Microbiology lab shortage

What Happened

A shortage of microbiology labs has become a recent major problem within practice. Laboratory capacity is being reduced as a result of COVID. This causes testing that is essential for selecting the correct antibiotics to be delayed.

Why This Is Important

• Vets may have to begin treatment without results.
• Increases the need for more broad antibiotics, fuelling antibiotic resistance.
• Increases the danger of epidemics.
• May impact public health.

Ethical Dilemmas

• Should a vet wait until the results and risk the animal being in danger?
• Should the vet not wait and risk antibiotic resistance by giving a broad spectrum antibiotic?

Vet Duties

• Make risk based choices by assessing how stable a patient is and how severe their case is.
• When point of care testing is available the vet should use them.
• Make giving narrow spectrum antibiotics a priority.
• Explain the delays to owners.
• Record treatment decisions appropriately.

MMI Examples

• “What would you do if you had to wait 2 weeks for lab results?”
• “How would you defend the prescription of antibiotics in the absence of a culture result?”

What Interviewers Are Looking For

Interviewers are looking for how you can make reasonable decisions based on the situation and how this relates to One Health. They are also looking at how you evaluate the situation in the best interest of the animal.