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In Switzerland, just over 700 veterinary medicinal products are authorized. Nevertheless, in practice veterinarians are often confronted with extraordinary situations in which a suitable veterinary medicinal product is not authorized, unavailable or otherwise not applicable. For livestock and horses in particular, this poses a challenge for pharmacotherapy due to food safety regulations. In these cases, the reclassification assistant can be used to determine whether and how a medicinal product containing the appropriate drug can be reclassified and correctly applied in food-producing animals. The users will be guided step by step with selectable options through the online assistant. If the desired reclassification is permitted in the legal framework, information on the withdrawal periods to be observed for the chosen medicinal product will be provided. This online assistant follows an algorithm based on the reclassification cascade and applicable food safety regulations.In der Schweiz sind etwas mehr als 700 Tierarzneimittel zugelassen. Trotzdem stehen die Tierärzte in der Praxis immer wieder vor ausserordentlichen Situationen, in denen ein passendes Tierarzneimittel nicht zugelassen, nicht verfügbar oder aus anderen Gründen nicht anwendbar ist. Für die Pharmakotherapie stellt dies vor allem bei Nutztieren und Pferden auf Grund der gesetzlichen Vorschriften bezüglich Lebensmittelsicherheit eine Herausforderung dar. In diesen Fällen kann mit Hilfe des Umwidmungs-Assistenten geprüft werden, ob ein Präparat mit dem passenden Wirkstoff umgewidmet werden kann und wie dieses Präparat korrekt anzuwenden ist. Die Nutzerinnen und Nutzer werden schrittweise mit wählbaren Optionen durch den Online-Assistenten geführt. Sofern die gewünschte Umwidmung im gesetzlichen Rahmen erlaubt ist, werden Angaben zu den für das Arzneimittel einzuhaltenden Absetzfristen angezeigt. Der Umwidmungs-Assistent folgt dabei einem auf der Umwidmungskaskade und den Bestimmungen der Lebensmittelsicherheit basierenden Algorithmus.En Suisse, un peu plus de 700 médicaments vétérinaires sont autorisés. Néanmoins, dans la pratique, les vétérinaires sont souvent confrontés à des situations extraordinaires dans lesquelles un médicament vétérinaire approprié n’est ni autorisé, ni disponible, ni utilisable pour d’autres raisons. En particulier pour le bétail et les chevaux, cela pose un défi pour la pharmacothérapie en raison de la réglementation sur la sécurité alimentaire. Dans ces cas, l’assistant de reconversion peut être utilisé pour déterminer si et comment un médicament contenant le principe actif approprié peut être reconverti et correctement appliqué. Les utilisateurs seront guidés pas à pas avec des options sélectionnables via l’assistant en ligne. Si la reconversion souhaitée est autorisée dans le cadre légal, des informations sur les délais d’attente à respecter pour le médicament choisi seront fournies. Cet assistant en ligne suit un algorithme basé sur la cascade de reconversion les réglementations applicables en matière de sécurité alimentaire.In Svizzera sono poco più di 700 i medicamenti veterinari omologati. Tuttavia, nella pratica, i veterinari si trovano ripetutamente confrontati a situazioni straordinarie in cui un medicamento veterinario adatto non è omologato, non disponibile o non utilizzabile per altri motivi. Per la farmacoterapia, ciò rappresenta una sfida, soprattutto per gli animali da reddito e i cavalli, a causa delle disposizioni legali in materia di sicurezza delle derrate alimentari. In questi casi, l’assistente al cambiamento di destinazione può essere utilizzato per verificare se un preparato con il principio attivo appropriato può ottenere una nuova destinazione e come questo preparato può essere utilizzato correttamente. Gli utenti vengono guidati passo dopo passo attraverso l’assistente online con opzioni selezionabili. Se il cambiamento di destinazione desiderato è consentito dal quadro giuridico, vengono visualizzate le informazioni sui termini di attesa da rispettare per il medicamento. L’assistente per il cambiamento di destinazione segue un algoritmo basato sulle norme di sicurezza delle derrate alimentari e sulla cascata per il cambiamento di destinazione.

