Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Carbapenem use in dogs and cats - what you should know
By Smith, Alison et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2019·Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, United States·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Usage patterns of carbapenem antimicrobials in dogs and cats at a veterinary tertiary care hospital.
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how often a strong type of antibiotic called carbapenems is used in dogs and cats at a specialized veterinary hospital. Researchers reviewed records from 68 animals, including 58 dogs and 10 cats, who were treated for infections with these antibiotics over a year. They found that most of the time, the use of carbapenems was guided by lab tests to identify the specific bacteria, but in some cases, the treatment lasted longer than what is usually recommended for people. Overall, the findings suggest that while carbapenems are used appropriately in many cases, there are still instances where the treatment duration may be excessive.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Carbapenems are a class of antimicrobials reserved for resistant infections or systemically ill people, yet the extent and context in which they are prescribed in the small animals is understudied. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVE: To describe cases in dogs and cats treated with carbapenems to establish baseline data regarding the types of infections, outcomes, and resistance profiles of target infections. We hypothesize that prescribing practices for carbapenems at a veterinary tertiary care hospital would not comply with the recommended use guidelines in human medicine. METHODS: Retrospective study of veterinary medical records from all dogs and cats prescribed carbapenems between May 1, 2016, and April 30, 2017. RESULTS: A total of 81 infections (71 in dogs and 10 in cats) representing 68 animals (58 dogs and 10 cats) involving carbapenem use were identified. Cultures were performed in 65/81 (80%) infections, and antimicrobial use was de-escalated or discontinued in 10/81 (12%) infections. The average duration of treatment was 27.5 days and ranged from 1 to 196 days. Resistance to more than 3 antimicrobial classes was present in 57/115 (50%) isolates. Resistance to carbapenems was found in 2/64 (3%) of the bacterial isolates with reported carbapenem susceptibility. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The majority of carbapenem use at a veterinary tertiary care hospital was prescribed in conjunction with culture and sensitivity determination, with de-escalation performed in a minority of cases, and treatment durations longer than typically recommended in human medicine.
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/31119803/