Antibiotics may or

may not survive overuse. The last lot of antibiotics I had was many, many years ago - and I needed them. I was a rather poorly sort of cat.
But the Senior Cat is on antibiotics at the moment. He probably got a small seed or burr under his skin while gardening. It has come up as a red lump with a nasty, messy looking centre - well, it was that way when he finally got around to showing me. Things are now improving but back then I growled and said, "That needs attention - more attention than I can give it."
He has now had several trips to the medical centre while the thing is cleaned out, monitored and more. As he is now 94 they are not taking risks. 
Nephew Cat turned up yesterday to look at it - having been told by our GP that she would like him to monitor the situation over the weekend.  It was interesting to watch him change subtly from being "grandson" to "doctor". His partner, a nurse, actually dealt with changing the dressing. 
We all agreed antibiotics were necessary in this instance - and that they are too often overused. 
This bothers me because I know how much I needed them when they were prescribed for me. I am also aware of how some people have less capacity to fight infection than other people. Over prescribing antibiotics puts the very old, the very young, and those with a range of diseases and conditions at risk. The antibiotics they need will be less effective if they are over prescribed for other people. We all know that. It's selfish to want antibiotics just in the belief that they will help us "get better quicker" and because we don't like being ill. Is it selfish of me to want the Senior Cat to recover?
     "Now don't get that dressing soaking wet," the partner of Nephew Cat told the Senior Cat.
Hmmm.... I taped a plastic bag over the dressing so he could have a shower. He yelped when I pulled it off again. The Senior Cat still has a lot of fur!