The administration of antibiotics in livestock has been criticized for many years, in particular because of an inappropriate use and the appearance of antibiotic residues in the environment, which can promote the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria. However, antibiotics are essential for the successful and sustainable control of bacterial pathogens. With the aim of optimizing the use of antibiotics in food animals and minimizing the prevalence of resistant bacteria, AntibioticScout. ch provides a decision aid for the prudent use of antimicrobial drugs. This approach emphasizes the importance of supportive therapy and the hallmarks of preventive concepts. Procedures to improve animal health and animal welfare in accordance with the principles of good veterinary practice are primary and effective tools to reduce the use of antimicrobial drugs. The necessary reduction in the use of antibiotics must, therefore, be accompanied by appropriate management strategies in animal husbandry. In particular, hygiene, animal welfare and biosecurity measures are crucial to ensure an optimal health status in farm animals.Seit Jahren wird der Einsatz von Antibiotika in der Nutztierhaltung diskutiert, insbesondere wegen unsachgemässer Anwendung sowie der Umweltbelastung mit Antibiotikarückständen, die das Auftreten und die Ausbreitung von Resistenzen fördern. Antibiotika sind jedoch wesentlich für eine erfolgreiche und nachhaltige Bekämpfung bakterieller Krankheitserreger. Mit dem Ziel, den Einsatz von Antibiotika in der Nutztierhaltung zu optimieren und damit die Entwicklung von Resistenzen zu reduzieren, bietet AntibioticScout.ch eine Entscheidungshilfe für den umsichtigen Gebrauch dieser Wirkstoffe („prudent use“). Gleichzeitig wird das Augenmerk auf die unterstützende Therapie und Ansätze zur Prävention gerichtet. Massnahmen zur Verbesserung der Tiergesundheit und des Tierwohls unter Beachtung der Grundsätze der guten veterinärmedizinischen Praxis sind primäre und wirkungsvolle Instrumente zur Reduzierung des Antibiotikaeinsatzes. Diese notwendige Reduktion muss daher mit geeigneten Managementstrategien in der Tierhaltung einhergehen. Insbesondere Hygiene und tiergerechte Haltungsbedingungen sowie die Implementierung von Biosicherheits-Massnahmen sind für die Optimierung der Gesundheit der Nutztierbestände entscheidend.On discute depuis des années de l’usage des antibiotiques dans l’élevage des animaux de rente, en particulier en ce qui concerne leur utilisation incorrecte et la charge environnementale liée à des résidus d’antibiotiques susceptibles de favoriser l’apparition et la propagation de résistances. Toutefois les antibiotiques sont essentiels pour assurer une lutte efficace et durable contre les maladies d’origine bactérienne. Dans le but d’optimiser l’usage des antibiotiques dans l’élevage des animaux de rente et, par conséquence, de réduire le développement de résistances, AntibioticScout.ch propose une aide à la décision pour un usage prudent de ces substances („prudent use“). Parallèlement, on attire l’attention sur les traitements adjuvants et sur les mesures de prévention. Des mesures visant à améliorer la santé et le bien-être des animaux en tenant compte des fondements d’une bonne pratique vétérinaire sont des instruments efficaces pour réduire l’usage des antibiotiques. Cette réduction indispensable doit donc être combinée avec des mesures de gestion adéquates dans les élevages. Ce sont en particulier l’hygiène et les conditions d’élevage correctes ainsi que la mise en place de mesures de biosécurité qui sont décisives pour l’optimisation de la santé des troupeaux.Da anni, l’uso di antibiotici nell’allevamento di animali da reddito viene discusso, in particolare a causa dell’uso improprio e dell’esposizione ambientale dei residui provenienti dagli antibiotici che provocano la comparsa e la diffusione di resistenze. Tuttavia, gli antibiotici sono essenziali per una lotta efficace e duratura contro agenti patogeni batterici. Allo scopo di ottimizzare l’uso di antibiotici nell’allevamento di animali da reddito e quindi di ridurre lo sviluppo di resistenze, Antibiotic Scout.ch offre uno strumento decisionale per un impiego prudente di queste sostanze (“prudent use”). Contemporaneamente, l’attenzione è rivolta alle terapie e ai principi di supporto per la prevenzione. Le misure per migliorare la salute degli animali e il loro benessere nel rispetto dei principi di una buona pratica veterinaria sono gli strumenti primari ed efficaci per ridurre l’uso di antibiotici. Queste riduzioni necessarie devono essere accompagnate da adatte strategie di allevamento. In particolare, l’igiene e le condizioni di tenuta corrette degli animali così come l’implementazione di misure di biosicurezza sono determinanti per ottimizzare la salute degli animali di allevamento.

