Factors associated with antimicrobial drug prescription in inpatient dogs and cats at a veterinary teaching hospital

BACKGROUND: Identifying factors associated with antimicrobial use in dogs and cats supports antimicrobial stewardship initiatives. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Identify demographic, clinical, and treatment factors associated with prescribing systemic antimicrobial treatment in dogs and cats hospitalized at a small animal veterinary teaching hospital. ANIMALS: Inpatient dogs (n = 9112) with 10 749 admissions and inpatient cats (n = 3146) with 3684 admissions to a small animal teaching hospital. METHODS: A veterinary-adapted Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model was used to analyze demographic, clinical, and prescription data from the electronic medical record system in this observational cross-sectional study. Using generalized estimating equations, we identified factors associated with systemic antimicrobial prescription during admission among inpatient dogs and cats from 2020 to 2022. RESULTS: In dogs (mean age, 7.2 years; 47% females), factors associated with the highest odds of any antimicrobial prescription were history of surgery within the previous 10 days (odds ratio [OR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.67-3.45), surgery during admission (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.91-2.32), and venous sampling catheter placement (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.58-2.49), adjusted for all covariables in the model. In cats (mean age, 8.4 years; 38% females), factors associated with the highest odds of any antimicrobial prescription were venous sampling catheter placement (OR, 3.25; 95% CI, 2.09-5.06), surgery during admission (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.3-1.92), and admission duration (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.44-1.65), adjusted for all covariables in the model. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: We identified multiple factors associated with antimicrobial use in inpatient dogs and cats that can support benchmark development and veterinary antimicrobial stewardship efforts.