Antibacterial prescribing patterns in small animal veterinary practice identified via SAVSNET: the small animal veterinary surveillance network

One hundred eighteen pharmacists enrolled in the Drug Surveillance Network completed a survey of antibiotic prescribing patterns for bacterial infections. A total of 319 hospitalized patients being treated for suspected or documented bacterial pneumonia were monitored, and this paper summarizes the data collected on this specific subpopulation. Two hundred three patients (64 percent) were treated for community-acquired pneumonia and 116 patients (36 percent) were treated for nosocomial pneumonia. Seventy-three percent of the nosocomial pneumonias were culture-positive, with a gram-negative microorganism as the predominant isolate. Forty-eight percent of the community-acquired pneumonias were culture-positive with a mixture of gram-positive and gram-negative organisms. Fifty percent of patients were treated with a single agent, 33 percent with two antibiotics, and the remaining 17 percent with a combination of three or more antibiotics. A satisfactory response was noted for 62 and 76 percent of the patients with nosocomial and community-acquired pneumonias, respectively. Twenty percent of the pneumonia patients were switched to oral drug after an average of five days of therapy and discharged from the hospital. Twenty-five adverse events that were possibly or probably related to the antibiotic regimen were reported in 23 of the 350 patients for an overall incidence of 6.5 percent. The results of this survey provide a cross-sectional view of antibiotic prescribing patterns for the treatment of bacterial pneumonia and the outcome of therapy under actual clinical conditions of use.

Download Full-text

Small animal veterinary psychiatry

10.1079/9781786394552.0000 ◽

2021 ◽

Keyword(s):

Affective Disorders ◽

Emotional Health ◽

Small Animal ◽

Repetitive Behaviours ◽

Normal Behaviour ◽

Behaviour Modification ◽

Veterinary Practice ◽

Problem Behaviours ◽

Physical Disorders ◽

Learning Principles

Abstract This book contains 16 chapters that discuss mental and emotional health in the veterinary practice, ruling out physical disorders leading to behavioural changes, addressing pain in veterinary psychiatry, normal behaviour, raising mentally and emotionally healthy pets, diagnosis, learning principles and behaviour modification, psychopharmacology, problem behaviours and management, aggression, affective disorders, elimination problems, abnormal and repetitive behaviours and aging-related problems in cats and dogs.

Download Full-text

Philosophy of a “Good Death” in Small Animals and Consequences for Euthanasia in Animal Law and Veterinary Practice

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10010124 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 124 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kirsten Persson ◽

Felicitas Selter ◽

Gerald Neitzke ◽

Peter Kunzmann

Keyword(s):

Small Animal ◽

Well Being ◽

Point Of View ◽

Good Death ◽

Moral Stress ◽

Veterinary Practice ◽

Ethical Point ◽

Personal Morality ◽

Narrow Definition ◽

Definition Of

Moral stress is a major concern in veterinary practice. Often, it is associated with the challenges in end-of-life situations. Euthanasia, however, is also meant to bring relief to animal patients and their owners. The reasons for the moral strain euthanizing animals causes to professional veterinarians need to be further clarified. This article investigates “euthanasia” from a philosophical, legal, and practical perspective. After introducing relevant aspects of euthanasia in small animal practice, the term is analyzed from an ethical point of view. That includes both a broad and a narrow definition of “euthanasia” and underlying assumptions regarding different accounts of animal death and well-being. Then, legal and soft regulations are discussed with regard to the theoretical aspects and practical challenges, also including questions of personal morality. It is argued that the importance of ethical definitions and assumptions concerning euthanasia and their intertwinement with both law and practical challenges should not be neglected. The conclusion is that veterinarians should clarify the reasons for their potential discomfort and that they should be supported by improved decision-making tools, by implementation of theoretical and practical ethics in veterinary education, and by updated animal welfare legislation.

Download Full-text

The challenges of small animal veterinary anaesthesia in 2020

Companion Animal ◽

10.12968/coan.2020.0044 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (5) ◽

pp. 132-136

Author(s):

Jo Murrell

Keyword(s):

Small Animal ◽

Short Supply ◽

Veterinary Practice ◽

Veterinary Surgeon ◽

New Challenges

Veterinary anaesthesia may be facing new challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the potential for shortages of cylinders of oxygen and some drugs in veterinary practice if resources are diverted to the NHS. This article prepares the veterinary surgeon in the event of such shortages, and discusses how to safely limit the use of oxygen in practice as well as the use of alfaxalone as an alternative induction and maintenance agent to propofol. Finally, the use of ephedrine to manage hypotension as an alternative to other vasopressors and inotropes that may be in short supply is described.

