Send me a derm question or story!In this week's podcast episode, I get to interview Allison Inga, DVM, DACVD who practices at Animal Dermatology Clinic in Robbinsville, NJ. We take a practical, clinician-focused look at the latest guidelines from the International Society of for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases (ISCAID) on the use of topical therapy in managing bacterial skin infections.Topical therapy is no longer just an adjunct — it’s a central component of antimicrobial stewardship in dermatology. We review how the ISCAID guidelines support cytology-driven diagnosis, when topical therapy can be used as sole treatment, and how it helps reduce systemic antibiotic use in cases of superficial pyoderma and Malassezia dermatitis. 00:00 – Intro01:25 – Dr. Inga 03:50 – Advantages of Topical Therapy in Pyoderma Cases05:40 – Evidence of Using Chlorhexidine Percentages08:22 – Factors to Consider In Chlorhexidine Cases09:30 – Other Topical Anti-Septics to Consider10:44 – Diluting Bleach 13:50 – Addressing Concerns Around Bleach15:00 – Topical Antibiotic Use17:26 – Efficacy of Topical Therapy21:20 – Simple Things That Yield Good Results23:10 – Concurrent Use26:10 – Outro