Every day, veterinarians prescribe antibiotics for some of their
patients. It might be for a kitty-cat with an infected wound from a
scuffle. Or maybe a patient that has had orthopedic surgery
continually tries to lick his suture line. Whatever the case,
antibiotics are a part of our daily lives in medicine. They make
life safer and healthier for animals and people.
Every day, veterinarians prescribe antibiotics for some of their patients. It might be for a kitty-cat with an infected wound from a scuffle. Or maybe a patient that has had orthopedic surgery continually tries to lick his suture line. Whatever the case, antibiotics are a part of our daily lives in medicine. They make life safer and healthier for animals and people.
James Herriot wrote about the impact of antibiotics in one of his books about life as a country veterinarian in the 1930’s and 1940’s. In All Creatures Great and Small, Herriot noted that antibiotics “swept away the almost medieval medicines I had to dispense.” He wrote about the ease of treating infections with an “unbelievably effective” medication (Penicillin).
Before antibiotics, diseases were treated with concoctions that sometimes resembled witchcraft or folklore. Many of these homemade remedies were truly imaginative. Some actually foamed or smoked during preparation. In the early days of medicine, these were the only available treatments for infection.
Penicillin was the first antibiotic to become widely used in veterinary medicine, and as Herriot stated, it changed the way everyone treated infectious diseases.
Today, there are hundreds of different antibiotics out there with many more being developed in research. And there is a never-ending need for new antibiotics, because bacteria are constantly changing. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have evolved, making Penicillin less effective than it was so many years ago.
There are thousands upon thousands of different bacteria. Some are extremely infectious and potentially deadly. Flesh-eating Streptococcus is one such microbe which, if left untreated, can destroy skin and muscle tissue. Salmonella, another potentially deadly bacteria, can cause severe gastroenteritis.
On the other hand, some bacteria are “good guys.” These microorganisms actually help us stay healthy. Staphylococcus aureus is a microbe normally found on the surface of skin. Its presence is absolutely essential to good health. Without Staph, yeast and other pathogens could easily become a problem.
Some other bacteria, the enterics, are absolutely essential to normal digestion of food in the intestines. But even good bacteria can cause trouble if they overgrow their normal population. As the saying goes, “Good guys can go bad.” And if they do, antibiotics help stop them.
There are many different antibiotics. Each has a different ability to eliminate different bacteria … a different spectrum of effect. Some are used against Streptococcal infections, while others can effectively treat Salmonella.
There aren’t any antibiotics that are “stronger” than others. All of them have their strengths and weaknesses. All depends on the sensitivity or resistance of the target bacteria. As a rule, antibiotics are not directly effective against viruses.
Clinicians can run a test, called a culture/sensitivity, to determine which antibiotic might be used to treat an infection. But this test can take up to 72 hours, much too long for a serious, acute infection. So antibiotic selection is often based on a clinican’s experience and judgement. Usually the first choice works well. But when an infection is resistant, alternative medication must be used.
Like a lot of other medications, antibiotics can cause side effects. It might be a minor problems such as indigestion in some patients. Or it could be potentially more dangerous … some antibiotics can cause kidney or liver problems. So selection of the proper medication is important. Here are several guidelines to follow if you need to give your pet antibiotics:
• First, make sure you understand why your pet needs medication. Ask questions! You and your pet deserve to know so you can be sure he recovers completely
• Don’t stop giving the medication just because your pet feels better. Many bacterial infections linger if medication is not given for a prolonged period. Even after your pet’s condition improves, keep giving the antibiotic as directed until it is all gone.
• Finally, always follow the instructions on the label. Improper use of an antibiotic can diminish its efficacy. If the directions say that one pill should be given twice daily, do exactly that. Giving two pills once a day will not be as effective, and in the case of some medications, may actually be dangerous. Never, never, never … change the dose without consulting your pet’s vet.
