The effect of intermittent treatment with sulphadimidine on coccidiosis in preruminant calves.
Preruminant calves excreted coccidia oocysts in their faeces after 3 weeks of group housing. Two weeks of oral sulphadimidine (SDM) administration, 50 mg/kg on the first day of treatment followed by daily administration of 37.5 mg/kg, under the same housing conditions kept the faeces free of oocysts. Three weeks later, these calves excreted oocysts again. Repetition of the same treatment for 2 weeks controlled the infection again, but a second treatment for 5 days did not suffice. The repeated long treatment affected immunoglobulin levels adversely. SDM given repeatedly at a lower dose rate (30 mg/kg) for 1-week periods with medication-free intervals of 1 week controlled the infection and no adverse effects were noted. In comparison with controls, weight gains were greater in treated calves.
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000378:metabolism; D013418:Sulfamethazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D007136:Immunoglobulins; D013418:Sulfamethazine