This retrospective study evaluated the frequency, etiology, therapy and prognosis of animal poisoning registered from 2003 to 2012. The relevant cases reported to the Swiss Toxicological Information Center (STIC) were compared with those from previously examined periods. Human medicines not approved for animals and pesticides represented the most common causes of poisoning in dogs. Novel cases occurred as a consequence of the exposure of dogs to ricinus fertilizers, grape residues from wineries, pepper lachrymatory spray and dry bouillon. Cats are still freequently poisoned by pyrethroid drugs that should be administered only to dogs. Agrochmical products are the main source of toxicities in farm animals. Most poisonings in horses and exotic animals took place due to toxic plants. In addition, two tigers died of a secondary poisoning after ingestion of meat from euthanized calves.

Phytotherapy becomes increasingly popular in veterinary medicine. To fully exploit the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants and ensure their safe use, knowledge about the effective plant parts and preparations is required. Improper use and overdosage of medicinal plants can be toxic. With www.phytoarznei.ch, we provide an online decision support aid that allows for the retrieval of currently available information on medicinal plants and their use in domestic animals. This decision support system is based on the available literature in the field, which after critical evaluation has been incorporated into a structured database. For each medicinal plant or drug, we have listed therapeutic indications, different application types, organoleptic properties, plant ingredients, pharmacological effects, dosages, duration of treatment, toxicity, legal frame for use in livestock and relevance for doping. A user-friendly access to all data is achieved by means of two search programs, either by entering the plant name or name of the drug in a search field or by selecting the desired animal species and therapeutic application from respective drop-down lists. This database on medicinal plant applications in animals is linked to the poisonous plant database of the University of Zurich and, for marketed preparations, to the Swiss compendium of veterinary medicinal products as well as to an index of related veterinary products., Die Phytotherapie gewinnt auch in der Veterinärmedi­zin zunehmend an Beliebtheit. Um das therapeutische Potenzial der Arzneipflanzen auszuschöpfen und deren sicheren Einsatz zu gewährleisten, bedarf es aber beson­derer Kenntnisse der wirksamen Pflanzenteile bezie­hungsweise Zubereitungen. Unsachgemässe Anwendun­gen und Überdosierungen von Arzneipflanzen können toxisch sein. Deshalb haben wir mit www.phytoarznei.ch eine Entscheidungshilfe geschaffen, die online einen raschen Zugriff auf das aktuelle Wissen zu Arzneipflan­zen und deren Gebrauch bei Tieren erlaubt. Dieses Informationssystem basiert auf der verfügbaren Fach­literatur, die nach kritischer Auswertung in eine struk­turierte Datenbank eingebracht wurde. Für jede Arz­neipflanze beziehungsweise pflanzliche Droge sind therapeutische Indikationen, Anwendungsarten, orga­noleptische Eigenschaften, Inhaltsstoffe, pharmakolo­gische Wirkungen, Dosierungen, Behandlungsdauer, Toxizität, gesetzliche Vorschriften bei Nutztieren sowie Dopingrelevanz aufgeführt. Zwei Suchprogramme ge­währleisten einen benutzerfreundlichen Zugang, entwe­der durch die Eingabe des Pflanzennamens, des Dro­gennamens bzw. der Inhaltsstoffe der Pflanze in einem Suchfeld oder durch die Auswahl der gewünschten Tierspezies sowie therapeutischen Anwendung aus ent­sprechenden Dropdown­Listen. Diese Datenbank zu Arzneipflanzen ist mit der Giftpflanzendatenbank der Universität Zürich und, falls entsprechende Fertigprä­parate vorliegen, mit dem Schweizerischen Tierarznei­mittelkompendium sowie einem Verzeichnis von Vete­rinärprodukten verknüpft.

