Who would have thought that giving your dog or cat medicine without a prescription could cause them to develop antibiotic resistance and die?! Many people probably know that antibiotic resistance is a common problem in humans like us. However, it has been found that pets also have the same drug resistance problem as humans. When they develop drug resistance, both the doctor and the owner will definitely be worried because the treatment will be ineffective. The owner will have to pay more to find newer, more effective antibiotics, which will result in higher costs. And worst of all, it will result in an increased rate of sickness and death. So what are the reasons that can cause dogs and cats to develop antibiotic resistance? Let’s try to understand them.
The purpose of using antibiotics in pets is to treat infections caused by bacteria, so that the animal recovers from the disease and improves its condition. When drug resistance occurs,The resulting problems will make the treatment of infectious diseases ineffective.
Factors that contribute to drug resistance in dogs and cats is
- Taking antibiotics inconsistently or incorrectly, such as when the pet's symptoms improve and the owner suddenly stops taking the medication, does not give the pet the full duration of medication prescribed by the veterinarian, or does not take the pet to the veterinarian for continuous treatment because they think they are fully recovered.
- In cases where pets have difficulty giving medication, the owner may not be able to give the medication continuously or may not want to continue giving the medication.
- Owners buy antibiotics for their pets without going through a veterinarian. Risk of receiving the wrong medication for the cause of the disease Causing drug resistance in pets
- Stability of drugs after dissolution in solvent or storage
Reducing the problem of drug resistance in pets
1. Testing the sensitivity of pathogens from sick animals to help in choosing the correct antibiotics.
2. Reduce unnecessary drug use. The cause of the disease must be diagnosed before choosing a drug, and a drug that is specific to the disease should be chosen.
3. Create a movement to promote responsible antibiotic use.
4. There is a correct selection of drugs according to the group. Antibiotics can be divided into 2 main groups according to their action:
- Bactericidal : It is a group of drugs that directly destroy bacteria. It is suitable for use in animals with weak bodies and abnormal immune systems, such as animals with severe symptoms and lower than normal white blood cell counts. Examples of drugs in this group include β-lactams, aminoglycosides, or fluoroquinolone.
- Bacteriostatic : These drugs work by inhibiting the growth of bacteria and allowing the body's immune system to deal with the foreign substance on its own. Examples of drugs in this class include doxycycline or azithromycin.
5. Selecting the appropriate frequency of drug administration based on the drug's effects, which can be divided into 3 main groups:
- Time dependent drug : This group of drugs includes β-lactams (amoxycillin, ampicillin, cephalosporin). This group of drugs can be effective in controlling bacteria when administered at an appropriate frequency to maintain drug concentrations above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), where increasing drug doses or drug concentrations does not result in improved bacterial control. Therefore, administering this group of drugs at an appropriate frequency is very important.
- Concentration dependent : This group of drugs includes aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, metronidazole. When the concentration is increased, the effectiveness of the bacteria-killing effect will be increased. Therefore, the appropriate dosage of this group of drugs affects the effectiveness of the drug, while the frequency of administration is less important.
- Concentration and time dependent : Currently, there are some drugs that can act both time-dependently and concentration-dependently, such as clindamycin. In this case, increasing the frequency or increasing the concentration will increase the effectiveness of killing bacteria.
The problem of pets being resistant to drugs is something that can happen to our children all the time, which can affect the treatment and affect their health in the long term. Therefore, if possible, if our children are sick, we should not stop taking the medicine or give them medicine without consulting a veterinarian.
References
Dr. Sasipat Kittisarthamma (Dr. Muk) Veterinarian at Talingchan Animal Hospital
Journal of Public Health Research. https://bit.ly/3VbSqSr
Thai Veterinary Practitioners Association.(2015). Antibiotic-resistant bacteria in pets and solutions. The journal of thai veterinary practitioners, 27(1-2), 15-25. https://bit.ly/3hJZHv3
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