Menu
Antimicrobial resistance threatens animal health as well as human health. The responsible use of antimicrobials is an important component of making sure that we continue to have the tools we need to keep animals healthy and ensure good animal welfare
Antimicrobial resistance can occur in 3 ways:
Access to health management tools such as antimicrobials is important to veterinarians, farmers and pet owners to keep the animals in their care healthy and to promote good animal welfare.
Fully committed to a One Health approach for antimicrobial use and the importance of using these products responsibly, in December 2018, CAHI’s members removed all growth promotion claims from labels of antimicrobials that are important to human medicine. We have also created a new logo for animal antimicrobial product labels promoting responsible use.
To use antimicrobials “responsibly” is to:
There are some veterinary health products available that do seem to have some antimicrobial properties. There are also other animal health products (natural or conventional) that promote good animal health and help to avoid the onset of infections, resulting in a reduced need to use antimicrobials. Farmers are also continuously adopting best management practices like biosecurity which helps to keep harmful germs out of barns and herds or flocks.
Researchers and animal health companies are continuously seeking alternatives to antimicrobials.
Ensuring that antimicrobials are used responsibly and effectively is one of the most important ways we can prevent and limit the development of antimicrobial resistance. We fully support changes made by Health Canada in how antimicrobials can be used to support animal health in recent years, including the move to make medically important antimicrobials available only by veterinary prescription since December 1, 2018.
The primary reason for using antimicrobials in food animal production is to help manage and control disease, ensuring good animal welfare and an affordable food supply. By having healthy animals, we have a healthy food supply, which in turn leads to healthy people.
