Antibiotic resistance in small animal veterinary practice: veterinary nurses as antibiotic guardians

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance is a challenge faced interconnectedly by the veterinary and human medical professions. The veterinary hospital is an environment where infectious agents are under continuous antibiotic pressure and can provide a reservoir for multi-drug resistant bacteria. The development of antibiotic resistance can only be minimised by utilising a multi-factored approach, ensuring that antibiotics are used appropriately, promoting a holistic approach to animal health to help negate the need for antibiotics and implementing effective biosecurity policies to prevent the spread of resistant organisms.