Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Biosecurity of veterinary practices.
- Journal:
- The Veterinary clinics of North America. Food animal practice
- Year:
- 2002
- Authors:
- Morley, Paul S
- Affiliation:
- Veterinary Teaching Hospital · United States
Plain-English summary
When pets are hospitalized, they can be at a higher risk of catching infections because they are around other sick animals. It's important for veterinarians to take steps to reduce this risk and ensure that their treatments don't unintentionally cause more harm. This includes managing the spread of infections within the hospital, which can affect not just the pets but also the hospital's operations and the confidence of pet owners. The paper emphasizes the importance of having specific biosecurity measures in place to protect both the animals and the veterinary staff. Overall, it highlights the need for veterinary practices to develop tailored strategies to keep everyone safe.
Abstract
Hospitalization of sick animals tremendously increases their risk of acquiring infections as this congregates animals that are most likely to be shedding infectious agents with animals that often have enhanced susceptibility. In order to provide the best veterinary care possible, veterinarians have an underlying responsibility to minimize the risk of additional harm that might unintentionally befall a patient because of their interventions. This includes minimizing the risk of exposing patients to infectious agents. It is therefore incumbent upon veterinarians to actively manage the risk of nosocomial infections. Nosocomial infections in veterinary hospitals are not solely a patient-care concern; the spread of infectious agents can also significantly impact normal hospital operations, revenue, client confidence, public image, and can even affect the morale of hospital personnel. In some cases nosocomial agents can also be zoonotic. This paper discusses the need for biosecurity programs in veterinary practices, and describes a practical approach for developing biosecurity practices that are tailored to individual facilities.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12064165/