Survey of systemic antimicrobial prescribing for dogs by Victorian veterinarians.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the current antimicrobial prescribing patterns of veterinarians in Victoria for dogs and compare these results to patterns described 20 years ago. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to 1380 veterinarians in Victoria. The first section collected demographic information of respondents. The second and third sections evaluated respondents' approach to use of antimicrobial drugs for scenarios in dogs in which 'clinical evidence suggests bacterial infection is the likely cause' and where 'it is unknown whether bacterial infection plays a role'. The final section evaluated respondents' approach to use of antimicrobial drugs during dental extraction in a dog. RESULTS: Of the 13..