Responsible Use of Antimicrobial Agents

In our previous post we presented two posters created by a working group within the Federation of Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA) showing the proper washing and disinfection of hands before surgery, as well as recommendations for the hygiene and control of infectious diseases in veterinary clinics.

This time we are providing tips for responsible use of antimicrobials. We all know that the excessive and unnecessary use of antibiotics in the treatment of humans and animals is a topical theme at the time of emergence, or rather the development of resistant bacteria. Therefore, veterinarians and doctors should prescribe such medicines in a reasonable way, with the aim of improving the health of the patient and not ‘just in case’. However, responsible use of antibiotics can be greatly facilitated by animal owners and humans as patients by adhering strictly to the instructions given by a veterinarian/doctor, by not ceasing to take prescribed antibiotic treatments without first consulting a veterinarian/doctor, and by not starting to take them without medical advice.

In the next contribution we will present a poster showing appropriate antimicrobial protection for certain conditions.

Poster: Recommendations for responsible use of antimicrobial agents (PDF)

Author: Assistant. Dr. Urška Ravnik Verbič, DVM