Antimicrobial prescriptions and adherence to prudent use guidelines for selected canine diseases in Switzerland in 2016

Abstract

BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance is an increasing problem in human and veterinary medicine and is closely linked to the use of antimicrobials. The objective of this study was to describe antimicrobial prescriptions for selected canine diseases in Switzerland during 2016.MethodsDogs presented to two university hospitals and 14 private practices for acute diarrhoea (AD; n=371), suspected or confirmed urinary tract infections (UTIs; n=245), respiratory tract infections (RTIs; n=274) or wound infections (WIs; n=175) were included. Clinical history, diagnostic work-up and antimicrobial prescription (class, dosage and duration) were retrospectively assessed. A justification score was applied to evaluate appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy based on available national and international consensus guidelines.ResultsAntimicrobials were prescribed in 65 per cent of dogs with AD, 88 per cent with UTI, 62 per cent with RTI and 90 per cent with WI. The most prescribed antimicrobial classes (monotherapy and combination therapy) were potentiated aminopenicillins (59 per cent), nitroimidazoles (22 per cent), non-potentiated aminopenicillins (16 per cent) and fluoroquinolones (13 per cent). Overall, 38 per cent (95 per cent CI 0.35 to 0.41) of the prescriptions were in accordance with consensus guidelines. In dogs with AD, antimicrobial therapy was associated with the presence of haemorrhagic diarrhoea (P<0.05) and complied in 32 per cent with consensus guidelines, which recommend antimicrobial treatment only when sepsis is suspected. A bacterial aetiology was confirmed via culture and/or sediment examination in 36 per cent of dogs with suspected UTI.ConclusionsOverall, adherence to consensus guidelines was poor both, at university hospitals and private practices. Antimicrobial stewardship measures are therefore needed to improve prudent use.

Poor infection prevention and control standards are associated with environmental contamination with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales and other multidrug-resistant bacteria in Swiss companion animal clinics

“…Four institutions (A-D) included in the present study were recently evaluated for antimicrobial prescription habits in dogs and cats in two unrelated studies [49,50]. In these investigations, the frequency of prescription and adherence to prudent use guidelines for three disease complexes in cats and four disease complexes in dogs were evaluated between January and December 2016.…”

Urinary tract infections in dogs with spontaneous hypercortisolism – frequency, symptoms and involved pathogens

“…Because of the availability of products, potentiated aminopenicillins are most commonly prescribed in dogs with cystitis in Switzerland. 24 other symptoms. 39 Interestingly, fluoroquinolones were not clearly superior compared to potentiated aminopenicillins and TMS in this study.…”

Acquisition and carriage of multidrug‐resistant organisms in dogs and cats presented to small animal practices and clinics in Switzerland

“…66 Antimicrobial prescriptions for selected conditions in dogs and cats in 2016 recently have been reported, and these studies included prescription data from clinics 1 and 2. 64,65 Comparison of the data subsets from these 2 clinics did not identify any substantial differences in the frequency or appropriateness of antimicrobial prescriptions (data not shown). Therefore, differences in IPC standards are more likely the driving force behind the differences in environmental colonization 25 14 days without a decrease in recovery, 67 others have described decreased recovery of bacteria after storage at 4 C for 1 or 4 weeks using direct plating without prior enrichment.…”

“…62,63 The high rate of isolation of CP organisms was unexpected, because carbapenems are not used in clinics 1 and 2. 64,65 However, the restricted use of a specific class of antimicrobials itself is not sufficient to avoid emergence of relative resistance, because the selection pressure exerted by the use of any broad-spectrum antimicrobial may co-select for carbapenem resistance. 66 Antimicrobial prescriptions for selected conditions in dogs and cats in 2016 recently have been reported, and these studies included prescription data from clinics 1 and 2.…”