12 Jun 2026
RUMA Companion Animal and Equine leaders hope the tools will help bring their targets for reducing usage in the treatment of dogs and cats closer.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Image: © Erik Lam / Adobe Stock
An industry group has released new resources it hopes will help achieve its aim of substantially reducing antimicrobial use (AMU) in companion animal care.
Condition-specific toolkits have been unveiled by the Responsible Use of Medicines Alliance – Companion Animal and Equine (RUMA CA&E) group today (12 June).
Their launch at the BVA Live event in Birmingham follows the publication of new national targets for AMU reduction in the treatment of dogs and cats last November.
The project has initially focused on two areas – canine acute diarrhoea and cat bite abscesses or fight wounds – where AMU has traditionally been high despite evidence suggesting many cases do not need such treatment.
Officials hope the new tools will encourage more evidence-based prescribing and greater consistency of antibiotic stewardship within practices.
RUMA CA&E secretary general Steve Howard said: “If stewardship efforts are going to gain traction, they need to begin with conditions where the evidence is strong, the case for change is clear and the impact can be meaningful.
“Canine acute diarrhoea and cat bite abscesses/cat fight wounds fit that criteria well.
“That makes them practical, high-impact starting points for helping teams review prescribing in everyday consultations.”
The new resources h6ave also been widely welcomed as a significant step towards the alliance’s aims to cut overall AMU use on dogs and cats by 30% and halve use of the highest priority critically important antimicrobials (HP-CIAs) in cats by 2030.
BVA senior vice-presi6dent Elizabeth Mullineaux described the tools as “a valuable addition” to existing resources on the topic.
She said: “By using antimicrobials to treat infections in dogs and cats only when necessary and backed by testing, small animal vets in the UK are helping achieve positive reductions in the use of these essential medicines and preserving them for both people as well as animals in the future.”
VMD chief executive Abi Seager added: “By focusing on areas such as canine acute diarrhoea and cat bite abscesses, this work helps turn ambition into practical support for veterinary teams.
“Accessible, evidence-based guidance is key to everyday clinical decision-making and to sustaining progress on antimicrobial stewardship.”
The toolkits can be accessed via the RUMA CA&E targets webpage.