Prudent Use of Veterinary Drugs: Impact on Safe Animal Products for Increased Productivity

Like any other therapeutic compounds, veterinary drugs are used to alleviate diseases in animals as either therapeutic or prophylactic compounds for specific disease entities. They can also be used as production aids in food producing animals to increase market sale of these animals whereby the producers save on the cost of production. The use of these drugs is also employed in companion animals specifically for disease control. In either case, whether used in food producing animals or in companion animals, fundamental considerations in proper usage should be emphasized. Prudent use of veterinary drugs is important for a number of reasons: ensuring safety to the animal patient and human safety considerations must be taken into account when products like edible tissues, milk and eggs from treated animals are consumed. In this meeting the fundamental objectives for prudent or judicious use of veterinary pharmacotherapeutic armaments are outline. The current concerns by international bodies with respect to their residues in food and other potential undesirable effects are also outlined. As members of the veterinary profession and those directly involved in the training of the professionals, efforts must be in place to implement these guidelines. The Kenya Veterinarian Vol. 27 2004: pp. 1-