Macedonian Veterinary Review

Original Scientific Article

Understanding antimicrobial prescription practices: Insights from small animal veterinarians in North Macedonia

Ivana Shikoska *

Aleksandar Cvetkovikj

Martin Nikolovski

Iskra Cvetkovikj

Mac Vet Rev 2024; 47 (2): 103 - 114

10.2478/macvetrev-2024-0020

Received: 28 May 2024

Received in revised form: 20 June 2024

Accepted: 02 July 2024

Available Online First: 13 July 2024

Published on: 15 October 2024

Correspondence: Ivana Shikoska, ivana@fvm.ukim.edu.mk

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Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing global concern in small animal veterinary practices. The overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in companion animals can contribute to the spread of AMR between animals and humans. This study aimed to assess small animal veterinarians’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards antimicrobial use (AMU) and AMR in North Macedonia. A web-based questionnaire was developed, including questions addressing demographics, owner influence on antibiotic prescription and prescribing practices. The response rate of the small animal veterinarians was 47.50% (57/120), with most of them (84.20%) having 1-15 years of work experience. Pearson’s chi-square test of independence was used for contingency tables that met the chi-square assumption, and Fisher’s exact test was conducted for contingency tables that did not. Most veterinarians responded that they had perceived pressure and direct demands from pet owners to prescribe antimicrobials (35.09% frequently, 45.61% occasionally). In the survey, 50.77% of the veterinarians reported frequently administering antibiotics without conducting bacteriological or antimicrobial susceptibility testing. They typically resorted to these tests in cases with recurrent infections, such as skin infections (19.63%), or when empirical therapy is ineffective (14.72%). Based on the findings, it can be concluded that veterinarians play a crucial role in tackling the AMR in North Macedonia. The lack of stewardship programs or guidelines for responsible antimicrobial use in companion animals is a critical issue that requires urgent attention, emphasizing the vital role of veterinarians in combating AMR.

Keywords: stewardship, companion animals, guidelines, survey, awareness

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Copyright

© 2024 Shikoska I. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declared that they have no potential lict of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Citation Information

Macedonian Veterinary Review. Volume 47, Issue 2, Pages 103-114, e-ISSN 1857-7415, p-ISSN 1409-7621, DOI: 10.2478/macvetrev-2024-0020