Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Do dogs need antibiotics after clean orthopedic implant surgery?
By Pratesi, Andrea et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2015·Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Efficacy of Postoperative Antimicrobial Use for Clean Orthopedic Implant Surgery in Dogs: A Prospective Randomized Study in 100 Consecutive Cases.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs that underwent clean orthopedic surgery with stainless steel plates were studied to see if giving them antibiotics after surgery would help prevent infections. Out of 100 dogs, those that received antibiotics had a much lower infection rate of 4.3%, compared to 21.3% in those that did not receive antibiotics. The results suggest that giving oral antibiotics after surgery can significantly reduce the risk of infections. This means that if your dog has orthopedic surgery, your vet may recommend antibiotics to help keep them safe from infections during recovery.
People also search for: dog orthopedic surgery infection prevention · antibiotics after dog surgery · dog surgery recovery tips
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether administration of postoperative oral antimicrobial drugs has a beneficial effect on preventing surgical site infections (SSI) in clean orthopedic surgery involving stainless steel plating systems. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized prospective clinical study. ANIMALS: Dogs (n = 97). METHODS: One hundred consecutive cases (97 dogs) that had clean orthopedic surgery requiring stainless steel plate fixation were randomly assigned using a random number generator to either YES group (administration of postoperative oral antimicrobials) or NO group (no administration of postoperative oral antimicrobials). Dogs in YES group were administered oral cefalexin or potentiated amoxicillin for 7 days, whereas dogs in NO group were discharged without oral antibiotics. Minimum follow-up was 12 months. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for SSI. RESULTS: Overall postoperative infection rate was 12.9%. Infection occurred in 2 cases (4.3%) administered postoperative oral antimicrobials and in 10 cases (21.3%) not administered postoperative antimicrobials. Total anesthetic time and use of oral antimicrobials were the only significant factors associated with SSI. Use of postoperative antimicrobials was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of infection by ~84% and risk of infection was increased by ~2% for each minute increase in anesthesia time. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of oral postoperative antimicrobials had a protective effect against development of SSI in clean orthopedic implant surgery.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25756814/