Pet’s Survival Guide to Superbugs and Antibiotic Resistance

In this modern era of huge scientific discoveries and medical breakthroughs it is disheartening to learn about the status of antibiotics. Antibiotics have started to prove ineffective in controlling the growth of disease-causing bacteria. We are today seeing that bacteria are able to survive and multiply even in the presence of antibiotics that once killed them or stopped them from multiplying their population. This phenomenon is known as antibiotic resistance.

But the major problem is not that certain disease-causing bacteria have become antibiotic resistant, but the fact that the resistance genes in any type of bacteria that transmit their survivability to billions of other bacteria. This results in the evolution of “superbugs”. A superbug is a strain of bacteria that can survive a battering by multi-varied antibiotics.

Today we are seeing staph bacteria known as MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) that has the ability to cause serious illness and even death of pets in a short period of time. The problem with these kinds of bacteria is that they are very difficult to kill. Slowly but gradually they are becoming epidemic that affects all kinds of animals, whether they are sick or healthy and even human beings. Hence, it is the duty of each and every person to ensure that there is prevention of these superbugs and minimal creation of them.

The predicament of antibiotic resistance and “superbugs” needs to be resolved very quickly before it gets too late and there is no chance of saving the lives of our furry friends. Let us look at some of the ways you can do your bit in preventing this antibiotic resistance phenomenon:

• If you find that your pet is suffering from an infection or not feeling well give him a dose of colloidal silver. It has been proven that silver combats bacteria and infections in pets. It also boosts the immunity of the pet, prevents illness, infections and diseases.
• Do not give an antibiotic to the pet that is intended for human beings or giving a prescribed antibiotic for one pet on another pet. Ensure that the antibiotic has been prescribed for the specific treatment of that particular pet.
• Even if you find that your pet is feeling better during the antibiotic treatments do not stop the treatment incomplete. Complete the dose since these bacteria have the uncanny knack of resisting the antibiotic treatment if left incomplete.
• The best way to combat “superbugs” and antibiotic resistance is to ensure that your pet does not take antibiotics until and unless they are truly necessary. Before giving antibiotics, it is better to conduct culture and sensitivity test. The culture and sensitivity test will provide precious information pertaining to the specific organism that is causing the infection and the best available medication to treat them.

ü  The culture test is conducted by taking the sample of the infected area (it can be feces, urine, infected tissues or gunk from the ears) to see the growth of the organism. If there are multiple organisms then each one is evaluated to determine the type of bacteria, yeast or fungi is present.

ü  The sensitivity test is conducted by placing small quantities of antibiotics on the organisms to scrutinize the best drug that is most responsive to them.

• The other important thing is when you are giving antibiotics to your pets ensure that you also provide a probiotic supplement to the pet before and after the treatment. Most of the times antibiotics cause certain side effects in pets like diarrhea and secondary yeast infections. Probiotic pet health supplements reduce the side effects in the pets and also prevent the growth of secondary yeast infections. Ideally, it is recommended to provide the recommended dose of probiotics from the veterinarian after two to four hours after giving antibiotics. It is important to continue to give a probiotic supplement for a minimum one month after antibiotic treatment is concluded.

These things will ensure that the next time you give an antibiotic treatment to your pets during dire circumstances; it works and makes your pet fit and healthy very swiftly.