Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

MEDICATIONS • 563
This is an antibiotic sensitivity test. Discs containing antibiotics on an agar plate
show which antibiotics inhibit the growth of the cultured bacteria.
its colony appears and by microscopic characteristics. Antibiotic discs are then
applied to the culture plate to see which discs inhibit the growth of bacteria
colonies. The results are graded according to whether the bacteria are sensitive,
indifferent, or insensitive to the effects of the antibiotic. Laboratory findings,
however, do not always coincide with results in the patient. Nonetheless, sensitivity
testing is the best way to select the most effective antibiotic.
Route of Administration
An important medical decision is choosing the best route for administration.
In a dog with severe infections, antibiotics may be given intravenously or by
intramuscular or subcutaneous injection. Some oral antibiotics should be
given on an empty stomach; others with a meal. Incomplete absorption is one
cause of inadequate levels of antibiotics in the blood. If the dog is vomiting,
oral medications may not be absorbed.
Dose and Frequency of Administration
The dose is computed by weighing the dog, then dividing the total daily
dose into equal parts and giving them at prescribed intervals. Other factors
that must be accounted for when computing the daily dose are the
severity of the infection, the age of the dog, her overall health and stamina,
and whether the dog is taking another antibiotic. When the total
dose is too low or the antibiotic is not given often enough, the drug may
not be effective.