Bacterial resistances to antimicrobial drugs pose serious public health challenges. The observed increase of resistances is attributed to the uncontrolled, massive and often unnecessary administration of antibiotics both in human and veterinary medicine. To support the responsible use of antimicrobials in animals and help veterinarians selecting the most suitable antimicrobial drugs, we developed the AntibioticScout.ch as a comprehensive decision supporting tool providing online access to the current knowledge of rational antibiotic prescription practices. User-friendly search functions allow for the fast and efficient retrieval of information that is structured in this database by animal species, organ systems and therapeutic indications. In addition, an online form allows to report treatment failures in order to identify problematic cases as well as ensuing risks and take appropriate mitigation measures. The present report describes the workflow of this decision support system applied to the prudent use of antimicrobials in companion animal medicine.Bakterielle Resistenzen gegenüber antimikrobiellen Wirkstoffen stellen das Gesundheitssystem vor grosse Herausforderungen. Die Ursachen für die Zunahme der Resistenzen werden der ungezielten, massiven und oftmals überflüssigen Verabreichung von Antibiotika sowohl in der Human- wie auch in der Veterinärmedizin zugeschrieben. Um den verantwortungsvollen Einsatz von antimikrobiellen Wirkstoffen in der Veterinärmedizin zu unterstützen und die Tierärzteschaft bei der Auswahl des geeigneten Antibiotikums zu beraten, wurde mit AntibioticScout.ch eine umfassende Online-Entscheidungshilfe geschaffen, die jederzeit Zugriff auf anerkannte Prinzipien der evidenzbasierten Verschreibungspraxis erlaubt. Die Datenbank ist nach Tierarten, Organsystemen und Indikationen strukturiert und benutzerfreundliche Suchprogramme gewähren das rasche und effiziente Auffinden der Informationen. Darüber hinaus wird ein Online-Formular zur Meldung von Unwirksamkeiten angeboten um Problemfälle sowie Risiken zu erkennen und die Entscheidungshilfe zu verbessern. Mit dem vorliegenden Beitrag soll die Anwendung des AntibioticScout für den umsichtigen Einsatz von Antibiotika in der Kleintiermedizin veranschaulicht werden.Les résistances bactériennes face aux substances antimicrobiennes placent le système de santé face à de grands défis. L’augmentation des résistances est attribuée à une utilisation mal dirigée, massive et souvent inutile d’antibiotiques tant en médecine humaine qu’en médecine vétérinaire. Afin d’encourager une utilisation responsable des substances antimicrobiennes en médecine vétérinaire et pour soutenir les vétérinaires lors du choix de l’antibiotique adapté, on a créé, avec AntibioticScout. ch, une aide à la décision de grande envergure qui permet de recourir à chaque instant aux principes de prescription reconnus de la médecine fondée sur les faits (Evidence Based Medicine). La banque de données est structurée par espèces animales, systèmes d’organes et indications et un moteur de recherche intuitif garantit de trouver rapidement et efficacement les informations. D’autre part un formulaire en ligne pour l’annonce d’une inefficacité est proposé afin de reconnaitre les cas à problèmes et les risques en vue d’améliorer l’aide au diagnostic. La présente contribution pour but de démontrer l’utilisation d’AntibioticScout pour un usage prudent des antibiotiques en médecine des petits animaux.Il sistema sanitario deve far fronte a importanti sfide a causa della resistenza batterica agli antimicrobici. Le ragioni dell’incrementata resistenza sono attribuibili alla somministrazione non mirata, massiccia e spesso inutile di antibiotici sia nella medicina umana che veterinaria. Per sostenere un impiego responsabile di sostanze attive antimicrobiche in medicina veterinaria e per consigliare i veterinari nella scelta dell’antibiotico appropriato, è stata creata la piattaforma online AntibioticScout. ch. Questa è uno strumento decisionale online che permette di accedere immediatamente ai principi riconosciuti, basati sull’evidenza, nella prassi delle prescrizioni. La banca dati è suddivisa per specie dell’animale, organo e indicazione e inoltre di un programma di ricerca, di facile utilizzo, che permette una rapida e efficace ricerca delle informazioni. Inoltre viene messo a disposizione un modulo online di notifica dell’inefficacia della terapia antibiotica per riconoscere casi problematici e rischi in modo da migliorare il processo decisionale. Questo studio desidera illustrare l’applicazione di AntibioticScout per un impiego prudente di antibiotici nei piccoli animali.

