What Is Antibiotic or Antimicrobial Resistance (AR)? AR occurs when bacteria adapt to survive challenges in their environments. When we use drugs (antibiotics) to treat infections in animals and people, bacteria can develop mechanisms to block or escape that challenge. Without effective antibiotics to control them, resistant bacteria can spread and cause illnesses or even deaths. How AR Spreads
Susceptible to drug A
Resistant to drug B
How to Combat AR You can take several actions to help reduce the chances of bacteria developing AR. Your veterinarian should prescribe specific prevention practices for all animals and treatments for sick animals. In addition, here are some general tips from AR experts:
PRACTICAL TIP Your veterinarian should always give you instructions for using antibiotics in your animals. This can be in medical records, prescription drug labels, or in the written Program of Veterinary Care. If you are ever unsure about when or how to use a medication, contact your veterinarian. DID YOU KNOW? These tips can save you time and money. Preventing infections saves the cost and time to treat them. Many animals with resistant infections need lengthy and expensive hospital stays or complicated procedures. And using an antibiotic when you don’t need it wastes the cost of the drug and the time spent using it.
Bacteria and fungi encode their survival mechanisms as genes in their DNA. As they multiply, they can share copies of their DNA, including AR genes, with other bacteria nearby. Then the bacteria establish a population (infection) that can survive traditional antibiotics. Healthy and sick animals and people can spread these infections to others around them.
DO
DON’T
Take unnecessary bacterial risks 7 Feed raw food diets 7 Share equipment among sick and healthy animals: – Food or water dishes
Prevent overgrowth and spread of bacteria 3 Vaccinate against bacterial infections (such as Bordetella, Leptospira, Borrelia ) when available 3 Practice good sanitization and hygiene (bathing, handwashing, sanitization) with animals, people, and the environment 3 Isolate sick animals, quarantine animals coming in or returning to the facility 3 Use personal protective equipment like shoe covers, gloves, and gowns around sick animals Take additional infection control precautions when animals are immunocompromised 3 Pregnant or very young animals 3 Allergic or digestive disorders 3 Endocrine diseases (diabetes, Cushing’s) 3 Cancer Properly use antimicrobial drugs 3 ALWAYS consult a veterinarian before starting antimicrobial treatment 3 Follow all instructions on use, dosage, storage, & duration 3 Dispose properly when no longer needed
– Grooming tools – Transport cages – Cleaning equipment
Allow health or environmental stressors to impact your animals’ ability to fight infections 7 Underlying conditions such as parasites 7 Overcrowding and/or fighting 7 Temperature and humidity extremes 7 Poor ventilation or cleaning practices Overuse or abuse antibiotics 7 Use antibiotics for group or preventive treatments without veterinarian’s instructions 7 Keep extra or expired antibiotics for later use
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Veterinary Medical Association, Food and Drug Administration
www.usda.gov (search ‘antimicrobial resistance’) www.cdc.gov (search ‘drug resistance’) www.avma.org/ (search ‘antimicrobial use’) www.fda.gov (search ‘How to Safely Dispose of Unused or Expired Medicine - Video Transcript’)
For more information on antibiotic or antimicrobial resistance, check out these sites:
Learn more at www.aphis.usda.gov/animalwelfare/aids The U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Animal Care APHIS-23-015 • Issued November 2023
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