How companion animal veterinarians in the United States perceive financial constraints on antibiotic decision‐making

BACKGROUND The misuse of antibiotics is a persistent problem in both human and veterinary medicine. While complex social and behavioural factors drive inappropriate use in human medicine, less is known about factors that impact antibiotic use in companion animal medicine. OBJECTIVE To identify the perceptions that veterinarians practicing companion animal medicine hold about the influence of financial considerations on antibiotic use. METHODS Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with veterinarians practicing companion animal medicine in a major metropolitan area in the Eastern United States. Respondents were sampled purposefully, and data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS Interviews were conducted with 36 veterinarians from 19 practices. Veterinarians believed that their clients' willingness to pay for diagnostic testing or treatment interfered with their ability to make appropriate decisions about antibiotic use. Concerns over antibiotic expiration and subsequent financial losses limited which antibiotics veterinarians stocked. Some veterinarians feared that restricting antibiotic use to appropriate uses could harm their business and lead to economic euthanasia of their patients. CONCLUSIONS Veterinarians perceive that financial factors can impede their ability to appropriately prescribe antibiotics. Interventions that address the financial aspects of prescribing have the potential to improve antibiotic decision-making in veterinary medicine.