Resistances to antimicrobials pose serious public health challenges. This issue concerns both human and veterinary medicine and can only be solved by a multidisciplinary approach. A comprehensive concept is, therefore, being worked out within the StAR (strategy antibiotic resistance) program in order to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics for humans as well as animals. In this context, the AntibioticScout (www.AntibioticScout. ch) offers a new online tool for the prudent use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine. By involving all stakeholders, the guidelines included in the AntibioticScout will result in a nationwide accepted standard for the treatment of bacterial infections in animals. An additional system for the rapid reporting of cases of suspected lack of efficacy of antimicrobials is integrated to allow early detection of emerging resistance and the immediate launch of risk mitigation measures. A first version of the AntibioticScout for the treatment of dogs, cats and horses is available by the end of 2016. All stakeholders are now invited to contribute to the development of the AntibioticScout decision support.Resistenzen gegenüber antimikrobiellen Wirkstoffen stellen das Gesundheitssystem vor grosse Herausforderungen. Dieses Problem betrifft die Human- wie die Veterinärmedizin und kann nur bereichsübergreifend gelöst werden. Deshalb wird mit dem StAR (Strategie Antibiotikaresistenzen)-Programm ein umfassendes Gesamtkonzept ausgearbeitet, um die Wirksamkeit von Antibiotika für Mensch und Tier langfristig zu erhalten. In diesem Zusammenhang bieten wir mit der Entwicklung des AntibioticScout (www.AntibioticScout.ch) ein neues Online-Instrument an, um den verantwortungsvollen Einsatz von Antibiotika in der Veterinärmedizin zu unterstützen. Unter Einbezug aller Interessenvertreter sollen Leitlinien zu einem national akzeptierten Standard zur Therapie von bakteriellen Infektionen bei Tieren erarbeitet und im AntibioticScout aufgeführt werden. Darüber hinaus wird ein Sofortsystem zur Meldung von Unwirksamkeiten angeboten, um Risiken frühzeitig zu erkennen und entsprechende Massnahmen zu ergreifen. Eine erste Fassung des AntibioticScout für die Behandlung von Hunden, Katzen und Pferden ist ab Ende 2016 verfügbar. Alle Interessenvertreter sind nun eingeladen, sich am Aufbau des AntibioticScout zu beteiligen.Les résistances face aux substances antimicrobiennes placent le système de santé face à de grands défis. Ce problème touche aussi bien la médecine humaine que vétérinaire et ne peut être réglé que de façon transversale. C’est pour cette raison qu’a été développé, avec le programme StAR (Strategie Antibiotikaresistenzen), un concept global pour assurer à long terme l’efficacité des antibiotiques aussi bien chez les hommes que chez les animaux. Dans ce contexte, nous mettons à disposition, avec le développement d’AntibioticScout (www.AntibioticScout. ch), un nouvel outil en ligne pour soutenir un usage responsable des antibiotiques en médecine vétérinaire. Avec le concours de représentants de tous les milieux intéressés, il s’agit de développer les lignes directrices d’un standard accepté au plan national pour le traitement des infections bactériennes chez les animaux et de le mettre à disposition dans AntibioticScout. En outre un système d’annonce immédiate en cas d’inefficacité sera mis en place, afin de repérer précocement les risques et de prendre les mesures correspondantes. Une première version d’AntibioticScout pour le traitement des chiens, chats et chevaux est disponible dès fin 2016. Tous les cercles intéressés sont dès maintenant invités à contribuer au développement d’Antibiotic Scout.Il sistema sanitario è messo a dura prova dalla resistenza agli agenti antimicrobici. Questo problema riguarda sia la medicina umana che quella veterinaria e può essere risolto solo in modo trasversale. Pertanto, è stato redatto sotto il nome di programma StAR (strategia contro la resistenza agli antibiotici) un approccio integrato per preservare l’efficacia degli antibiotici per l’uomo e per gli animali sul lungo termine. In questo contesto, con lo sviluppo di AntibioticScout (www.AntibioticScout. ch) proponiamo un nuovo strumento online per sostenere l’uso responsabile degli antibiotici in medicina veterinaria. Con il sostegno di tutte le parti interessate saranno sviluppate delle linee guida, con uno standard riconosciuto a livello nazionale, per il trattamento delle infezioni batteriche negli animali. Queste saranno inserite in AntibioticScout. Inoltre, alfine di identificare in anticipo i rischi e di prendere le misure necessarie, verrà offerto un sistema istantaneo per riportare le inefficienze. Una versione iniziale di AntibioticScout per il trattamento di cani, gatti e cavalli sarà disponibile a partire dalla fine del 2016. Tutte le parti interessate sono invitate a partecipare alla realizzazione di Antibiotic- Scout.

Im Jahr 2006 wurden insgesamt 190 unerwunschte Arzneimittelwirkungen gemeldet: 118 betrafen pharmakologisch aktive und 72 immunologische Arzneimittel. Die Mehrzahl der gemeldeten Reaktionen betraf die Anwendung von Antiparasitika (48%) und jede zweite Meldung betraf einen Hund. Danach folgten bei den Tierarzneimitteln, der Haufigkeit nach, die Antiinfektiva (20%) und die heterogene Gruppe der umgewidmeten Praparate (12%). Katzen bildeten die zweithaufigste betroffene Tiergruppe (24%), gefolgt von Rindern/Kalbern (16%). Bei immunologischen Arzneimitteln uberwiegen die Meldungen beim Hund (62%), gefolgt von Pferden (11%) und Rindern (10%). Am haufigsten wurde uber unerwunschte Wirkungen nach Anwendung eines Piroplasmose-Impfstoffs berichtet. Zusatzlich gingen 349 Anfragen beim STIZ ein. Wir prasentieren zudem eine schwerwiegende unerwunschte Reaktion in Form eines Stevens-Johnson Syndroms bei einer Katze, sowie einen Fall von Ketaminmissbrauch. Wir sind besonders erfreut uber die zunehmenden Teilnahmen der praktizierenden KollegInnen und arbeiten an zusatzlichen Anpassungen des etablierten Systems.

