Measures, Resources & Research
Welcome to the Measures, Resources and Research area where you can find a range of information, useful links and resources covering the responsible use of medicines in companion animals and equines. The Alliance has a current focus on antimicrobial stewardship and resistance (AMR) and is committed to supporting a One Health strategy to address the risk
Other Medications
Antimicrobials
Clinical scenarios and case studies
Other Medications
Whilst RUMA CA&E has a current focus on antimicrobial stewardship and resistance (AMR), information on the responsible use of other medications can be found here.
Parasiticide products are commonly used in small animal medicine to prevent and treat for various parasites, including fleas, ticks and worms. As well as preventing animal health and welfare problems, human health risks from associated zoonotic threats have to be considered. Policy documents and information on the subject can be found on this website
All
Equine
Companion Animal
Measures & Targets
Antimicrobials
Antimicrobial is the general term for any compound used for treatment or prevention of infections with a direct action on micro-organisms. Below are a range of useful resources including the UK five year action plan for antimicrobial resistance, responsible use guidelines as well as general antimicrobial information.
This 5-year national action plan supports the UK 20-year vision for antimicrobial resistance. It was developed across the government, its agencies and administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with support from a range of stakeholders. Published 24 January 2019
The NOAH Compendium of Data Sheets for Animal Medicines; the compendium contains datasheets for the majority of veterinary medicines authorised for use in the UK.
BVA policy position on the responsible use of antimicrobials in food producing animals
Choose one simple pledge about how you’ll make better use of antibiotics and help save these vital medicines from becoming obsolete.
Download of the transcript for the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) RCVS Knowledge podcast, November 2019.
The UK-VARSS 2019 Report presents veterinary antibiotic sales data in the UK from 2015 to 2019, food-producing animal sectors’ usage data and antibiotic resistance data from 2017 to 2019. The UK-VARSS 2019 Supplementary Material provides further details including antibiotic resistance data from Scotland and Northern Ireland. The UK-VARSS 2019 Highlights summarises key facts from the main report. Last updated 18 November 2020
This site is aimed at those working in veterinary practice in the UK. It describes how practices can send data to researchers at the University of Liverpool to receive a free benchmark, comparing their antibiotic prescription to other anonymised practices across the country. Data can be from an individual practitioner, a practice site or the whole practice. Multiple data sets can also be sent to see how prescription changes over time.
Antimicrobial resistance is an increasingly important global health threat and the use of antimicrobial agents is a key risk factor in its development. This study describes antimicrobial agent prescription (AAP) patterns over a 2 year period using electronic health records (EHRs) from booked consultations in a network of 457 sentinel veterinary premises in the United Kingdom.
Robust evidence supporting strategies for companion animal antimicrobial stewardship is limited, despite frequent prescription of highest priority critically important antimicrobials (HPCIA). Here we describe a randomised controlled trial where electronic prescription data were utilised (August 2018–January 2019) to identify above average HPCIA-prescribing practices (n = 60), which were randomly assigned into a control group (CG) and two intervention groups.
Antimicrobial stewardship is a cornerstone of efforts to curtail antimicrobial resistance. To determine factors potentially influencing likelihood of prescribing antimicrobials for animals, we analyzed electronic health records for unwell dogs and cats voluntarily contributed by 173 UK veterinary practices.
Canine acute diarrhoea is frequently observed in first opinion practice, though little is known about commonly used diagnostic or therapeutic management plans, including use of antimicrobials.
Addressing antibiotic use is essential to tackle antimicrobial resistance, a major human and animal health challenge. This review seeks to inform stewardship efforts in companion animals by collating research insights regarding antibiotic use in this group and identifying overlooked avenues for future research and stewardship efforts.
Objectives of project – We aimed to efficiently capture and repurpose antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) results data from several veterinary diagnostic laboratories (VDLs) across the United Kingdom to facilitate national companion animal clinical AMR surveillance. We also sought to harness and genotypically characterize isolates of potential AMR importance from these laboratories.
BSAVA and SAMSoc have worked together to provide information that is intended to support practices in discussing and drawing up practice guidelines on responsible antibacterial use.
