Infection Control in Small Animal Clinical Practice

Infection prevention and control is vital within a veterinary setting, but can find itself an automated part of care - and therefore vulnerable to time constraints, forgetfulness and routine. This book is written by experts in the field and uses evidence-based findings to elevate infection prevention to a well understood, dynamic concept, relevant to both veterinary practitioners and nurses in practice.Comparing key findings to the human healthcare world, this book:Maximises learning opportunities with lots of practical examples and cases;Provides practical how-to sections, such as setting up a surveillance programme; andBases findings on current veterinary literature.Beginning with an introduction to the importance of infection control, dedicated chapters in this book then consider key principles such as hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, infection control for the surgical and hospitalised patient, and care for immunosuppressed individuals. Importantly, this book presents an up-to-date exploration of responsible antibiotic use in the context of rising resistance.

Fergus Allerton graduated from the University of Bristol in 2004. He spent six years working in a mixed practice in Worcestershire. While developing a broad range of experience, a keen interest in all things medical motivated him to pursue the Royal College Certificate in Small Animal Medicine. Fergus spent three years undertaking a medicine residency at the University of Liege in Belgium studying for the Diploma of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Fergus enjoys the wide variety of internal medicine cases and the diagnostic challenges posed by these patients. He has particular interests in haematology, immune-mediated disease and critical care medicine. Fergus joined Willows in October 2013 and is enjoying being part of the specialist team at Willows, with the opportunity to provide the highest standard of care for patients, owners and referring veterinary surgeons.

Kelly Bowlt Blacklock graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2005 and after 18 months in small animal general practice, completed a rotating internship at the Royal Veterinary College and a three-year ECVS approved residency programme in the Small Animal Surgery at the University of Bristol. Kelly joined the Animal Health Trust in 2011 and was awarded a PhD from the University of Liverpool for studies into the genetics of metastasis in canine cancer. In 2019, Kelly returned to the R(D)SVS as a senior lecturer in Small Animal Surgery, where she is involved in the clinical service, teaching, and research into the genetic basic and functional aspects of canine cancers. She is a Research Fellow at the Patton Lab in the Institute of Genetics and Cancer, where she studies metastasis of canine oral melanoma. Kelly is a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and EBVS® European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery.