Identifying the Preferred Choices of Antimicrobials by Veterinarians for Various Infectious Diseases

Antimicrobials are powerful tools for fighting and preventing infections. However, their widespread use has resulted in an alarming increase in antibiotic-resistant infections. One of the most common reasons antimicrobials are prescribed for dogs and cats is to treat bacterial urinary tract disease. Although studies have been conducted on the antimicrobial uses in dogs within small geographical areas during a limited time, no studies have looked at this issue on a wider scale. Using data from the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study on dogs across the country, researchers will identify commonly prescribed antimicrobials by veterinarians and clinics for various conditions of the dogs through six years of their lives. Findings will provide the clinicians with evidence-based information on common antimicrobial drug usage in dogs and help inform further study of antibiotic-resistant infections.