Protect Me – ‘Antibacterial use in our practice’ and ‘Antibacterial use in rabbits’ posters
The “No antibiotic required non-prescription” form is here
Numerous downloadable reports and resources for clinical guidelines across a range of species
This review discusses the general principles underlying responsible antibiotic usage in reptiles
freely accessible, evidence-based knowledge and resources about responsible antimicrobial use. With over 42 hours of CPD, teams can access this information and embed good antimicrobial stewardship in practice.
RCVS Knowledge’s antibiotic self-assessment checklist is adapted from the Public Health England and the Royal College of General Practitioners, and help vets to better understand their antibiotic usage.
2013 study where postal questionnaires to vets were sent out and antibiotic use in different clinical scenarios explored
EFSA report – resistances of concern in horses
Judicious antimicrobial use (AMU) is important for preserving therapeutic effectiveness.
Antibiotics toolkit and top tips for antimicrobial stewardship
All
Research
Resources
Equine
2013 study where postal questionnaires to vets were sent out and antibiotic use in different clinical scenarios explored
EFSA report – resistances of concern in horses
Judicious antimicrobial use (AMU) is important for preserving therapeutic effectiveness.
Antibiotics toolkit and top tips for antimicrobial stewardship
Published Research
Current and Planned Research
Template is not defined.
Published Research
RUMA Companion Animal and Equine is committed to sharing evidence-based information to promote the responsible use of medicines in the CA&E sectors.
Below is a selection of equine published research to help encourage innovative and proactive efforts to improve the responsible use of medicines whilst optimising and protecting animal health and welfare, as well as human and environmental health and welfare.
2013 study where postal questionnaires to vets were sent out and antibiotic use in different clinical scenarios explored
EFSA report – resistances of concern in horses
Judicious antimicrobial use (AMU) is important for preserving therapeutic effectiveness.
Coming Soon
Resources
Below are a selection of useful equine resources to help embed good antimicrobial stewardship including guidelines, checklists, toolkits and reports.
Antibiotics toolkit and top tips for antimicrobial stewardship
All
Research
Resources
Companion Animal
Antimicrobial resistance is an increasingly important global health threat and the use of antimicrobial agents is a key risk factor in its development. This study describes antimicrobial agent prescription (AAP) patterns over a 2 year period using electronic health records (EHRs) from booked consultations in a network of 457 sentinel veterinary premises in the United Kingdom.
Robust evidence supporting strategies for companion animal antimicrobial stewardship is limited, despite frequent prescription of highest priority critically important antimicrobials (HPCIA). Here we describe a randomised controlled trial where electronic prescription data were utilised (August 2018–January 2019) to identify above average HPCIA-prescribing practices (n = 60), which were randomly assigned into a control group (CG) and two intervention groups.
Antimicrobial stewardship is a cornerstone of efforts to curtail antimicrobial resistance. To determine factors potentially influencing likelihood of prescribing antimicrobials for animals, we analyzed electronic health records for unwell dogs and cats voluntarily contributed by 173 UK veterinary practices.
Canine acute diarrhoea is frequently observed in first opinion practice, though little is known about commonly used diagnostic or therapeutic management plans, including use of antimicrobials.
Addressing antibiotic use is essential to tackle antimicrobial resistance, a major human and animal health challenge. This review seeks to inform stewardship efforts in companion animals by collating research insights regarding antibiotic use in this group and identifying overlooked avenues for future research and stewardship efforts.
Objectives of project – We aimed to efficiently capture and repurpose antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) results data from several veterinary diagnostic laboratories (VDLs) across the United Kingdom to facilitate national companion animal clinical AMR surveillance. We also sought to harness and genotypically characterize isolates of potential AMR importance from these laboratories.
BSAVA and SAMSoc have worked together to provide information that is intended to support practices in discussing and drawing up practice guidelines on responsible antibacterial use.
Protect Me – ‘Antibacterial use in our practice’ and ‘Antibacterial use in rabbits’ posters
The “No antibiotic required non-prescription” form is here
Numerous downloadable reports and resources for clinical guidelines across a range of species
This review discusses the general principles underlying responsible antibiotic usage in reptiles
freely accessible, evidence-based knowledge and resources about responsible antimicrobial use. With over 42 hours of CPD, teams can access this information and embed good antimicrobial stewardship in practice.
