A quarterly survey of antibiotic prescribing in small animal and equine practices—Minnesota and North Dakota, 2020
Emma R. Bollig, Jennifer L. Granick, Teckla L. Webb, Christie Ward, Amanda L. Beaudoin
Point-prevalence surveys (PPS) are structured to collect uniform data from multiple clinical sites over a specific period of time. The goal of this study was to conduct a PPS of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in small animal and equine practices in Minnesota and North Dakota during 2020. On four PPS survey dates, trained personnel collected retrospective data at each practice using existing health records. Data from all survey days and study sites were compiled to summarize patient characteristics and presenting complaints and antibiotic prescribing rates.
Study overview and results:
- 19 Minnesota and North Dakota small animal and equine practices, totaling 1,899 veterinarian consults of dogs, cats, and horses, participated in this study, which aimed to fill existing gaps in the veterinary profession's knowledge of antibiotic prescription in small animals and horses.
- Overall, 25.8% of all canine, feline, and equine consults involved an antibiotic prescription.
- Third-generation cephalosporins were the most commonly prescribed systemic antibiotic drug class, and the long-acting injectable drug, cefovecin, was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for cats (34.5%).
- Topical antibiotic preparations were prescribed frequently, especially in dogs (42.5% of canine prescriptions), though systemic antibiotics were often prescribed concurrently.
- Common general indications, based on the problem or diagnosis recorded in the medical record, for antibiotics in all species combined were skin conditions (24.4%), otitis (22.1%), ophthalmic (9.4%), gastrointestinal (8.3%), respiratory (8.3%), and urinary tract (7.6%) diseases.
Read the full manuscript of this survey:
Bollig, E. R., Granick, J. L., Webb, T. L., Ward, C., & Beaudoin, A. L. (2022). A quarterly survey of antibiotic prescribing in small animal and equine practices—Minnesota and North Dakota, 2020. Zoonoses and Public Health, 69, 864–874. DOI: 10.1111/zph.12979
Learn more:
University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine: Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship Initiative
Food Safety Starts at the Source: Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Drug Residue Prevention Program
Producing safe food starts at the source, and in animal agriculture, antibiotic stewardship and drug residue prevention play a key role in safe food production. When used appropriately, antibiotics and other veterinary drugs are safe and even essential under certain circumstances for treating illness or other conditions to maintain an animal’s health and welfare. After antibiotic use, preventing residues in food products is key to ensuring those products are safe and fit for human consumption.
In the State of Minnesota, the Department of Agriculture’s Dairy and Meat Inspection Division (DMID) promotes antibiotic stewardship and drug residue prevention practices to avoid contamination of meat and milk products. This is done by working closely with producers, veterinarians, and industry stakeholders to communicate appropriate drug use and effective management practices for antibiotics used in animal agriculture. DMID supports antibiotic stewardship through both regulatory and educational (non-regulatory) activities, including sampling of meat and milk products, on-farm inspections, and proactive education in partnership with producers, livestock veterinarians, and industry stakeholders. Together, each team member plays a role in upholding the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s mission to ensure the integrity of our food supply.
To learn more, visit Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Antibiotic Stewardship.
 Hens at a Minnesota farm. Photo credit: Kristen Clark, Minnesota One Health Antibiotic Stewardship Collaborative Director
Jennifer Granick, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVIM (SAIM)
Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Minnesota
How does your work involve antibiotic use?
Cats and dogs get bacterial infections, such as urinary tract infections, just as humans do, so antibiotic prescribing is a common part of the work I do as a small animal internal medicine specialist.
How has antibiotic resistance or antibiotic use affected your work?
When pets are infected with an antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection, it can be challenging to find a therapy that can optimally treat the infection. Often, I am left with choosing an antibiotic that may have an increased risk of side effects or is more costly for pet owners. I am sometimes confronted with the ethical dilemma of whether or not to use an antibiotic that is important for treating antibiotic-resistant infections in humans. There are few guidelines for veterinarians confronted with these situations.
What would you like to know more about in regard to antimicrobial resistance and/or antibiotic use?
In small animal medicine in the United States, we have very little information about overall antibiotic use. I am working with colleagues to change that and am anxious to see what we find. Additionally, there are still lots of unknowns regarding optimal antibiotic selection and duration of treatment for common infections in pets.
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