Food animal veterinary clinics were recently sent guidelines on prudent use of antimicrobials
The guide was published after extensive research and collaboration with veterinary and industry stakeholders. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association developed and distributed the document
Veterinarians need to select and prescribe the proper medication for the condition being treated. This is based on knowing the disease process, the bacteria likely involved and which drug has proven to be of value on the farm.
The proper dose, drug withdrawal and method of administration must be clear, but there are also conditions not caused by bacteria where antibiotics will be of no value and should not be prescribed, such as viral or parasitic conditions.
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Most drugs used in veterinary and human medicine are for the control and treatment of disease, and sometimes its prevention.
Unlike in human medicine, veterinarians may use medications for their growth promoting properties.
Several of the antimicrobials used in veterinary medicine are also used to treat serious or life threatening situations in human medicine. Health Canada has categorized these antimicrobials as Category 1 (highly important in human medicine) through to Category 4 (low importance in human medicine).
The CVMA Antimicrobial Prudent Use Guidelines help veterinarians select the appropriate antimicrobial for each disease. For example, if the condition responds favourably to a product in categories 3 or 4, then stay with that and save the big guns in categories 1 and 2 for when your veterinarian feels their use is justified.
I think veterinarians, farmers and ranchers buy into this concept. I hope medical doctors follow a similar approach.
When an ailment is diagnosed, there are usually three or four choices of effective medication. Using category 2 to 4 antimicrobials for easier-to-treat or low-grade infections keeps the higher choices for when we really need them. Disease resistance is less likely to build up if products are dosed correctly and not overused.
When companies try to license antimicrobial products, the category that the drug falls into will determine the degree of safety and resistance they must comply with. Control will be greater for products in Category 2, which are those with the potential for use in human medicine.
Examples of antimicrobials in Category 1 are the family of fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins (third and fourth generation). I don’t want to name products here but your veterinarian clinic can tell you which ones it carries.
Small animal veterinarians should also take this cautious approach. They should not overprescribe powerful antibiotics for minor infections or prescribe them for too long for non-responsive chronic ailments.
The good news is that antibiotic use has been reduced significantly with better animal husbandry, nutrition, preconditioning to minimize stress and maximized disease resistance through vaccination.
Shorter treatment
With experienced producers identifying disease earlier, the course of treatment is generally shorter yet more effective. Also, because new generation antibiotics are more expensive, following a cautious approach may save money. Expensive products are seldom overdosed, but we want to dose properly and not underdose either. Make sure your weights are accurate.
Producers should ask their herd veterinarian for an opinion on the CVMA Antimicrobial Prudent Use Guidelines.