RCVS Knowledge’s antibiotic self-assessment checklist is adapted from the Public Health England and the Royal College of General Practitioners, and help vets to better understand their antibiotic usage.
Published Research
Current and Planned Research
Template is not defined.
Published Research
RUMA Companion Animal and Equine is committed to sharing evidence-based information to promote the responsible use of medicines in the CA&E sectors.
Below is a selection of companion animal published research to help encourage innovative and proactive efforts to improve the responsible use of medicines whilst optimising and protecting animal health and welfare, as well as human and environmental health and welfare.
Prescribing of antimicrobials
Antimicrobial resistance is an increasingly important global health threat and the use of antimicrobial agents is a key risk factor in its development. This study describes antimicrobial agent prescription (AAP) patterns over a 2 year period using electronic health records (EHRs) from booked consultations in a network of 457 sentinel veterinary premises in the United Kingdom.
Robust evidence supporting strategies for companion animal antimicrobial stewardship is limited, despite frequent prescription of highest priority critically important antimicrobials (HPCIA). Here we describe a randomised controlled trial where electronic prescription data were utilised (August 2018–January 2019) to identify above average HPCIA-prescribing practices (n = 60), which were randomly assigned into a control group (CG) and two intervention groups.
Antimicrobial stewardship is a cornerstone of efforts to curtail antimicrobial resistance. To determine factors potentially influencing likelihood of prescribing antimicrobials for animals, we analyzed electronic health records for unwell dogs and cats voluntarily contributed by 173 UK veterinary practices.
Canine acute diarrhoea is frequently observed in first opinion practice, though little is known about commonly used diagnostic or therapeutic management plans, including use of antimicrobials.
Addressing antibiotic use is essential to tackle antimicrobial resistance, a major human and animal health challenge. This review seeks to inform stewardship efforts in companion animals by collating research insights regarding antibiotic use in this group and identifying overlooked avenues for future research and stewardship efforts.
Resistance in Companion animals
Objectives of project – We aimed to efficiently capture and repurpose antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) results data from several veterinary diagnostic laboratories (VDLs) across the United Kingdom to facilitate national companion animal clinical AMR surveillance. We also sought to harness and genotypically characterize isolates of potential AMR importance from these laboratories.
Coming Soon
Resources
Below are a selection of useful companion animal resources to help embed good antimicrobial stewardship in practice including guidelines, checklists and reports.
BSAVA and SAMSoc have worked together to provide information that is intended to support practices in discussing and drawing up practice guidelines on responsible antibacterial use.
Protect Me – ‘Antibacterial use in our practice’ and ‘Antibacterial use in rabbits’ posters
The “No antibiotic required non-prescription” form is here
Numerous downloadable reports and resources for clinical guidelines across a range of species
This review discusses the general principles underlying responsible antibiotic usage in reptiles
freely accessible, evidence-based knowledge and resources about responsible antimicrobial use. With over 42 hours of CPD, teams can access this information and embed good antimicrobial stewardship in practice.
RCVS Knowledge’s antibiotic self-assessment checklist is adapted from the Public Health England and the Royal College of General Practitioners, and help vets to better understand their antibiotic usage.
Measures and Targets
Below are a range of useful measures and targets related resources.
The UK-VARSS 2019 Report presents veterinary antibiotic sales data in the UK from 2015 to 2019, food-producing animal sectors’ usage data and antibiotic resistance data from 2017 to 2019. The UK-VARSS 2019 Supplementary Material provides further details including antibiotic resistance data from Scotland and Northern Ireland. The UK-VARSS 2019 Highlights summarises key facts from the main report. Last updated 18 November 2020
This site is aimed at those working in veterinary practice in the UK. It describes how practices can send data to researchers at the University of Liverpool to receive a free benchmark, comparing their antibiotic prescription to other anonymised practices across the country. Data can be from an individual practitioner, a practice site or the whole practice. Multiple data sets can also be sent to see how prescription changes over time.
Clinical scenarios and case studies
In this area you will find a range of case studies and clinical scenarios to help support AMS
in practices.