Im Jahr 2005 wurden 105 Meldungen uber unerwunschten Arzneimittelwirkungen (UAWs) von pharmakologisch aktiven Substanzen und immunologischen Arzneimitteln eingereicht. Dies entspricht eine Zunahme von uber 35% gegenuber dem Jahr 2004. Eine Mehrzahl der Meldungen wurde durch praktizierende Tierarzte eingesandt. Wie in fruheren Jahren wurden hauptsachlich unerwunschte Wirkungen nach Anwendung von Tierarzneimitteln bei Kleintieren gemeldet (73%). Die am haufigsten betroffene Klasse ist wiederum diejenige der Antiparasitika (48%), welche hauptsachlich extern bei Kleintieren angewendet wurden. Danach folgten, der Haufigkeit nach, Praparate zur Behandlung von gastrointestinalen Storungen (11%) und die heterogene Gruppe der umgewidmeten Praparate (14%; Anwendung bei einer anderen Tierart oder fur eine andere Indikation). Zum ersten Mal wurden 2 Meldungen uber die irrtumliche Anwendung von Permethrin-haltigen Spot-on Praparaten bei Katzen ubermittelt. Die Auswertung von 20 Meldungen uber unerwunschte Wirkungen nach Anwendung von Impfstoffen wird mit dem Schwerpunkt Fibrosarkome bei Katzen prasentiert. Wir freuen uns uber die wachsende Beachtung des Vigilanzsystems bei praktizierenden Tierarztinnen und Tierarzten und hoffen, diese Zusammenarbeit weiter entwickeln zu konnen.

We received 62 reports of suspected adverse events (SARs) for the year 2004. Their number and repartition according to affected animals and active substances were comparable with the previous year. The distributors or manufacturers submitted most of the declarations, but the proportion submitted by practicing veterinarians is slowly growing. 72% of the declarations dealt with adverse reactions in small animals (cats and dogs), followed by cattle and horses. Antiparasitics, anti-inflammatory drugs and immunologicals were the most frequently mentioned therapeutic classes, which are listed here according to the international ATCvet classification. A report from abroad about a fatality following injection of an antibiotic preparation for cattle prompted Swissmedic to review the security of this medication also sold on the Swiss market. It was decided to modify the package insert to warn about the danger of inadvertent self-injection in humans, to reduce the risk of similar accidents in Switzerland. We hope that the pharmacovigilance system will enjoy an increasing awareness by the practicing veterinarians.

Pharmacovigilance is a system concerned with the acquisition, evaluation and classification of informations about suspected adverse drug reactions (SADR). Such a system was developed in Switzerland under the supervision of Swissmedic after the introduction of the federal law on therapeutic products on January 1st 2002. By sending declarations about SADRs, veterinary practitioners play a central role in this scheme. The reports are processed according to international standards (ABON) and provide useful hints to enhance the safety of drug usage by both patients and owners. The system acquired 58 reports in its first complete year of operation (2003). Analysis of these reveals that trends observed in foreign countries are also applicable to Switzerland: most of the reports concerned the use of antiparasitic or antibiotic drugs in small animals. The first year also revealed a high percentage of declarations coming from the pharmaceutical companies and the authors would therefore like to encourage practitioners to take a more active part in this scheme.

Because cases of poisoning are observed rarely, veterinary practitioners have only limited knowledge of clinical toxicology and may face considerable problems in handling toxicological emergencies. In this report, we describe a novel decision support system for the management of poisonings in companion animals that provides rapid access to the current knowledge of clinical toxicology. For that purpose, relevant reports from the peer-reviewed literature were evaluated and organised according to the requirements of a structured database. The information provided for each toxic substance includes a summary of its chemical and physical properties, sources, commercial uses or natural occurrences, toxicokinetic data, mechanisms of action, threshold doses, clinical symptoms with brief case reports, sampling and analytical results, post-mortem findings, differential diagnoses, therapeutic guidelines and references to the literature. This decision support system has been programmed with two user-friendly search functions: a search tool that allows to choose clinical symptoms, and another function that serves to find a substance using its chemical name, the class of compounds to wich it belongs, a possible source or one of its main applications. CliniTox can be accessed directly via our webserver (http://www.clinitox.ch).

