Adverse side effects of oral antibacterial therapy in dogs and cats: an epidemiologic study of pet owners' observations.

This epidemiologic study surveyed pet owners for observations of adverse reactions to oral antibacterials which were prescribed to outpatients at a university teaching hospital. Multiple questions were asked of all clients whose dog or cat was treated during the 18-month study. The questionnaire was designed prospectively to define those reactions that clearly seemed to be medication related. In this study, owners noted a significant number of adverse side effects with erythromycin stearate administration to dogs. Trimethoprim-sulfadiazine was used most often in dogs but did not result in a substantial number of adverse reactions.