Antibiotics

Antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine refer to the ability of an antimicrobial drug to arrest the growth of or kill bacteria is dependent upon its mechanism of action and the concentration that the drug attains at the infection site. When a drug is introduced into the body, it is rapidly carried through the bloodstream to the liver, kidneys, and other organs that can chemically change or reduce its antibacterial activity and promote its excretion.

These processes of drug (1) absorption from its site of administration, its subsequent (2) distribution throughout the body and its elimination by (3) biochemical metabolism, and (4) excretion through the urine, bile, or other routes are pharmacokinetic parameters collectively given the acronym ADME. These variables are dependent both on the patient and on the physicochemical features and other properties of the antimicrobial drug.

This chemical and physiological processing by the body, as well as the lipid solubility and other chemical properties of the drug, affect the ability of the drug to penetrate infected tissues and make contact with pathogens that reside in interstitial fluids or host cells. The early exposure of pathogenic bacteria to effective drug concentrations for an optimum period of time is directly associated with the clinical success of antimicrobial drug therapy.

The tables below illustrate the veterinary importance of these antibiotics. The links provide additional drug information.

Aminoglycosides
ß-Lactam Antibiotics
Chloramphenicol
Fluoroquinolones
Glycopeptides
Lincosamides
Macrolides
Polymixins
Rifamycins
Streptogramins
Tetracyclines
Diaminopyrimidines (Trimethoprim)