Intramuscular (i.m.) administration of medetomidine (MED) may avoid the severe pressor effects caused by peripheral actions of MED associated with intravenous (i.v.) dosing. The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics, the time course of sedation and occurence of hypoxaemia after i.m. administration of MED in domestic sheep. The MED was injected i.m. at a dose of 30 micro g/kg in nine domestic sheep. Blood was sampled at 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 120, 180, 240, 360 and 600 min after MED. Sedation was assessed and arterial blood samples were taken before and 35 min after MED application. Mean (SD) pharmacokinetic parameters of i.m. MED were: absorption half-life: 13.2 (7.5) min; terminal half-life: 32.7 (14.9) min; time to peak concentration: 29.2 (8.9) min; peak concentration: 4.98 (1.89) ng/mL; volume of distribution: 3.9 (2.4) l/kg; total body clearance: 81.0 (21.5) mL/(min kg). Peak sedation occurred between 30 and 40 min after injection of MED. The degree of sedation correlated with individual plasma concentrations (rS: 0.926). One animal became hypoxaemic (PaO2 = 54.1 mmHg).

The aim of this study was to determine whether any pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic differences exist in goats between propofol in its currently licensed form (Disoprivan) and a new 1% solution of propofol (NSP) containing polysorbate 80. Nine goats received, on two different occasions in a randomized double-blinded order, 4 mg/kg propofol intravenously (i.v.; Disoprivan or NSP). To detect differences in cardiopulmonary effects and pharmacokinetics, the Wilcoxon signed rank test for paired data was used. In the NSP group the duration of initial apnoea was significantly longer, and 6 and 12 min after drug application PaO2 levels were significantly lower than in the Disoprivan group. Mean cardiovascular parameters did not differ significantly between the groups but in the NSP group in six goats marked changes in blood pressure occurred: systolic arterial pressures fell to a minimum of 40-60 mmHg within the first 10 min. This was followed by a marked increase in blood pressure, with maxima exceeding 300 mmHg. In the NSP group the half-life of propofol was significantly longer, the clearance rate was smaller and the areas under the drug concentration-time curves were larger than in the Disoprivan group. The cardiopulmonary side-effects of NSP suggest that propofol dissolved in polysorbate 80 is not a suitable alternative to the current formulation of propofol.

The pharmacokinetics of intravenous (i.v.) medetomidine (7 mcg kg –1 ) were best described by a two-compartment model in five ponies. Total body clearance was 4 (SD 0.60) 1 kg h, –1 t 1/2α 7.6 (0.91) minutes and t 1/2β 51.3 (13.09) minutes. In one pony the one-compartmental model was best fit, and total body clearance was 4.2 l kg h –1 and t 1/2 was 11 minutes. Medetomidine plasma levels had fallen below the limits of quantification (0.05 ng ml –1 ) within 4 hours. Medetomidine 5 mcg kg –1 i.v. followed by an infusion of 3.5 mcg kg h –1 for two hours provided a constant level of sedation reaching steady state plasma medetomidine levels of 1–1.5 ng ml –1 within 30 minutes. Sedation was reversed effectively by atipamezole (60 mcg kg –1 ) i.v. The pharmacokinetics of medetomidine make it suitable for prolonged use by infusion, such as is required as part of a total intravenous anaesthetic technique in horses.

We received 190 reports of suspected adverse events (SARs) following the use of veterinary drugs for the year 2006: 118 declarations for veterinary drugs and 72 declarations following the application of immunolgical medicinal products. Most of the 118 declarations relate to the use of antiparasitic drugs (48%) and every second declaration to drug use in dogs. Other drug classes concerned were, in decreasing order, antiinfectives (20%) and drugs used off-label (12%; other target species or other indication). For the vaccines, most of the reactions occurred in dogs (62%) followed by horses (11%) and cattle (10%). The most frequently reported reactions concerned the use of a vaccine against piroplasmosis. Another 349 requests for information were processed by the Swiss Toxicological Information center. We also present a case of a serious adverse reaction in form of a Stevens-Johnson syndrome in a cat as well as a case of ketamine abuse. We note the growing interest of practicing veterinarians with pleasure and are currently working on further adaptations to the system.