Download Full-text

Survey on antimicrobial prescribing patterns in small animal veterinary practice in Emilia Romagna, Italy

Veterinary Record ◽

10.1136/vr.104128 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 181 (3) ◽

pp. 69-69 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

A. Barbarossa ◽

J. Rambaldi ◽

V. Miraglia ◽

M. Giunti ◽

G. Diegoli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Small Animal ◽

Laboratory Diagnosis ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

General View ◽

Microbiological Analysis ◽

Human Beings ◽

Prescribing Practices ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Antimicrobial Prescribing ◽

Hygiene Measures

This investigation provides for the first time a general view of the prescribing patterns of antimicrobials in small animal practice in Emilia Romagna, Italy. In the context of a project on antimicrobial resistance managed by the Regional Veterinary Service, veterinary clinicians were invited to voluntarily complete an online questionnaire. This was designed to gather information on antimicrobial prescribing practices and biosecurity measures and to understand the perception of the issue specific to this region of Italy. In total, 266 questionnaires correctly completed were collected. Although clinicians seemed to follow different approaches when using antimicrobials, the data analysis revealed a general awareness on resistance. Penicillins were the most commonly prescribed class, followed by (fluoro)quinolones and cephalosporins. Among those who use laboratory testing more or less frequently (microbiological analysis and susceptibility testing) to support their prescribing habits, only 7 per cent make a habit of always waiting for the results before starting the treatment. Seventy-eight per cent of the respondents declared the use of antimicrobials licensed for human beings. Biosecurity measures were carefully taken into account by the majority of the veterinarians. The results identified the antimicrobial classes that are commonly prescribed and highlighted that perioperative hygiene measures and the use of laboratory diagnosis are critical aspects that need to be emphasised in drawing up guidelines on the prudent use of these drugs in pets.

Download Full-text

Use of cefovecin in a UK population of cats attending first-opinion practices as recorded in electronic health records

Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery ◽

10.1177/1098612x16656706 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 19 (6) ◽

pp. 687-692 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Sara Burke ◽

Vicki Black ◽

Fernando Sánchez-Vizcaíno ◽

Alan Radford ◽

Angie Hibbert ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electronic Health Records ◽

Animal Health ◽

Small Animal ◽

Further Education ◽

Body System ◽

Surveillance Network ◽

Health Records ◽

Electronic Health ◽

The Uk ◽

Alternative Antimicrobials

Objectives The objective was to use electronic health records to describe the use of cefovecin (Convenia; Zoetis UK), a third-generation long-acting injectable antimicrobial, in a UK population of cats attending first-opinion practices, and to compare the use of Convenia with the licensed uses described on the UK Convenia datasheet. Methods Data were obtained as an Excel database from the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network for all feline consultations containing the word Convenia and/or cefovecin from 1 September 2012 to 23 September 2013 inclusive. Entries were classified according to body system treated, confirmation or suspicion of an abscess, evidence of microbiological evaluation being performed, any concurrent therapies given and whether any reason was given for use of Convenia over alternative antimicrobials. Data were exported to IBM SPSS Statistics and descriptive analysis performed. Results In total, 1148 entries were analysed. The most common body system treated was skin in 553 (48.2%) entries, then urinary (n = 157; 13.7%) and respiratory (n = 112; 9.8%). Microbiological evaluation was recorded in 193 (16.8%) entries, with visible purulent material most commonly cited (in 147 [12.8%] entries). A reason for prescribing Convenia over alternative antimicrobials was given in 138 (12.0%) entries; the most cited was an inability to orally medicate the cat in 77 (55.8%) of these entries. Excluding 131 entries where no body system or multiple body systems were described, the use of Convenia complied with a licensed use in the UK datasheet in 710 (69.8%) of 1017 entries. Conclusions and relevance Most administrations were licensed uses; however, most entries did not describe any microbiological evaluation, or a reason for prescribing Convenia over alternative antimicrobials. Further education of the public and the veterinary profession is needed to promote antimicrobial stewardship in the UK. Health records provide a valuable tool with which to monitor, both locally and at scale, the use of important therapeutics like antimicrobials. Information relevant to decision-making should be recorded in individual animal health records.

Download Full-text