Strategies to Reduce Antimicrobial Resistance in Equine Practice

Introduction
Before embarking on strategies to reduce development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in equine practice, the initial sceptical question may be whether AMR is a problem or mere scaremongering. Clearly the resounding answer is that AMR is an important problem that is not confined by time, geographical borders or species and is escalating (Morley et al. 2005; Batey and Gibbens 2013; Bowen 2013). Indeed, AMR is part of the landscape of human medicine, veterinary medicine and animal production practices and, worryingly, AMR organisms have the potential to spread between animals and between animals and humans. During the latter half of the 20th century, the discovery and introduction of antimicrobial drugs (AMD) had a dramatic effect on human and veterinary medicine, revolutionising prevention and treatment of numerous infectious diseases (Morley et al. 2005). However, just as soon as victory over pathogenic bacteria was being declared, decreases in bacterial susceptibility to these drugs were recognised, and AMR in microorganism populations continues to develop and spread. While the identification and synthesis of several new AMDs initially provided optimism of offsetting development of AMR and long lasting control of infectious diseases, AMD development has slowed and recognition that AMR is persistent and critically-important issue is required. [...]