We received 105 reports of suspected adverse events (SARs) following the use of veterinary drugs for the year 2005. This corresponds to a 35% increase compared to 2004. Practicing veterinarians sent most of these declarations. 73% of these concerned drugs used on companion animals. Antiparasitic drugs approved for topical use were the most frequently represented group with 48%, followed by drugs used to treat gastrointestinal disorders (11%) and drugs used off-label (14%; other target species or other indication). For the first time 2 declarations concerning the application of permethrin containing spot-on preparations used by mistake on cats were received. An overview of 20 declarations about adverse reactions following application of different vaccines is also presented with emphasis on the problem of fibrosarcoma in cats. We are pleased by the growing interest shown by practicing veterinarians for the vigilance system and hope to further develop this collaboration in the future.

The new Swiss ordinance on veterinary drugs poses a new challenge to the veterinarians, specially those working with farm animals. A complete overview about the registered veterinary drugs and immunobiologicals is absolutely necessary to cope with these new tasks: the internet version of the Swiss Veterinary Drug Compendium is a versatile tool to satisfy this needs (http://www.tierarzneimittel.ch). Due to the frequent updates and powerful search possibilities, this database is a reliable and comprehensive information system regarding Swiss veterinary drugs. We will demonstrate how this system can be used as a valuable help in the case of reconversions of drugs (e.g. use of small animal drugs in farm animals).

The new Swiss ordinance on veterinary drugs poses a new challenge to the veterinarians, specially those working with farm animals. A complete overview about the registered veterinary drugs and immunobiologicals is absolutely necessary to cope with these new tasks: the internet version of the Swiss Veterinary Drug Compendium is a versatile tool to satisfy this needs (http://www.tierarzneimittel.ch). Due to the frequent updates and powerful search possibilities, this database is a reliable and comprehensive information system regarding Swiss veterinary drugs. We will demonstrate how this system can be used as a valuable help in the case of reconversions of drugs (e.g. use of small animal drugs in farm animals).

We received 62 reports of suspected adverse events (SARs) for the year 2004. Their number and repartition according to affected animals and active substances were comparable with the previous year. The distributors or manufacturers submitted most of the declarations, but the proportion submitted by practicing veterinarians is slowly growing. 72% of the declarations dealt with adverse reactions in small animals (cats and dogs), followed by cattle and horses. Antiparasitics, anti-inflammatory drugs and immunologicals were the most frequently mentioned therapeutic classes, which are listed here according to the international ATCvet classification. A report from abroad about a fatality following injection of an antibiotic preparation for cattle prompted Swissmedic to review the security of this medication also sold on the Swiss market. It was decided to modify the package insert to warn about the danger of inadvertent self-injection in humans, to reduce the risk of similar accidents in Switzerland. We hope that the pharmacovigilance system will enjoy an increasing awareness by the practicing veterinarians.

Pharmacovigilance is a system concerned with the acquisition, evaluation and classification of informations about suspected adverse drug reactions (SADR). Such a system was developed in Switzerland under the supervision of Swissmedic after the introduction of the federal law on therapeutic products on January 1st 2002. By sending declarations about SADRs, veterinary practitioners play a central role in this scheme. The reports are processed according to international standards (ABON) and provide useful hints to enhance the safety of drug usage by both patients and owners. The system acquired 58 reports in its first complete year of operation (2003). Analysis of these reveals that trends observed in foreign countries are also applicable to Switzerland: most of the reports concerned the use of antiparasitic or antibiotic drugs in small animals. The first year also revealed a high percentage of declarations coming from the pharmaceutical companies and the authors would therefore like to encourage practitioners to take a more active part in this scheme.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Recombinant (r)-hirudin is a specific inhibitor of thrombin that is independent of the activity of antithrombin. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate pharmacokinetic properties and coagulatory changes of r-hirudin in healthy horses. METHODS: Two clinically healthy horses received a single i.v. bolus of 0.4 mg/kg bwt r-hirudin and 6 clinically healthy horses received the same dose subcutaneously (subcut.) q. 12 h for 3 days. Coagulation times and r-hirudin plasma concentration were determined over 720 mins and 3 days after i.v. and subcut. administration, respectively. RESULTS: In all horses, treatment with r-hirudin was not associated with systemic or local side effects. After i.v. injection, the 2 horses showed an elimination half-life of 58 and 80 mins, respectively. After subcut. administration, maximum plasma concentration of r-hirudin occurred at 128 +/- 55 mins and declined with a terminal half-life of 561 +/- 364 mins. Maximum response of activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) occurred 1.5 h after administration of r-hirudin. A prolongation of 1.9 +/- 0.2 times the pretreatment value was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacokinetics of r-hirudin in healthy horses were similar to those in man and other animal species. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: The results of this study indicate that r-hirudin can be used in horses, but further studies should be performed in order to prove its effectiveness in diseased horses.