Changes for Canadians regarding Antimicrobials in Animals

[Wickedchicken6]

As of December 1, 2018, all Medically Important Antimicrobials (MIAs) for veterinary use will be sold by prescription only. These are changes that will affect some of us depending on the medications we currently use.

Here is information on these changes.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-hea...s/actions/responsible-use-antimicrobials.html

https://www.canadianveterinarians.n...nary-oversight-of-antimicrobial-use-in-canada


These two sites below are more oriented for cattle producers, but it helps explain the importance of the Veterinarian-Client-Patient-Relationship.

http://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/pre...r-livestock-cattle-antibiotics-december-2018/
http://www.beefresearch.ca/files/pdf/AMR-List-2018 v6 Generic.pdf

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Bummer. Canada has followed America in response to antimicrobials. The international community at large is really making those hard to get over the counter for livestock owners.

At the same time vet costs are spiraling.

Back to some of the old timer remedies, I guess.

LofMc

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Bummer. Canada has followed America in response to antimicrobials. The international community at large is really making those hard to get over the counter for livestock owners.

At the same time vet costs are spiraling.

Back to some of the old timer remedies, I guess.

LofMc

Indeed.

The industry appears to be shifting, not only in regards to antimicrobials, but in other respects. Because cattle are our main livestock with sheep secondary, we have been operating for many years following industry guidelines in regards to antimicrobials. I put my name on the dotted line every year confirming that we meet/exceed (we always exceed) withdrawal times for the very few animals that may have been given treatment. But it is serious business.

We still believe that conscious selection of the very best, robust breeding stock coupled with rigorous culling is the answer. We have made more strides with our herd health using this mindset than anyone I know. I think substandard animals/birds have been used for breeding too often for too long. That's my opinion only.

However, our vets have played an integral part in this journey. We have maintained a very good vet-patient-client-relationship with our current vets for the last 17 years. For now backyard poultry is somewhat under the wire. But in the future, having a good VPCR may be what protects those of us in any livestock industry. In our personal experience this year, having a good VPCR has been extremely important...more than we could have imagined.

In regards to old-time remedies, there are outside forces who may not see this level of care as "adequate" unfortunately. It may be acceptable at this time, but my concern lies on where everything is headed. As an "industry", we will need to find our voices. Issues are being brought to the table, and none of us are sitting at that table to debate the important topics. If it seems I am speaking from an entirely different perspective than I was at the beginning of this year, you are correct.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I agree with you in so many ways.

While I am not personally at farming level, my daughter and son-in-law are, and my family background is filled with farmers and ranchers, and I grew up in 4H.

My daughter even became a Vet Tech (spurred on by a 4H Vet Tech unit we did with her as I enjoyed 4H so much as a kid). We saw together the change of the veterinarian field towards animal care over the last 10 years, to the frustration of many vets.

So much now is not sensible discussion at the table but forces driven by politics and ideologies. Ideologies towards animals (who now are people too) and herbals and some idea of "natural" being the only "real" way to treat anything.

I grew up with family members that remembered very well what it was like to try to farm with few meds and remedies available. Then a new era of Ag science was ushered in (after the Dust Bowl disaster). Science was cutting edge to help farmers grow bigger, better, more efficiently. And yes, they took advantage of that.

As all movements go, many ideas outstripped common sense and we saw overuse of chemicals along with shoddy care relying too heavily upon them as small farms turned into large corporations.

Unfortunately the pendulum has swung the other way not out of concern for the farmer, or even the animal, but for the rash of fake science surrounding much of the "where has your food been grown" mantra. Herbals and natural have become the new gods. and legislators are telling farmers how to farm.

A good vet relationship is essential, and many awesome vets are available in rural areas. Unfortunately for us Backyard owners, we are having to deal more and more with vets that are more and more influenced by the dollar possibility of caring for "precious" rather than reasonable care to an animal and complete misunderstanding towards farm animals. Due to ideologies, feed stores are forbidden to offer many products that could be useful.

Hopefully with continued gracious discussion a new balance will be formed that addresses legitimate concerns of chemical overuse yet recognizes the advantages of them and the economics of the farmer.

Shout out to a cattle farmer. That is an awesome and hard road to hoe

My daddy always kept a small herd of cattle after cowboying and ranging for many years. He said it was a job you did because you "can't do nothin' else." But he was smiling when he said it.

Lofmc

 

[Wickedchicken6]

You know exactly what I'm talking about. Excellent points!

We are fortunate that our vets at our clinic are practical, common sense vets. However, I'm still shellshocked from our meeting with one of our provincial vets.

I hope you are correct that with continued discussion, a new balance can be formed. I agree that the pendulum has swung too far. I hope it can be repositioned in the near future with good sense and practical knowledge. I very much appreaciate your sentiment regarding cattle farming. With the way this year has gone, it means much more than you can imagine.

 

[Kiki]

Wick...can you stock up on some of these things now?

 

[Kiki]

Stock up to temporarily avoid vet fees.