Comparison of ceftiofur sodium and oxytetracycline for treatment of acute interdigital phlegmon (foot rot) in feedlot cattle.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To determine whether ceftiofur sodium would be useful for treatment of acute interdigital phlegmon (foot rot) in cattle.

DESIGN:

Randomized controlled trial.

ANIMALS:

308 cross-bred yearling steers with clinical signs of acute interdigital phlegmon (i.e., lameness with interdigital swelling, interdigital lesions, or both).

PROCEDURE:

Steers were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: ceftiofur at a dosage of 0.1 mg/kg (0.045 mg/lb) of body weight, IM, every 24 hours; ceftiofur at a dosage of 1.0 mg/kg (0.45 mg/lb), IM, every 24 hours, and oxytetracycline at a dosage of 6.6 mg/kg (3 mg/lb), IM, every 24 hours. All animals were treated for 3 days; treatment was considered successful if animals were no longer lame on day 4. Biopsy specimens were collected prior to treatment from 5 animals in each group and submitted for anaerobic bacterial culture and histologic examination.

RESULTS:

Success rates for the high-dosage ceftiofur (94/129; 73%) and oxytetracycline (87/128; 68%) groups were significantly higher than that for the low-dosage ceftiofur group (5/50; 10%), but there were no significant differences between the high-dosage ceftiofur and oxytetracycline groups. Anaerobic bacteria most frequently isolated from biopsy specimens were Porphyromonas levii and Provetella intermedia.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS:

Use of ceftiofur at a dosage of 1.0 mg/kg for treatment of cattle with acute interdigital phlegmon was as effective as use of oxytetracycline at a dosage of 6.6 mg/kg. However, ceftiofur has a negligible withdrawal time and, therefore, may be a better choice for treatment of near-market weight animals.

• Authors: D W Morck, M E Olson, T J Louie, A Koppe, B Quinn
• Journal: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (J Am Vet Med Assoc) Vol. 212 Issue 2 Pg. 254-7 (Jan 15 1998) ISSN: 0003-1488 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9448831 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Cephalosporins
• ceftiofur
• Oxytetracycline

Topics

• Acute Disease
• Animals
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Bacteroidaceae Infections (drug therapy, veterinary)
• Biopsy (methods, veterinary)
• Cattle
• Cattle Diseases (drug therapy, microbiology, pathology)
• Cephalosporins (therapeutic use)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Foot (microbiology, pathology)
• Foot Rot (drug therapy, microbiology, pathology)
• Lameness, Animal (etiology)
• Oxytetracycline (therapeutic use)
• Porphyromonas (isolation & purification)
• Time Factors