Glucose and cortisol concentrations in cows treated with a slowly-absorbed betamethasone suspension.
A slowly-absorbed aqueous suspension of betamethasone, intended for use in the induction;of parturition, was administered to 10 cows. Each cow received 2ml (mean individual dose, 44.4 +/- 0.5microg/kg) by subcutaneous injection. Plasma samples were collected on six occasions over a seven-day period before treatment and on 21 occasions over a 29 day period after treatment. The mean concentration of betamethasone in plasma, as measured by radioimmunoassay, peaked at 0.6ng/ml24 hours after injection and was detectable for four days. Depression of the endogenous cortisol levels, as recorded with other long-acting synthetic glucocorticoids, was observed with this preparation of betamethasone. Plasma glucose was significantly elevated for eight days after betamethasone administration.
MacDiarmid
S C
SC
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North.
Cooper
B S
BS