Which of the following is a strategy to minimize antibiotic resistance in a veterinary practice?

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Targeted antibiotic selection based on culture and susceptibility results minimizes resistance by ensuring the drug chosen is active against the actual pathogen and, ideally, has the narrowest possible spectrum. This reduces unnecessary broad-spectrum use and the selection pressure that drives resistance, while still aiming for an effective cure. In practice, samples are collected from the infection site for culture before or early in therapy when feasible, results guide the antibiotic choice and dosing, and therapy can be de-escalated or adjusted as soon as susceptibilities are known. Other stewardship practices—using narrow-spectrum agents when appropriate, limiting duration, and reinforcing infection control and client education—are valuable, but culture-guided decisions directly tailor therapy to the pathogen and have the strongest impact on minimizing resistance.