Therapeutic decisions. Choosing appropriate antimicrobial therapy

Certain principles and clinical techniques can be applied to antimicrobial therapy, whatever the specific circumstances. This review is intended to consider these general principles in the context of the decisions that must be made in order to apply antimicrobial therapy in veterinary patients. Attention is given to beneficial properties that contribute to action against bacterial infections, in both qualitative and quantitative terms. Selection of an antimicrobial is considered from the perspective of the laboratory test that can be used to support decisions. Finally, a structured and formal method for evaluating the overall decision making process is described.