Small Animal Clinical Cases and Antibiotic Usage at Selected Veterinary Facilities in Ashanti Region, Ghana

Antimicrobial resistance is an escalating global health crisis, with projections estimating up to 10 million deaths annually by 2050. Despite its critical impact, there is limited research on antibiotic usage in veterinary practices in Ghana, creating a significant gap in understanding prescription patterns and their contribution to antimicrobial resistance. This study investigated antibiotic prescribing patterns in veterinary practices within the Ashanti Region of Ghana, focusing on clinical cases and antimicrobial prescriptions for small animals. A retrospective study was conducted to analyze clinical records from five selected veterinary facilities, focusing on dogs and cats over a 2-year period (2022–2023). A total of 6008 clinical cases from five veterinary clinics in Kumasi involving dogs and cats were reviewed to determine diagnoses and associated antibiotic prescriptions. The analysis revealed that 88.9% of diagnosed cases were treated with antibiotics, while 11.1% did not involve antibiotic treatment. The conditions with the highest antibiotic usage were diarrhea, lethargy, vomiting, inappetence, and parvovirus infections. Broad-spectrum antibiotics, including amoxicillin-clavulanate, oxytetracycline, metronidazole, and doxycycline, were predominantly prescribed. Notably, there was substantial use of fluoroquinolones, such as enrofloxacin, which are classified as critically important antimicrobials for human health. The study identified a concerning over-reliance on broad-spectrum antibiotics in veterinary medicine, particularly for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Addressing these prescribing patterns is essential to mitigating antimicrobial resistance risks and improving antibiotic stewardship in veterinary practices.

Cite this article as: Gyedu, J. O., Darko, E. O., Asare, D. A., Takyi, P. N., Yakubu, A. R., Darko, I., Folitse, R. D., & Emikpe, B. O. (2025). Small animal clinical cases and antibiotic usage at selected veterinary facilities in Ashanti Region, Ghana. Acta Veterinaria Eurasia, 51, doi: 10.5152/actavet.2025.25047.