Antibiotics

"Antibiotics" are medications that either kill or prevent the multiplication of bacteria. These drugs are used in the treatment of bacterial infections involving almost any part of the body. Penicillins and sulfonamides are some of the first antibiotics ever used and were distributed after World War 11. Since then, hundreds of other antibiotics have been developed. The beneficial effects of antibiotics range from the mildly helpful to the lifesaving. It is possible for bacterial infections that are not controlled by the body's own defenses to spread within the affected tissue by local invasion or even to spread to the rest of the body through the blood stream. Judicious use of antibiotics can prevent or eliminate bacterial infections that could otherwise become life threatening. Prescribing these drugs is bases on the concern that without antibiotics, the animal may sustain an increasingly severe bacterial infection. Whether the risk of progressive infection is great enough to warrant the cost, owner effort, and potential side effects of treatment is antibiotic treatment is an important assessment that your veterinarian must make before deciding whether or not to prescribe these medications. Antibiotics are unable to fight viral or other nonbacterial types of infections such as years (fungal infections). They are prescribed to treat "primary" bacterial infections (those caused purely by bacteria) or "secondary" infections (those caused by bacteria that settle in parts of the body that have first been damaged and made vulnerable by other conditions). A major stumbling block in using antibiotics is antibiotic assistance. Many bacteria have developed antibiotic resistance, meaning that the bacteria are unaffected by the antibiotic and continue to multiply in tissues continuing the "infection." This means that infection spreads even though an antibiotic is being given. Because of antibiotic resistance, it is crucial that the full course of an antibiotic be given as prescribed, even when the visible signs of illness are improving or are gone. If antibiotics are stopped prematurely, bacteria that are partially resistant to the antibiotic survive and multiply, creating increasingly resistant (and harder to eliminate) strains of bacteria. Choosing the right antibiotic is an important decision made by your veterinarian. The reason that so many different antibiotics exist is that each has a different "profile" for reaching specific tissues in the body and eliminating certain types of bacteria. Antibiotics work through ingenious mechanisms by which bacterial cells are damaged or killed while normal cells in your dog or cat are spared. These mechanisms include inhibition of bacterial cell wall production (penicillins), inhibition of bacterial protein synthesis (tetracyclines, chloramphenicol), and inhibition of bacterial DNA synthesis (fluoroquinolones). Ideally, and antibiotic is chosen on the basis of the result of a laboratory test known as a bacterial culture and sensitivity test. This test determines which bacteria are present in an infection and which antibiotics are most effective against those specific bacteria. An antibiotic can also be chosen "empirically" (i.e., on the basis of the veterinarian's experience) and then changed if there is no improvement in the condition of your pet. In such situations, veterinarians choose an antibiotic that they have found to work well against certain types of infection. If the infection continues even after the full course of antibiotics is given, further testing is warranted to determine whether a different antibiotic would be better or whether a completely different problem may actually be present, masquerading as a bacterial infection. Whereas individual bacteria are so small as to be invisible to the naked eye, large accumulations of bacteria and infected tissue can form fluid-filled pockets of pus called abscesses. When an infection forms an abscess, antibiotics alone rarely fix the problem because they cannot eliminate such high numbers of bacteria. If an abscess exists, it mush often be lanced or surgically drained. Then antibiotics can be expected to help resolve the infection. Like any medication, antibiotics have the potential to cause adverse effects. Even though antibiotics are commonly used, adverse reactions remain a rare occurrence. One of the antibiotic is discontinued the first step in dealing with any perceived adverse effect of antibiotics is to discuss the problem with your veterinarian. An alternative type of antibiotic or other medication may then be chosen instead, or medical testing may be needed for further definition of the animal's illness. The above is general veterinary information. Do not begin any course of treatment without consulting your regular veterinarian. All animals should be examined at least once every 12 months.