Critically important antimicrobials are frequently used on equine racetracks.

The research paper aims to analyze the use of antimicrobials, a type of drug, on four horse racetracks in the eastern United States during 2017 and 2018.

Methods and Materials

• Information was collected through handwritten daily treatment sheets from attending veterinarians who prescribed treatments to the horses at the racetracks.
• These sheets included crucial information such as the date, the name of the horse and its trainer, the kind of treatment, and a brief note (usually just one word) highlighting the reason for treatment.
• The data from the treatment sheets, which were in handwritten form, were manually transcribed and underwent analysis.

Results

• A total of 2,684 antimicrobial prescriptions were recorded, forming 6.8% of all drug treatments.
• The most commonly prescribed antimicrobials were enrofloxacin, which made up 31.8% of antimicrobial treatments, gentamicin at 21.2%, and ceftiofur and penicillin at 14.5% and 8.2% respectively.
• Substantial differences were noted between the frequencies of different types of antimicrobial treatments and the reasons for their prescription at each racetrack and by different prescribing veterinarians.

Limitations and Conclusions

• Several constraints related to the data collection process hindered the determination of the exact proportion of horses treated or the precise reasons for treatment.
• While the use of antimicrobials seemed to be relatively low at racetracks as compared to other drugs, it was noted that the most frequently administered antimicrobials were of high or critical importance, raising questions about the appropriateness of their use.
• The research did not provide conclusive insights regarding the appropriateness of using these drugs, indicating a need for further investigation into the subject.