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How low can you go? : Antibiotic use in Swedish dogs with gastroenteritis

Ljungquist, Ditte LU ; Andersson, Anna-Maria ; Johansson, Emelia ; Tham, Johan LU and Toresson, Linda LU (2024) In Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11. p.01-12
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Canine gastroenteritis (CGE) is a common cause for seeking veterinary care in companion animal medicine and an area where antibiotics have been reported to be widely used. Therefore, creating relevant benchmarks for antibiotic use in CGE is important when implementing and analyzing antibiotic stewardship interventions. The aim of this paper was to describe the level and temporal trend of systemic antibiotic use for CGE in Sweden between 2020 and 2023.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an observational multicenter cohort study. Retrospective data from 93,641 CGE consultations was extracted from the electronic health record and analyzed. All CGE consultations were included irrespective of age, breed, severity of disease... (More)

BACKGROUND: Canine gastroenteritis (CGE) is a common cause for seeking veterinary care in companion animal medicine and an area where antibiotics have been reported to be widely used. Therefore, creating relevant benchmarks for antibiotic use in CGE is important when implementing and analyzing antibiotic stewardship interventions. The aim of this paper was to describe the level and temporal trend of systemic antibiotic use for CGE in Sweden between 2020 and 2023.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an observational multicenter cohort study. Retrospective data from 93,641 CGE consultations was extracted from the electronic health record and analyzed. All CGE consultations were included irrespective of age, breed, severity of disease and level of care. To evaluate the data, 100 medical records of CGE consultations were also manually reviewed using a predefined study protocol.

RESULTS: The overall level of systemic antibiotic use in Swedish dogs diagnosed with gastroenteritis was 5.7% during the study period, with aminopenicillins being the most abundantly used antibiotics (60.2%). The yearly level of antibiotic use in CGE declined from 8.1% in 2020 to 3.9% in 2023, with a statistically significant annual percentage change (APC) of -21.3% (95% CI, -22.8 to -19.7). Concurrently, the annual all-cause mortality decreased for all CGE consultations. Higher levels of antibiotic use were seen in hospitalized CGE (21.7% compared to 2.1% for non-hospitalized CGE, OR 13.1, 95% CI: 12.3-14.0, p < 0.001) and hemorrhagic diarrhetic CGE (21.0% compared to 5.5% for non-hemorrhagic diarrhetic CGE, OR 4.6, 95% CI: 4.2-4.9, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: This study revealed a low level and a significantly declining trend of antibiotic use in canine gastroenteritis in Sweden, implicating a high level of awareness and compliance to antibiotic guidelines among Swedish veterinarians. During the same period, the all-cause mortality rates decreased significantly for all CGE consultations, implicating that this level of antibiotic use do not compromise patient safety. Benefiting from automatic surveillance, we hereby provide important benchmarks which should encourage more prudent use of antibiotics in CGE internationally.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
antimicrobial resistance
in
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
volume
11
article number
1506106
pages
01 - 12
publisher
Frontiers Media S. A.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85213693603
  • pmid:39744720
ISSN
2297-1769
DOI
10.3389/fvets.2024.1506106
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Copyright © 2024 Ljungquist, Andersson, Johansson, Tham and Toresson.
id
3c267ade-72e5-4558-88f7-8d9258f12760
date added to LUP
2025-01-30 09:52:04
date last changed
2025-07-04 16:51:12
@article{3c267ade-72e5-4558-88f7-8d9258f12760,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Canine gastroenteritis (CGE) is a common cause for seeking veterinary care in companion animal medicine and an area where antibiotics have been reported to be widely used. Therefore, creating relevant benchmarks for antibiotic use in CGE is important when implementing and analyzing antibiotic stewardship interventions. The aim of this paper was to describe the level and temporal trend of systemic antibiotic use for CGE in Sweden between 2020 and 2023.</p><p>MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an observational multicenter cohort study. Retrospective data from 93,641 CGE consultations was extracted from the electronic health record and analyzed. All CGE consultations were included irrespective of age, breed, severity of disease and level of care. To evaluate the data, 100 medical records of CGE consultations were also manually reviewed using a predefined study protocol.</p><p>RESULTS: The overall level of systemic antibiotic use in Swedish dogs diagnosed with gastroenteritis was 5.7% during the study period, with aminopenicillins being the most abundantly used antibiotics (60.2%). The yearly level of antibiotic use in CGE declined from 8.1% in 2020 to 3.9% in 2023, with a statistically significant annual percentage change (APC) of -21.3% (95% CI, -22.8 to -19.7). Concurrently, the annual all-cause mortality decreased for all CGE consultations. Higher levels of antibiotic use were seen in hospitalized CGE (21.7% compared to 2.1% for non-hospitalized CGE, OR 13.1, 95% CI: 12.3-14.0, p &lt; 0.001) and hemorrhagic diarrhetic CGE (21.0% compared to 5.5% for non-hemorrhagic diarrhetic CGE, OR 4.6, 95% CI: 4.2-4.9, p &lt; 0.001).</p><p>CONCLUSION: This study revealed a low level and a significantly declining trend of antibiotic use in canine gastroenteritis in Sweden, implicating a high level of awareness and compliance to antibiotic guidelines among Swedish veterinarians. During the same period, the all-cause mortality rates decreased significantly for all CGE consultations, implicating that this level of antibiotic use do not compromise patient safety. Benefiting from automatic surveillance, we hereby provide important benchmarks which should encourage more prudent use of antibiotics in CGE internationally.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ljungquist, Ditte and Andersson, Anna-Maria and Johansson, Emelia and Tham, Johan and Toresson, Linda}},
  issn         = {{2297-1769}},
  keywords     = {{antimicrobial resistance}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{01--12}},
  publisher    = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}},
  series       = {{Frontiers in Veterinary Science}},
  title        = {{How low can you go? : Antibiotic use in Swedish dogs with gastroenteritis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1506106}},
  doi          = {{10.3389/fvets.2024.1506106}},
  volume       = {{11}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}