It is unclear how recent FDA guidance for antimicrobial drug oversight may affect companion animal practices, yet stewardship of the right drug for the right bug remains a priority for all animal health professionals.
Practicing responsible antimicrobial stewardship involves striving to prevent antimicrobial resistance and an unnecessary impact on the microbiome by prescribing appropriate drugs to treat infections and recognizing when antimicrobial treatment and prophylaxis are inappropriate, writes Jill Maddison, BVSc, DipVetClinStud, PhD, SFHEA, MRCVS. She says, antimicrobial therapy should eliminate infectious organisms without harming the host and is most effective when supplementing endogenous defense mechanisms rather than acting as the sole means of infection control
Source: Clinician’s Brief, November 2019. Link. Responsible antimicrobial stewardship reduces inappropriate antimicrobial use, improves appropriate antimicrobial use and reduces the risk for transfer of drug-resistant pathogens between humans and animals.