Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Factors affecting antibiotic use by vets for cattle in Ireland
By Gibbons, J F et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2013·School of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Influences on antimicrobial prescribing behaviour of veterinary practitioners in cattle practice in Ireland.
Plain-English summary
A study looked at how veterinarians who work with cattle in Ireland decide when to prescribe antibiotics. It found that many vets are influenced by stress and other non-medical factors when making these decisions, although their relationship with pet owners didn't seem to affect their choices. Most veterinarians also rely heavily on their past experiences with specific medications when deciding which antibiotic to use. The results suggest that addressing stress among veterinarians could help improve how antibiotics are prescribed. Overall, the study highlights the need for better support for vets to ensure they prescribe antibiotics appropriately.
Abstract
Guidelines on prudent antimicrobial use in veterinary medicine have been developed to reduce inappropriate prescribing of antimicrobials. Such guidelines focus mainly on the clinical and pharmacological indications for prescribing. A questionnaire study of veterinary surgeons engaged in cattle practice was completed to determine if non-clinical issues influence the decision to prescribe antimicrobials, and to assess if pharmacological and non-pharmacological issues influence the choice of antimicrobial prescribed. Non-clinical issues, including issues related to professional stress, influenced the prescribing decision of the majority of respondents. However, the nature of the veterinarian-client relationship did not influence the prescribing behaviour of the majority of respondents. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological issues influenced the choice of antimicrobial prescribed. The veterinary surgeon's prior experience of a drug was considered 'often' or 'always' by 95.7 per cent of respondents when making this decision. The findings of this study have implications for the recognition and management of stress within the profession, and for the development of intervention strategies to reduce inappropriate antimicrobial prescribing.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23293148/