Content originally published and produced by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association:

 

Before giving your pet any type of antibiotic treatment, your veterinarian should always be consulted. 

There is an emergence of resistance to antibiotics and the inappropriate use of these life-saving medications is a factor. In order to preserve the effectiveness of these drugs, they should only be used when necessary. That’s why when your pet is sick, your veterinarian may recommend testing to determine whether or not an antibiotic treatment is actually needed. 

It’s important that we protect the effectiveness of antibiotics for both people and our pets. You can help protect antibiotics by:

• Making an appointment with your veterinarian when your pet is sick. 
• Administering your pet’s antibiotics exactly as prescribed by your veterinarian. Even if your pet appears to be feeling better, continue administering the full course of treatment recommended by your veterinarian. This is necessary in order to prevent resistant bacteria from developing. 
• Keeping your pet healthy. Healthy animals can better fight off potential illnesses. A healthy lifestyle includes regular veterinary examinations, vaccinations, parasite prevention, exercise and good nutrition.

The misuse of antibiotics contributes to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. Pet owners and veterinarians must work together to ensure that antibiotics are used responsibly. 

When the first antibiotic, penicillin, was discovered in 1928, infectious disease treatment took a turn for the better. Rates of sickness and death in humans and animals were greatly reduced, thanks to these antimicrobial products.

Antibiotics are life-saving drugs, but their use must be appropriate in order to preserve the effectiveness of these drugs. A recent report from the World Health Organization indicates the last new class of antibacterial drugs was discovered in the 1980s. There is now an emergence of resistance to antibiotics and the inappropriate use of these life-saving medications is a factor. Widespread resistance may take us back to a time similar to the early 20th century, when many epidemics spread unchecked.

These threatening multi-resistant bacteria don’t only affect humans, but pets as well.   It’s important that we protect the effectiveness of antibiotics for both people and our pets. As a responsible gatekeeper of the reliable medicines that keep your pet healthy, your veterinarian will determine whether or not an antibiotic is required when your pet is sick. If required, your veterinarian will do testing to determine whether or not antibiotic treatment is needed.

As a pet owner, you should administer your pet’s antibiotics exactly as prescribed by your veterinarian. People will sometimes stop taking the medication once we feel better, but for both humans and pets, the full course of treatment is necessary in order to prevent resistant bacteria from developing.

Leftover antibiotics should never be flushed down the toilet, as this can have an adverse effect on amphibians, aquatic species, and the birds and mammals that prey on them. Ask your veterinarian or the veterinary team for advice on disposal.

Finally, healthy animals can better fight off potential illnesses. A healthy lifestyle includes regular veterinary examinations, vaccinations, parasite prevention, exercise and good nutrition.