What drives antimicrobial prescribing for companion animals? A mixed-methods study of UK veterinary clinics

Antimicrobial use in companion animals is a largely overlooked contributor to the complex problem of antimicrobial resistance. Humans and companion animals share living spaces and some classes of antimicrobials, including those categorised as Highest Priority Critically Important Antimicrobials (HPCIAs). Veterinary guidelines recommend that these agents are not used as routine first line treatment and their frequent deployment could offer a surrogate measure of ‘inappropriate’ antimicrobial use. Anthropological methods provide a complementary means to understand how medicines use makes sense ‘on-the-ground’ and situated in the broader social context

Metronidazole-induced neurotoxicity in 26 dogs

Background: Metronidazole is an antibacterial, antiprotozoal and anthelmintic medication commonly used in veterinary medicine. We describe cases of neurotoxicity associated with the drug’s administration. Methods: Medical records between 2004 and 2017 from four veterinary referral hospitals were reviewed. Inclusion criteria were the presence of neurological signs compatible with metronidazole toxicity, clinical history supporting recent metronidazole therapy and resolution of clinical signs upon discontinuation of metronidazole administration. Results: A total of 26 dogs were identified with clinical signs supporting a diagnosis of metronidazole toxicity. Median age at presentation was 7.2 years (range, 0.1–12 years); median duration of treatment was 35 days (range, 5–180 days); median treatment dosage was 21 mg/kg BID (range, 13–56 mg/kg every 12 h); median resolution of the clinical signs upon discontinuation of metronidazole was 3 days (range, 1–26 days). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain was performed in 19 cases and only one dog had brain lesions affecting the dentate nuclei, which resembled the MRI appearance of this disease in humans. Conclusions: We found evidence of neurotoxicity in dogs at much lower doses than previously reported and we suggest caution when administering metronidazole at doses > 40 mg/kg every 24 h, regardless of the duration of the treatment

Manual of small animal dermatology

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:q93/11437 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

BSAVA manual of small animal diagnostic imaging

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:q95/16737 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLE2. edGBUnited Kingdo

Manual of canine behaviour

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:q95/03063 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply Centre2. edGBUnited Kingdo

Manual of reptiles

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:q93/05404(Manual) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Manual of small animal oncology

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:q91/21780(Manual) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo