Indiscriminate use of medicines in small animals in the city of Aracaju, Sergipe and metropolitan regions

Abstract

The indiscriminate use of medications in animals by their tutors is a routine problem in the veterinary clinical routine, and can cause several risks to the animal's health since intoxication right after administration, regarding chronic problems. The present study aimed to analyze through an online questionnaire open to the public the percentage of tutors in the city of Aracaju, Sergipe and metropolitan regions who have already medicated their animals without the guidance of a veterinarian, what is the profile of this tutor and what are the medications most used by them. The survey data were carried out totaling 228 inquiries answered. As for the city where the respondents live, Aracaju stood out with a total of 87.3%. Regarding the level of education, 49.4% of respondents had incomplete higher education. When asked about the use of medications without guidance from a veterinarian, 51.3% said they had used them. As for the interviewees' family income, the class earning below 1,045.00 stood out, representing 25.8% of the respondents. Regarding species, dogs were predominant with a total of 62.7%. Regarding the therapeutic classes of drugs, 69.4% were analgesics, 49.5% antibiotics and 28.8% non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Given the above, we can gain that most people either already use medications on their animals without prior consultation with the veterinarian and the most widely used pharmacological class was the painkiller.