Antibiotic science
I applaud EQUUS for raising the bar on the proper use of antibiotics in our horses (“What Your Veterinarian Wants You to Know About Antibiotics,” EQUUS 438). As an industry we have tended to abuse these drugs in a variety of ways. I would like to add a few additional observations that I think are important to consider.
• Make sure you and your veterinarian are using the drug with the best science. Veterinarians are often forced to use human-labeled drugs due to the lack of veterinary- and specific equine-approved products. This is reasonable when approved products are not available, but when a Food and Drug Administration-approved drug is available that has the solid science to back it up, it generally is the better choice. The FDA has increased the rigor required in drug development for animals over the years, so the newer the product the better the science is in most cases.
• As an industry we often don’t choose to use approved products because of cost differences even though they generally have better use and safety studies associated with them. The rampant use of compounded products made illegally from bulk chemicals (in many cases copies of FDA-approved products) and extra-label use of FDAapproved human products reduces the incentive for the pharmaceutical
industry to develop science-based, equine-focused, approved choices. If we want manufacturers to develop products for our industry we need to be willing to support them.
• Your article emphasizes that giving the full duration of treatment is important. I agree. The use of drugs at too low a dose, too long a dosing interval, too short a duration or a combination of these can potentially lead to antibiotic resistance and often leads to the failure of the treatment. Horse owners should always consult a veterinarian prior to treating any horse with antibiotics. As a veterinarian I rely heavily on universities and drug manufacturers to provide the optimal guidance for proper use. That research is expensive, and it is increasingly difficult to obtain funding for it, so it is important to support the people who do this work that supports the sciencebased medicine we rely on to give us the best treatment results.
The equine industry shouldn’t be afraid to be a leader in the proper and effective use of all medications, including antibiotics. We all want to have safe, effective and reasonably priced products available for use in our horses. If you support the companies that make these products our industry will have more things that have good science behind them to use. Michael Strobel, DVM, MS, CEO Cannon Valley Veterinary Clinic, PA Aurora Pharmaceutical LLC Northfield, Minnesota