More conservative use of antimicrobials does not adversely affect treatment outcomes in foal bronchopneumonia.
Boeger L, Volkmann N, Probst J, Kemper N, Venner M · Veterinary Journal · 19 February 2026
Conservative antimicrobial protocols achieve equivalent outcomes in foal bronchopneumonia treatment.
This study investigates the clinical efficacy of conservative antimicrobial protocols in treating foal bronchopneumonia, a significant respiratory disease in equine neonates and young horses. The research examines whether reducing antimicrobial drug usage and duration maintains therapeutic effectiveness while potentially minimizing adverse effects associated with prolonged antibiotic exposure, such as dysbiosis and antimicrobial resistance development. The authors evaluated treatment outcomes in foals receiving reduced antimicrobial regimens compared to conventional more aggressive treatment protocols. Results demonstrated that conservative antimicrobial strategies did not compromise clinical outcomes, suggesting that judicious use of antibiotics is both clinically justified and therapeutically sound in foal bronchopneumonia cases. This finding has important implications for equine practice, supporting the principles of antimicrobial stewardship while maintaining high standards of patient care. The study contributes valuable evidence for optimizing antibiotic use in equine medicine, addressing the growing concern about antimicrobial resistance in veterinary medicine.
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