Weighing in on antibiotic resistance

This editions forum topic:

'Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem in both industrialized and developing nations alike. The Centers for Disease Control states, "Since the 1940s, these drugs have greatly reduced illness and death from infectious diseases. Antibiotic use has been beneficial and, when prescribed and taken correctly, their value in patient care is enormous. However, these drugs have been used so widely and for so long that the infectious organisms the antibiotics are designed to kill have adapted to them, making the drugs less effective." 

Do you think the veterinary profession is adding to or preventing the growing problem of antibiotic resistance?'

 
Winner, Forum
Lauren Welker, University of Illinois

Laughter is not always the best medicine, sometimes antibiotics are. Antibiotics were a giant step for veterinary medicine. Antibiotic resistance is thought to be due to the increased use of antibiotics. If bacteria are exposed to the same type of antibiotic for too long, some may become resistant and the antibiotic will become ineffective in killing them.  If antibiotics are used with caution, the veterinary profession is not adding to the problem of antibiotic resistance. As a veterinarian, we take an oath to treat sick animals, relieve suffering, and do no harm.  Because of this oath, it is up to veterinarians to use judgment and determine if an animal can get well without antibiotics or if the antibiotics are essential to the health of the animal. While it is true that treating said animal could cause some resistant bacteria the risk for humans contracting these bacteria is minute if the meat from the infected animal is properly cooked before it is consumed. The true risk for humans lies within human medicine. If human physicians over-prescribe antibiotics and resistant bacteria are present in the human population, then the risk for other humans becomes greater. Bacteria will always adapt to the drugs used to treat them, the key is to be able to create new drugs to treat the adaptive bacteria fast enough to control and contain them. The adaptive process of bacteria can be slowed through only prescribing antibiotics when absolutely necessary, especially within human medicine. 

Untitled

Winner, Creative Corner
Elodie Huguet, Univeristy of Georgia

 30" x 40" Oil on Canvas

Shelob's Meninges

Winner, Foot in Mouth Disease

Charlie Cosimini, University of Minnesota

Golden

Winner, Creative Corner Category
Blake Miller, University of Illinois

Online Marketing Explained!

The following announcement is from the Partners for Healthy Pets. Read on for the summary of activities held at the Western Veterinary Conference, and stop by the Partners for Healthy Pets booth 365N to learn about the complimentary tools and resources they provide to build the importance of preventive pet healthcare in  practices. Those who take a one-on-one 5 minute tour of a single tool will be registered to win a Visa® gift card!

 

Hear Dr. Warren present Online Marketing Explained at the Western Veterinary Conference ( Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 6:00 – 8:00 pm Mandalay Bay, Level 3, Jasmine EFG) or log into the Partners for Healthy Pets Resources Toolbox at www.partnersforhealthypets.org to learn how to establish or perfect your practice’s online marketing plan.

 

Pet owners’ prolific use of the web has forged a new opportunity for promotion and advertising within the animal health industry, one that is now the greatest mechanism for achieving enhanced client engagement and significant practice growth.

 

For all of the potential upside, it’s an opportunity that can feel both intimidating and overwhelming. To help break it down into a manageable game plan for veterinary practice, Partners for Healthy Pets and Dr. Michael Warren, a practicing veterinarian and certified online strategist, have partnered to create a veterinary practice-centric overview of all aspects of online marketing, including:

• Perfecting your Message
• The essential components of an Effective Veterinary Website 
• Powerful Search Engine Optimization strategies
• ROI Driven Social Media
• Proactive Reputation Management.

The step-by-step approach is tremendously educational, but more importantly is aimed to offer strategies you can take away and implement immediately. The series combines video with worksheets and slides and is a lot of fun - delivered by a practicing veterinarian who writes, speaks, and consults internationally on improved client communication and engagement through online media. Dr. Warren is passionate about the topic and driven to share his unique combination of skills to help advance and grow the veterinary industry.

 

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Partners for Healthy Pets is dedicated to ensuring that pets receive the preventive healthcare they deserve through regular visits to a veterinarian and is committed to working with you to enhance the health of your patients and your practice. Learn more about Partners for Healthy Pets and explore the Resources Toolbox at www.partnersforhealthypets.org