Vancouver Coastal Health is making history today with the introduction of a new aid in the battle against C-Difficile. It’s Angus, the C.difficile-sniffing dog!
C.diff, or Clostridium difficile, is what’s known now as a superbug. It hits people with weak immune systems due to antibiotic use and it is the most common cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitals and long-term care centres.
Dr. Elizabeth Bryce is the Regional Medical Director of Infection Control for Vancouver Coastal Health. She is dellighted to have this new addition. “We recognize Angus is still young and building up his stamina, so we’re exploring several options for his deployment. He has been issued hospital ID, and we anticipate he will begin working this summer.” she said at a press conference today.
ListenIt’s a first for Vancouver, and a first in Canada. People are familiar now with detection dogs, and the things they can find, from drugs to people. But Angus. a two year-old English springer spaniel, has been in training for 18 months with Teresa Zurberg, a dog-trainer who knows the ravages of C.diff.
While receiving treatment for a gash on her leg, Zurberg became infected with C.difficile. She spent a week in hospital and lost 20 pounds. “It was awful, I almost died.” she said. As a certified trainer of bomb-detecting and drug-detecting dogs, she decided to bring her skills to the medical arena.
She found the right partner in Angus, who hails from Montana. And as she explained to reporters, odours for dogs are like colors. Now, as the duo begin their work, what Angus discovers, will be treated in a high tech fashion. A state-of-the-art UV light disinfecting robot will remove 99 per cent of the C.diff spores.
It’s a family-affair, as Teresa’s husband, Markus Zurberg, is the Quality & Patient Safety Coordinator for Vancouver Coastal Health. And their other dog, Roger Dodger, is getting on well with Angus. The couple has rewarded both dogs with a backyard pool.
Dr. Bryce says they will be monitoring Angus’ effectiveness, and getting together in the fall to dissuss what the next step might be. Perhaps long-term care facilities and hospitals will all have their own Angus in the future.
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