A while back I had an enjoyable conversation with Dr. Hubert Hiemstra, who runs the Vet Vault podcast on the Sunshine Coast of Australia. We talked about the changing landscape of veterinary medicine, including economics and science, as well as some of my favorite topics in skepticism, critical thinking, and science-based veterinary medicine. Enjoy!
great podcast. would love to see you go at it again with someone down under adding government regulation to the mix of veterinary issues facing veterinarians. Metronidazole is approved for treating Giardia in dogs under the brand name Ayradia, an oral suspension specifically greenlit by the FDA for this purpose in 2023. For humans, metronidazole is FDA-approved for various infections, including some parasitic ones, but it’s not specifically labeled for Giardia treatment in the U.S. Instead, doctors often prescribe it off-label for human giardiasis, as it’s been shown to be effective in clinical practice. The difference comes down to regulatory specifics—veterinary approval for dogs is narrower and more explicit for Giardia, while human use relies on broader indications and physician discretion.