Why veterinary teams are rethinking routine glove use

Veterinary teams are getting a timely reminder that gloves aren’t a stand-in for infection control. In an April 13, 2026 VETgirl podcast, Dr. Justine Lee interviewed Dr. Diccon Westworth, a board-certified neurologist at VCA Animal Care Center of Sonoma County and a board member of the Veterinary Sustainability Alliance, about when non-sterile gloves are actually indicated in practice, and when routine glove use may be unnecessary or even counterproductive. The discussion aligns with a recent peer-reviewed review co-authored by Westworth that argues overuse of non-sterile gloves can undermine hand hygiene, add cost, and increase waste, while established veterinary infection-control guidance says gloves should be used for likely contact with feces, body fluids, exudates, non-intact skin, dentistry, obstetrics, necropsy, contaminated cleaning tasks, and similar higher-risk work, not automatically for every healthy-animal interaction. (music.amazon.in)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is less about using fewer gloves and more about using them more deliberately. The NASPHV compendium says gloves aren’t necessary for examining, handling, vaccinating, or obtaining a blood sample from most healthy animals if good hand hygiene is practiced, and it stresses that gloves must be changed between patients and between dirty and clean tasks, with hand hygiene performed immediately after removal. AAHA’s infection-control guidance similarly ties glove use to specific procedures, including peripheral IV catheter placement. For clinics balancing biosecurity, staff skin health, workflow, supply costs, and sustainability goals, the message is that “glove stewardship” should sit alongside hand hygiene training, PPE access, and clear protocols. (aaha.org)

What to watch: Expect more veterinary discussion around formal glove-use protocols, especially as sustainability efforts and infection-prevention standards increasingly intersect. (music.amazon.in)