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


METHODS
Randomized controlled trial.


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


METHODS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Morck
D W
DW
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Olson
M E
ME
Louie
T J
TJ
Koppe
A
A
Quinn
B
B
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016866:Bacteroidaceae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005528:Foot / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005535:Foot Rot / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000209:etiology; D010118:Oxytetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017861:Porphyromonas / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; C053503:ceftiofur; D010118:Oxytetracycline