N1 flu spillover updates Another fatal infection in a cat. - Not surprising but another reminder about how nasty this virus is in cats (and how lucky we are that (for now) it doesn't impact people similarly). Outdoor access and raw poultry diets pose the greatest risks. 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Does a dog with alveolar echinococcosis (systemic Echinococcus multilocularis infection) pose a risk to people? No (unless you're secretly a canid and plan on eating the dog). Human risk is from ingestion of eggs shed in feces by a dog with an intestinal infection. 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
H5N1 influenza in a cow in the Netherlands. Seropositive cow from a farm that had infected kittens in late 2025. Seems to have been a one-off infection with no overt disease or further spread. 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Treatment duration for pneumonia in dogs and cats, a systematic review (Emdin et al 2025) Not surprisingly, data were limited. Not surprisingly, shorter durations (10-14d) appear to be equivalent to longer durations (21-28d) in dogs (no data for cats). 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
The "Milwaukee protocol" got a lot of attention based on successful treatment of a girl with rabies in 2004. Unfortunately, success hasn't seemed to have repeatable, despite numerous attempts. Do we keep trying a protocol on the basis of "it can't hurt" or... 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 25/12/2025
New ENOVAT surgical prophylaxis guidelines for dogs and cats. Link to full guidelines in reply.
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 21/12/2025
Another fatal H5N1 flu infection in a dog, this time in Alberta. The dog was immunocompromised, which might have contributed to disease severity, but it's similar to a 2023 case in Ontario where an otherwise healthy dog died. Both were linked to goose exposure. 1/2
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
When might more antimicrobial use (AMU) use in animals be better? (Or why we should focus on metrics beyond mass of antibiotics) Not all antibiotics are alike - Some drugs are more important than others. 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
A new to revise some antimicrobial breakpoints in cats? Probably,for enrofloxacin, marbofloxacin and Enterobacterales (incl E coli), Pseudomonas, Pasteurella and Strep. Recent data suggest we've maybe been over-stating susceptibility, which could have clinical implications. 1/2
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
Antibiotics and planetary health. The ecological impact of antibiotics...not something we think of often but use of these drugs in people, animals or plants has an impact. The amount might surprise you Pharmaceutical production accounts for 1000' or tonnes of CO2 each year 1/n
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Scott Weese @scottweese.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
Two H5N1 updates... 1) Critteraid's peacocks aren't to be culled. A good farm response, physical separation of the peacocks from infected birds and negative tests prevented a cull. 2) On the negative side, more dead cats. This time a cluster in the Netherlands 1/2
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