Welsh study links equine antibiotic use to client trust and habits

CURRENT BRIEF VERSION: A new Equine Veterinary Journal study suggests antimicrobial stewardship in horses has to reach beyond the clinic and into the vet-client relationship. In a cross-sectional survey of 319 Welsh equine owners and semi-structured interviews with 21 more, most respondents said they obtained antibiotics from their veterinarian, but the study also found potentially risky behaviors: 16.6% reported using leftover antibiotics, 5.1% said they had never sourced antibiotics from a vet, and 13.6% said they would consider changing practices if a requested antibiotic was refused. The authors said antibiotic use was shaped by the horse-human bond, owner-vet dynamics, practical treatment considerations, and uneven understanding of antimicrobial resistance. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the findings reinforce that stewardship in equine practice isn't just about prescribing rules. It also depends on communication, trust, and helping pet parents understand why antibiotics may or may not be appropriate. That message lands in a wider Welsh policy environment that is putting more emphasis on animal AMR control, including a 2025-2029 national plan and new funding for stewardship, training, and engagement. Related research in equine hospitals points to similar stewardship gaps on the clinical side: across eight hospitals in five countries, 41.8% of inpatients were receiving antibiotics on survey days, 45.2% of prescriptions were prophylactic, culture samples were submitted in 56.9% of therapeutic cases, and stop/review dates were missing in 59.5% of uses. The authors of that hospital study also flagged empiric use of higher-priority EMA Category A and B drugs as a target for improvement. (gov.wales)

What to watch: Expect follow-on work to focus on client education, medicine return and disposal, and practice-level tools that help equine vets reduce pressure to prescribe while preserving client trust. On the hospital side, the point-prevalence survey may also become a repeatable benchmarking tool for stewardship interventions in equine settings. (beva.org.uk)