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We are all aware of the growing threat of superbugs. There are many warnings about how we encourage these antibiotic-resistant bacteria either by abusing antibiotics or by not completing a prescribed treatment.
But while this has probably made people more cautious about the abuse of these drugs, when it comes to their pets. In the end, it will have to change quickly.
It is well known that farm animals are a problem. Many antibiotics that we give them are also used in humans, so the superbugs on farms threaten us all.
There are also problems with antibiotics that get into the water table because of farm runoff. The World Health Organization issued recommendations last year, warning the food industry to stop routinely giving antibiotics to farm animals.
However, the same goes for pets. ] You might think that we should be more worried about agriculture because the area treats a lot more animals and uses a lot more antibiotics in weight than pets.
But because pets are so close to many more humans, they are actually more likely to transfer resistant bacteria – mainly through contact with saliva or skin.
Pets may become reservoirs of resistant microbes that spread to their owners with disastrous effects.
Obstacles of the owner
I & # 39; I am part of a team that has been researching this issue in Scotland through in-depth interviews with groups of pet owners and veterinarians.
We found that pet owners generally knew superbugs well, but their understanding of antimicrobial resistance was limited.
With regard to antibiotics, we found that the owners wanted to do whatever was necessary to help their animals in the short term
. seen as abstract and mainly a problem for the future – similar to how people often perceive actions that cause climate change.
Interestingly, our interviewees were happy not to take antibiotics to see if their infection was resolving. But when it came to their pets, just like children, people wanted antibiotics right away.
Any large-scale public awareness campaign for pet owners will have to be adapted to their current situation. you should let them know that without the responsible use of antibiotics, there may be more treatment for pets later.
But let's not fool ourselves here – it is well documented that it is extremely difficult to change preventive behaviors in public health
Another problem was the contact between owners and animals. As we all know, many pet owners let their pets lick their faces, sleep in bed or eat from their hands or plates.
Many consider pets to be part of the family.
Most of the owners of our research did not know that resistant bacteria could spread between the animal and the owner and vice versa.
It must be emphasized that unless the animal or owner has been colonized by resistant bacteria, there is no risk. But since there are no simple tests now, homeowners can not know if they are safe.
In part of our work that remains to be published, we ask the owners if they are willing to change this type of behavior when antimicrobial resistance becomes more critical, and many have said that they do not would not do it. Convincing people not to do these things clearly will not be easy.
We also asked veterinarians why they thought antibiotics were overused in pets. Unlike doctors operating in public health care, veterinarians are feeling the pressure of the market: unsatisfied pet owners can still pick up antibiotics elsewhere.
Veterinarians told us that pet owners were looking for something tangible.
Yet, pet owners had a very different perspective: they tended to think that the pressure to use antibiotics came from vets. They said it was the vet who was the expert and that they tended to follow their decisions.
What to do next?
The main challenge of antimicrobial resistance in pets is to try to make it a priority in a world where there are already many important problems to understand.
Antimicrobial resistance is already having an impact Finding new antibiotics is an expensive and time-consuming process.
The answer is a "one health" answer that recognizes that health care, agriculture, pets and other problems all contribute to this crisis.
To have a chance to make an impact, they must all be treated in the same political package
This may sound incredibly complex, even in the UK – let alone at the global level. We see at least some excellent research initiatives that take this comprehensive approach, as well as action plans on the political front such as this one by the EU.
The question is whether we will have done enough before the problem becomes uncontrollable
For the majority of us, the way forward is to make small changes around antibiotics in our daily lives – pet owners, for example, must begin to act more responsibly
. There was little agreement on who should take responsibility for the antibiotics. We concluded that there was a communication breakdown between owners and veterinarians.
We concluded that both parties needed to be "trained" to be sensitive to these interactions and that they had the skills and knowledge to make more informed decisions. With veterinarians, this could be done through professional development or externally applied guidelines and standards. However, this will not be easy because most veterinary practices are private companies. Unlike physician surgeries, veterinarians do not have a global body to which they all adhere.
For both veterinarians and pet owners, the next logical step will be to interview people in greater numbers. This would confirm that our conclusions are reflected by the country as a whole.
Written by Matt Smith, researcher, Glasgow Caledonian University, the article first appeared in The Conversation.
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