Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Impact of appropriate empirical antimicrobial therapy on outcome of dogs with septic peritonitis.
- Journal:
- Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care (San Antonio, Tex. : 2001)
- Year:
- 2015
- Authors:
- Dickinson, Amy E et al.
- Affiliation:
- Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
This study looked at whether giving the right antibiotics right away helped dogs with a serious condition called septic peritonitis, which is an infection in the abdomen. Researchers reviewed the cases of 86 dogs that had this condition and needed surgery. Out of these dogs, 49 survived to leave the hospital, but the chances of survival were much lower for those in severe septic shock. The study found that giving the correct antibiotics didn't seem to improve survival rates, and prior antibiotic use or recent abdominal surgery made it more likely that the wrong antibiotics would be chosen. Overall, the choice of antibiotics did not affect whether the dogs survived.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether appropriate empirical antimicrobial therapy influenced survival in dogs with septic peritonitis. DESIGN: Retrospective case series (2003-2011). SETTING: University teaching hospital. ANIMALS: Eighty-six dogs with cytological confirmation or positive bacterial culture of abdominal sepsis and subsequent surgical intervention. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS: Forty-nine of 86 dogs (57%) survived to hospital discharge. Thirty-seven of 86 dogs were classified as having ''abdominal infection,'' 31/86 as ''severe sepsis,'' and the remaining 18/86 as in ''septic shock.'' Mortality was greatest in the ''septic shock'' category (94%). Empirical antimicrobial treatments were appropriate in 41/78 dogs (52.6%). Appropriateness was not associated with treatment outcome overall or when compared between sepsis severity groups. Antimicrobials had been given in the 30 days before admission in 63/86 (73.3%) dogs. Prior therapy with antimicrobials showed no association with outcome (P = 0.512) but was associated with subsequent inappropriate empirical antimicrobial selection (P = 0.031). Recent abdominal surgery was associated with subsequent inappropriate empirical antimicrobial selection (P = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: In this population, appropriateness of empirical antimicrobial choice was not associated with survival to discharge. Previous antimicrobial administration or abdominal surgery was associated with subsequent inappropriate empirical antimicrobial selection.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25545023/