Effect of perioperative prophylactic antimicrobial treatment in dogs undergoing elective orthopedic surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis would reduce incidence of postoperative infection among dogs undergoing elective orthopedic procedures.


METHODS
Randomized, controlled, blinded, intention clinical trial.


METHODS
Dogs of any breed, sex, or age undergoing elective orthopedic surgery at a veterinary teaching hospital.


METHODS
Dogs were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: treatment with saline solution, treatment with potassium penicillin G, and treatment with cefazolin. Treatments were intended to be administered within 30 minutes prior to surgery; a second dose was administered if surgery lasted > 90 minutes. Dogs were monitored for 10 to 14 days after surgery for evidence of infection.


RESULTS
After the first 112 dogs were enrolled in the study, it was found that infection rate for control dogs (5/32 dogs) was significantly higher than the rate for dogs treated with antimicrobials (3/80 dogs). Therefore, no more dogs were enrolled in the study. A total of 126 dogs completed the study. Monte Carlo simulations indicated that compared with dogs that received antimicrobials prophylactically, dogs that received saline solution developed infections significantly more frequently. Difference in efficacy, however, was not observed between the 2 antimicrobial drugs used.


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicated that perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis decreased postoperative infection rate in dogs undergoing elective orthopedic surgery, compared with infection rate in control dogs. Cefazolin was not more efficacious than potassium penicillin G in these dogs.
Whittem
T L
TL
Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana 61802, USA.
Johnson
A L
AL
Smith
C W
CW
Schaeffer
D J
DJ
Coolman
B R
BR
Averill
S M
SM
Cooper
T K
TK
Merkin
G R
GR
D000818:Animals; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000662:veterinary*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000601:surgery; D002437:Cefazolin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007596:Joints / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000662:veterinary; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*
D002511:Cephalosporins; D010406:Penicillins; D002437:Cefazolin; D010400:Penicillin G