title: 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.
  
  
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Morck
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Louie
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koppe
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Quinn
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; C053503:ceftiofur; D010118:Oxytetracycline