title: [Antibiotic prophylaxis in small-animal surgery].
abstract: Experimental studies in animals carried out by Burke in 1961 showed that antibiotics will only have a beneficial effect on primary wound infection when they are administered shortly before or after bacterial contamination. To ensure an optimal effect there should be an adequate concentration of a suitable antibiotic in the tissues at the time of contamination, i.e. during surgery. During operation, resistance to infection is considerably reduced, so that infection may be caused by an inoculum present in a rather low concentration which would be too small to have this effect in normal conditions. This reduced resistance to infection only continues until a few hours after operation. Prophylactic use of antibiotics therefore has to be continued until shortly after the final stage of the operation. A large number of clinical trials in human medicine definitely showed that short-term perioperative short-term perioperative prophylactic use of antibiotics causes a marked reduction in the incidence of postoperative septic complications. As long as clinical trials have not been done in small animal clinics, it would appear to be sensible to apply the abundant results obtained in experimental studies in animals and clinical trials in human medicine to small animal surgery. Prophylactic use of antibiotics is indicated when the risk of infection or the severity of possible complications outweigh the disadvantages of the regular use of antibiotics. The risk factors in the development of wound infection and the choice of antibiotics are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011292:Premedication / Q000662:veterinary*; D013522:Surgery, Veterinary; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D014730:Veterinary Medicine
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
vernacular_title: Antibiotische profylaxe in de chirurgie van het kleine huisdier.