Scientists in Scotland will lead the world's first study of antibiotic resistance levels in a nation's pet population to help reduce infection risks for animals and humans.

The SRUC research team, based in Inverness, will work with the UK Government's Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) to create the country-wide surveillance programme to look at the prevalence of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in healthy cats and dogs.

Around half of adults in the UK have a companion pet in their home. They are in close contact with their owners and others in the wider community and there's a chance that infection, including antimicrobial resistant bacteria, can spread between them.

AMR can lead to infections becoming harder to treat or untreatable. Whenever bacteria are exposed to antibiotics it can drive the development of resistance, and so they should only be used when necessary.

Measuring AMR present in pets is an essential step towards understanding the risks and shaping effective ways to reduce the spread of resistant bacteria, keeping both people and animals healthier in the long run.

The pilot programme will build on existing AMR surveillance programmes in animals, coordinated by the VMD. Currently, surveillance for AMR in companion pets in the UK only includes samples collected from a limited number of clinically unwell animals. This is the first time a country has developed a national surveillance system for AMR in the population of healthy dogs and cats.

SRUC already has significant expertise in this field of work with members of the team having established animal health surveillance programmes in the UK and other countries. It's also been involved in a number of other studies on AMR, which is considered by the World Health Organisation to be one of the top global public health and development threats.

Abi Seager, Chief Executive of VMD, said: "Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most serious global health threats that we face. I am proud to launch this ground-breaking AMR surveillance project in healthy cats and dogs with SRUC who have a proven track-record in establishing surveillance programmes from the ground-up, and this new study is a truly One Health intervention to tackle AMR. A recent report published by the Public Accounts Committee on AMR, highlighted the need to address surveillance gaps in animals and we are pleased the VMD is already driving progress in this area."

John Berezowski, Professor in Disease Surveillance at SRUC's Rural and Veterinary Innovation Centre (RAVIC) in Inverness, said: "This initiative is critical for a better understanding of the transmission and maintenance of AMR in our pets. Our experts have worked hard to develop a practical AMR surveillance system. We plan to follow a team approach, working with pet owners and their vets as we explore how best to collect samples for surveillance throughout the UK."