Wednesday, 22 November 2023 14:55

Prevention better than cure

Written by  Staff Reporters
The New Zealand Veterinary Association Te Pae Kīrehe is calling on animal owners to work with their veterinarian to keep animals healthy and help prevent drug-resistant infections from developing. The New Zealand Veterinary Association Te Pae Kīrehe is calling on animal owners to work with their veterinarian to keep animals healthy and help prevent drug-resistant infections from developing.

The New Zealand Veterinary Association Te Pae Kīrehe (NZVA) is calling on animal owners to work with their veterinarian to keep animals healthy and help prevent drug-resistant infections from developing.

Owners are being urged to vaccinate their animals against preventable diseases and keep these up-to-date; isolate sick and potentially infectious animals away from healthy ones; and provide a well-balanced diet and continued access to shade and shelter, to help stop animals becoming unwell.

The calls come as the veterinary profession marks World AMR Awarenes Week (18-24 November), a global campaign to address the issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that threatens human and animal health.

The World Health Organisation lists AMR as a top 10 global health threat to people, animals and the environment.

NZVA head of veterinary services – companion animal Sally Cory says reducing the need for antibiotic treatment helps safeguard these critical medicines for the future.

“The more we can keep animals well, the less frequently antibiotics may need to be used, and the less chance there is of harmful bacteria becoming difficult or impossible to treat,” says Cory.

“We want to see all owners doing everything they can to reduce the risk of preventable illnesses and infections from arising, not just for the comfort and welfare of their animals, but for everyone’s long-term health – antibiotic resistant infections are a significant threat.”

Cory adds that owner awareness of how precious antibiotics are is an ongoing challenge, as vets routinely manage owner expectations to be prescribed the drugs.

“We don’t always need antibiotics when we’re unwell, and it’s the same for animals,” she says. “If you are prescribed an antibiotic for your pet or stock, it’s critical that you follow your vet’s instructions on the amount, frequency, and length of time it needs to be given.”

For farmers, having an effective and comprehensive vaccination programme is key to preventing illness, as many diseases an be effectively vaccinated against.

Owners should also let their veterinarian know if their animal isn’t responding to antibiotics, as they may need more investigations and/or a different approach.

“This doesn’t necessarily mean they need another or antibiotic or a bigger dose, but a different course of action might be needed,” Cory says.

Total antibiotic use in all New Zealand animals has fallen in recent years. NZVA says these efforts are contributing to their aspirational goal that by 2030, New Zealand will not need antibiotics for the maintenance of animal health and wellness.

More like this

VCNZ to set up AMR strategy

The Veterinary Council of New Zealand (VCNZ), which regulates veterinarians and sets standards to support responsible antimicrobial use among veterinarians, is in the throes of developing a new strategy to minimize the risk of Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in New Zealand animals.

Featured

New ag degrees at Massey

Changing skill demands and new job opportunities in the primary sector have prompted Massey University to create a new degree course and add a significant major into another in 2025.

The show is on!

It was bringing in a new Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show board, more in tune with the CAPA general committee, that has ensured that Christchurch will have a show this year, says CAPA general committee president Bryce Murray.

Forestry cuts into stock numbers

There is an urgent need for the Government to put a limit on the sale of farms for forestry - particularly for carbon farming.

National

Food charity to hold online auction

Meat the Need, New Zealand’s dedicated charity delivering locally sourced protein meals to food-insecure communities, is launching an online National…

Machinery & Products

Landpower increases its offering

Landpower and the Claas Harvest Centre network will launch the Claas Scorpion and Torion material handling solutions to the market…

New F5 balers from McHale

Irish grassland machinery manufacturer McHale has unveiled the new four-model range of F5 fixed chamber balers.

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Leaky waka

OPINION: Was the ASB Economic Weekly throwing shade on Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr when reporting on his speech in…

Know-it-alls

OPINION: A reader recently had a shot at the various armchair critics that she judged to be more than a…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter