Effect of storage duration on carprofen concentration measurements in dog plasma.

BACKGROUND: Storage of samples may be necessary prior to testing drug levels in certain study designs; however, the effect of storage duration on measured drug levels is not known for all drugs. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the stability of carprofen in canine plasma when stored at -80°C for 6 months. METHODS: Six healthy dogs were enrolled (1-10 years old, 17-35 kg) and received compounded carprofen at 2.2 mg/kg orally every 12 h for 2 days. On the third day, blood was collected immediately before the morning dose (trough), then 1 and 6 h after the dose (sampling timepoint). Whole blood was immediately centrifuged, and plasma was stored at -80°C. Plasma carprofen concentration was measured at day 2, week 2 and then monthly for 6 months using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The measured carprofen concentrations were analysed statistically using a linear mixed effects model. RESULTS: There was no effect of storage time over 6 months (p = 0.891) on measured carprofen levels. Although there was an effect of sampling timepoint (0, 1 and 6 h) (p < 0.001), the interaction between storage timepoint and sampling timepoint was not statistically significant (p = 1). CONCLUSIONS: Carprofen-laden canine plasma samples can be stored for up to 6 months before analysis with no degradation in carprofen concentrations expected.

Implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program in a veterinary medical teaching institution.

Widespread use of antimicrobials in human and veterinary medicine drives the emergence and dissemination of resistant bacteria in human, animal, and environmental reservoirs. The AVMA and FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine have both taken public positions emphasizing the importance of incorporating antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary clinical settings; however, a model for implementing a comprehensive antimicrobial stewardship program in veterinary practice is not readily available. In 2015, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine began developing a veterinary antimicrobial stewardship program modeled on existing programs in human health-care institutions and the 7 core elements of a successful hospital antimicrobial stewardship program, as defined by the CDC. The program includes comprehensive antimicrobial use guidelines, active environmental surveillance, and enhanced infection control procedures in The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, along with routine monitoring and reporting of antimicrobial prescribing practices and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of common pathogens isolated from patients and the hospital environment. Finally, programs have been developed to educate clinicians, staff, and students on antimicrobial resistance and appropriate antimicrobial prescribing practices. The antimicrobial stewardship program has been designed to help clinicians and students confidently make judicious antimicrobial use decisions and provide them with actionable steps that can help them act as strong stewards while providing the best care for their patients. This report describes our program and the process involved in developing it, with the intent that the program could serve as a potential model for other veterinary medical institutions.

The role of the community pharmacist in veterinary patient care: a cross-sectional study of pharmacist and veterinarian viewpoints

BACKGROUND: The role of the community pharmacist is rapidly expanding to encompass the care of veterinary patients in the United States of America This change makes it imperative for pharmacists and veterinarians who practice in community settings to establish mutual agreement on the roles of pharmacists in the care of these patients. OBJECTIVE: To examine community-based pharmacist and veterinarian viewpoints on interprofessional collaboration and the role of the community pharmacist in veterinary patient care. METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys were sent to pharmacists and veterinarians who practice in a community setting in Ohio. Surveys collected demographic information and addressed the following themes: attitudes toward collaboration, perceived roles of the pharmacist, expectations of the pharmacist, and previous collaborative experiences. A chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: In total, 357 pharmacists and 232 veterinarians participated in the study. Both professions agreed that pharmacist-veterinarian collaboration is important in order to optimize veterinary patient care (chi-square (1, N=589)=7.7, p = 0.006). Overall, veterinarians were more likely to identify an important role of the community pharmacist to be compounding medications (chi-square (1, N=589)=26.7, p < 0.001) compared to counseling pet owners (chi-square (1, N=589)=171.7, p < 0.001). Both groups reported similar levels of agreement regarding the importance for pharmacists to have adequate knowledge of veterinary medicine. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that while both pharmacists and veterinarians conveyed a positive attitude regarding interprofessional collaboration, they disagreed on what role the pharmacist should play in the care of veterinary patients. Rectifying the discordant perceptions of these health care professionals may be critical to developing collaborative initiatives and optimizing veterinary patient care

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The role of the community pharmacist in veterinary patient care: a cross-sectional study of pharmacist and veterinarian viewpoints.

BACKGROUND: The role of the community pharmacist is rapidly expanding to encompass the care of veterinary patients in the United States of America This change makes it imperative for pharmacists and veterinarians who practice in community settings to establish mutual agreement on the roles of pharmacists in the care of these patients. OBJECTIVE: To examine community-based pharmacist and veterinarian viewpoints on interprofessional collaboration and the role of the community pharmacist in veterinary patient care. METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys were sent to pharmacists and veterinarians who practice in a community setting in Ohio. Surveys collected demographic information and addressed the following themes: attitudes toward collaboration, perceived roles of the pharmacist, expectations of the pharmacist, and previous collaborative experiences. A chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: In total, 357 pharmacists and 232 veterinarians participated in the study. Both professions agreed that pharmacist-veterinarian collaboration is important in order to optimize veterinary patient care (chi-square (1, N=589)=7.7, p=0.006). Overall, veterinarians were more likely to identify an important role of the community pharmacist to be compounding medications (chi-square (1, N=589)=26.7, p<0.001) compared to counseling pet owners (chi-square (1, N=589)=171.7, p<0.001). Both groups reported similar levels of agreement regarding the importance for pharmacists to have adequate knowledge of veterinary medicine. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that while both pharmacists and veterinarians conveyed a positive attitude regarding interprofessional collaboration, they disagreed on what role the pharmacist should play in the care of veterinary patients. Rectifying the discordant perceptions of these health care professionals may be critical to developing collaborative initiatives and optimizing veterinary patient care.