#105 Bio Detection dogs with Lale Aksu

In this Episode 

Laleh Aksu, a trainer of C. difficile detection dogs, discusses the importance of using dogs to search for C. diff in hospital environments. C. difficile is a bacteria that can cause severe diarrhea and is a hospital-acquired infection. The dogs are trained to detect the presence of C. diff in the environment, such as on surfaces and in the air. Laleh explains the training process, the different strains of C. diff that the dogs are trained on, and the success rate of the program. She also discusses the challenges of training C. diff dogs and the rewards and markers used in training. Cameron Ford discusses the operational utilization of bio-detection dogs in hospitals, specifically for detecting C. diff. He explains that the dogs are trained to search areas such as supply rooms and storage rooms, but not patient rooms unless they are terminally cleaned. Ford also addresses the issue of false alerts and emphasizes the importance of reading and understanding the dog's behavior. He highlights the benefits of using bio-detection dogs in hospitals, including cost savings and improved infection control practices. However, he notes that the lack of exposure and support from some hospitals hinders the widespread acceptance of this resource.

Contact Lale Aksu email: Lale.aksu@vch.ca

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