New antimicrobial use guidelines for canine pyoderma
Canine pyoderma is one of the most common conditions seen in small animal practice globally.
The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has developed new guidelines for veterinary practitioners treating canine pyoderma.
The guidelines, published in Veterinary Dermatology, are designed to reduce the inappropriate use of antimicrobials and support canine welfare.
They include an update on recommended drug dosages based on newly available information and a ‘Seven Moments of Responsible Canine Pyoderma Treatment’ infographic to further support best practice.
Siân-Marie Frosini, senior lecturer in Veterinary Clinical Microbiology at the RVC and co-author of the guidelines, said: “These guidelines highlight the value of multi-disciplinary teams that incorporate clinical microbiologists alongside other veterinary specialists to provide recommendations that can support best practice in antimicrobial use.”
The updated guidance comes in response to growing international concern about the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in both human and animal medicine, which is leading to an emergence of drug-resistant bacteria and threatening the effective treatment of infections.
It was developed by a group from the RVC, in collaboration with eight international counterparts, who conducted an evidence-based review of the current treatment protocol for canine pyoderma — one of the most common conditions seen in small animal practice globally.
The guidelines are supported by the International Society for Companion Animal Infections and provide veterinary practitioners with advice on the diagnosis and investigation of canine bacterial skin infections. They also include clear recommendations for when antimicrobials should be considered, and which classes of antimicrobials are most appropriate to choose from.
Anette Loeffler, Professor in Veterinary Dermatology and Cutaneous Bacteriology at the RVC and chair of the ISCAID author group, said: “After several years of analysing evidence, updating information and evaluating experience, we are excited and relieved to finally see the guideline documents published and free to use around the world.”
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Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.
