Handbook of Antimicrobial Stewardship in Companion Animal Veterinary Settings

Increased urgency to address the global problem of antimicrobial
resistance (AMR) has necessitated systematic changes in the
way that antimicrobials are used. Over the last two decades,
antimicrobial stewardship (AS) programs have been implemented
in human healthcare settings, including hospitals, nursing homes,
outpatient clinics, and dentistry. Regulatory and practice changes
have also influenced how antibiotics are used and prescribed in
animal agriculture settings. The American Veterinary Medical
Association (AVMA) projects that inappropriate antimicrobial use
in companion animal veterinary medicine is likely as common as in
human healthcare settings. Many of the antimicrobials prescribed,
behavioral and clinical factors driving inappropriate use, and
logistics of clinical care are also similar between healthcare and
clinic-based veterinary practice. Both veterinary and healthcare
experience led AVMA to establish five core principles of
veterinary AS. Because the veterinary profession is diverse, these
core principles must be made actionable for individual veterinary
settings. This Handbook of Antimicrobial Stewardship in
Companion Animal Veterinary Settings outlines approaches that
veterinary professionals can take to implement the core principles
of AS. The Handbook is organized to help you identify feasible
actions for your facility, given the realities of your practice scope,
staff, and resources. No one person or veterinary hospital can
put all AS initiatives into place at once. With this guide, veterinary
professionals will make stepwise progress toward understanding
how antibiotics are prescribed in their facility, identifying
opportunities for improvement, and taking action to influence and
measure change.