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Veterinary Medicine vocabulary · Treatment and Medicines

Antibiotic

Meaning in veterinary medicine, with examples

/ˌæntibaɪˈɒtɪk/nounCore term

In veterinary medicine, antibiotic means: A medicine that kills bacteria or stops them from multiplying. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections; they do not work against viruses.

In Turkish: antibiyotik

How it is used

Vets prescribe a course of antibiotics and stress responsible use because of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In farm animals, antibiotic use is recorded, and withdrawal periods apply to milk and meat.

Example sentences

  1. We'll only start antibiotics if the culture shows a bacterial infection.

  2. Milk from cows treated with antibiotics must be kept out of the bulk tank.

Common collocations

  • course of antibiotics
  • prescribe antibiotics
  • broad-spectrum antibiotic
  • antibiotic resistance
  • responsible antibiotic use
  • infectionThe invasion and growth of bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites in the body, causing disease or damage.
  • prescriptionA vet's written authorisation for a medicine to be supplied for a specific animal, giving the drug, the dose, how often to give it and for how long.
  • withdrawal periodThe minimum time that must pass after the last dose of a medicine before milk, meat, eggs or honey from the treated animal can be used for food.
  • mastitisInflammation of the udder or mammary gland, usually caused by bacterial infection. It is one of the most common and costly diseases of dairy cows.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Treatment and Medicines

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.