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Rise in Augmentin adverse reaction reports
medical
GlaxoSmithKline said that it has not altered the manufacture of the product and it is not aware of any batch defects.
Practices encouraged to report all adverse events to the VMD

There has been a significant rise is the number of adverse reaction reports relating to Augmentin Intravenous Powder for Solution for Injection, according to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).

In a letter to Veterinary Record (Vol. 176, No. 23) Gillian Diesel from the VMD said that over the past three months, the organisation has seen a 'significantly higher' number of reports relating to Augmentin.

"They all involved hypersensitivity reactions, including allergic oedema, urticaria and allergic pruritus," writes Gillian.

"We notified veterinary practices of a similar issue in 2011 concerning Co-amoxiclav, which also contains amoxicillin and clavulanate."

Augmentin is authorised for use in humans and is authorised for use by veterinary surgeons under the cascade system. It is not authorised for use in animals, so no safety or efficacy studies have been carried out relating to its use in animals.

The VMD spoke to the manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulator Agency (MHRA).

GlaxoSmithKline said that it has not altered the manufacture of the product and is not aware of any batch defects. They asked some practices to send them samples of a batch for testing, which confirmed that the product was within manufacturing specifications.

GlaxoSmithKline and the MHRA also said they were not aware of a rise in the number of reactions or reports from humans relating to the product.

"We would like to encourage practices to report all adverse events to the VMD using our online reporting form," added Gillian.

"As Augmentin is not authorised for use in animals, GlaxoSmithKline has no obligation to investigate these case or report them to the VMD.

"We would also like to remind vets that any human adverse reactions to authorised human medicines should be report to the MHRA."

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Webinar to explore AMR in vet dentistry

News Story 1
 The WSAVA has invited veterinary professionals to a webinar on responsible antibiotic usage in dentistry.

On 19 November 2025, at 1am, Dr J Scott Weese and Dr Brooke Niemiec will share the latest advice for antimicrobial use. They will present research on oral bacterology, and explain how attendees can choose appropriate antibiotics.

The session will cover pre-, intra- and post-operative guidelines, with recommendations for various pathologies.

The webinar is designed to support veterinary professionals to make informed decisions and tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Attendees can register here. 

Click here for more...
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Dechra launches checklist for veterinary sustainability

Global animal health specialist Dechra has announced the world's first Veterinary Green Theatre Checklist (VGTC) to help make surgery more sustainable.

Endorsed by leading veterinary organisations, including the BEVA, BVNA and RCVS Knowledge, the checklist is designed to reduce the environmental footprint of veterinary care, while supporting better animal health outcomes.

The checklist was launched at the World Congress of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in Paris and will be followed by an internal training and awareness campaign. For more information, visit dechra.com