Antibiotics are an incredibly valuable treatment for all manner of infections and diseases in pet dogs and cats (as well as us humans of course!). But if your pet needs long-term antibiotic treatment you might be worried about the potential for side effects. Here are some questions you need to answer…

• Different antibiotics have different potential side effects. Neurotoxicity could be seen with metronidazole treatment for example, but not with amoxicillin.
• Side effects are most often (but not always) either individual or dose-dependent rather than time-dependent. Antibiotics kill bacteria throughout the body, not targeted to a single area, can result in chronic diarrhea and may lead to the development of resistant infections.
• Are antibiotics really needed long-term?
  • There are conditions that require the long term use of antibiotics such as: antibiotic responsive diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease and metronidazole, and chronic snuffles treated with azithromycin
  • In other conditions, antibiotics are just treating the infection that is happening because of another disease. Addressing the primary disease may eliminate the need for antibiotics
• Is the right antibiotic being used?
  • If repeat of long term antibiotics are needed then always worth asking
  • Is the diagnosis right - is more testing needed?
  • Are there any other treatment options?
  • Is the right antibiotic being used?
  • Is the dose correct?

Check out the full show notes on long term antibiotic use.

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