How important is the antibiotic resistance crisis?
How many of you are aware that the efficacy of antibiotics is reducing? Are you aware of what would happen if antibiotics no longer worked?
■ Antibiotic resistance is the biggest threat to global health
■ Although it occurs naturally, the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in humans and animals is accelerating the threat
■ Antibiotics DO NOT treat viral infections and will enhance resistance if used in this way
Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, they kill, inhibit or reduce the growth of specific bacteria.
Antibiotics are a vital health resource which need to be protected.
Resistant antibiotics are antibiotics that no longer work as effectively (or at all) against an infection that it once treated. This occurs when the bacteria mutate and change their DNA to survive against the specific antibiotic.
There are also concerns that if new strains of bacteria emerge our existing antibiotics will be unable to treat them.
The veterinary industry is able to limit and prevent this threat by carefully following guidelines on prescribing antibiotics. We need our clients to come together and help us also. Please be patient with us and understand that we cannot prescribe antibiotics to your pet unless we definitely need to.
We need to work together to limit the spread of resistance. What YOU can do to help:
📚 research antibiotic resistance and become aware of the facts
💊 only take antibiotics when prescribed by a certified health professional and NEVER demand antibiotics
🖊 always follow the medications instructions and always complete the antibiotic course (including pet medication!!!)
🛀 practice good self-hygiene by washing your hands regularly, avoiding close contact when ill, preparing food safely
Please visit this link to find out more:
https://www.who.int/…/fact-she…/detail/antibiotic-resistance
