Antimicrobial Resistance

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced the release of a new report called “Antimicrobial Resistance Global Report on Surveillance”. The report provides a comprehensive overview of antibiotic resistance to date, with data from 114 countries including Canada. According to WHO, antimicrobial resistance is now a major threat to public health in every region of the world.

The veterinary community recognizes that the continued use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine is dependent upon the profession's ability to use antimicrobial products judiciously, striking a balance between maximizing animal health and welfare, while preserving antimicrobial efficacy and protecting public health. That's why antimicrobial stewardship has been made a priority issue for the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). 

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.

Information taken from articles from the CVMA.

Antimicrobial Resistance from SK Veterinary Medical Assoc. on Vimeo.