Right Drug, Right Time

Key Points

• Antibiotics specifically target BACTERIA and CANNOT kill fungi, parasites or viruses.
• Responsible use of antibiotics means using them only when needed and following a veterinarian’s advice on the correct type, dose, and duration.
• Many people think that they or their animals become resistant to antimicrobials, but this is not the case. It is the pathogen (bacterium, virus, fungus or parasite) itself that develop resistance.
• Antibiotic resistance occurs naturally, but it can develop and spread more rapidly when bacteria are exposed to antibiotics.

When resistance develops, antibiotics may no longer be effective, making infections harder or sometimes impossible to treat.