Dr Anne fawcett talks about problems with treating your pets with antibiotics

THIS week Dr Anne Fawcett talks about treating pets with antibiotics, and why they are not always necessary. Sometimes the best treatment is supportive care, she says.

Dr Anne Fawcett says we all have a responsibility to be sparing in our use of antibiotics. Picture: Craig Wilson

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ANTIBIOTICS are a powerful tool in the fight against bacterial infection — but they’re overused.

It’s common for vets to be asked to prescribe antibiotics, but they are not always necessary.

Furthermore, if we use antibiotics where they are not required we promote antibiotic-resistant organisms. These impact humans and animals.

It’s important to understand that antibiotics don’t cure viral diseases like cat flu and kennel cough, unless there is a nasty secondary bacterial infection.

Sometimes the best treatment is supportive care (good nutrition, intravenous fluids and other medications).

Vet nurse Ashleigh Weaver and Vet Kim Walters repair a tortoise that has a broken shell. He gets an antibiotic injection.

A vet cannot diagnose a bacterial infection over the phone. This requires a physical examination of the animal and often tests, such as a urine test if a urinary tract infection is suspected.

Antibiotics are chosen based on which organisms are most likely to be implicated in which disease and at which body site.

For example, an antibiotic to treat skin infections may not be helpful in the case of a bone infection.

We all have a responsibility to be sparing in our use of antibiotics. This means that when we do genuinely need them they are more likely to work.

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Dr Anne Fawcett is a lecturer in veterinary science at the University of Sydney and a vet with Sydney Animal Hospitals Inner West.

Read her blog: smallanimaltalk.com

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