Clinical efficacy and palatability of pradofloxacin 2.5% oral suspension for the treatment of bacterial lower urinary tract infections in cats.
BACKGROUND
Pradofloxacin is a 3rd generation veterinary fluoroquinolone designed to restrict the emergence of antimicrobial resistance during therapy.


OBJECTIVE
Pradofloxacin 2.5% oral suspension is a safe, efficacious, and palatable treatment for bacterial urinary tract infections (UTI) in cats.


METHODS
Seventy-eight cats presented with lower urinary tract signs and were positive on bacterial culture of urine.


METHODS
Cats were allocated into 3 treatment groups depending on bacterial susceptibility results: pradofloxacin (n = 27), doxycycline (n = 23), or amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (n = 28). All antimicrobials were presented in palatable liquid form. Posttreatment urine specimens were collected after completion of the course of treatment and submitted for bacterial culture and sensitivity. Owners were questioned before and after treatment about their experiences with administering oral medication to their cats.


RESULTS
Posttreatment urine culture was negative in all cats in the pradofloxacin group, but there were 3 treatment failures in each of the other groups. Owners' perceptions of the difficulty of administering oral medication to their cats was more positive posttreatment than pretreatment (P = .001; P < .001). There was no difference in palatability among the treatment groups (P > .05).


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that pradofloxacin 2.5% oral suspension is a highly effective and safe antimicrobial treatment for bacterial lower urinary tract infection in cats, and that the palatable formulation optimizes owner compliance. These findings make pradofloxacin a useful addition to the veterinary formulary.
Litster
Annette
A
School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. catvet@uq.edu.au
Moss
Susan
S
Honnery
Mary
M
Rees
Bob
B
Edingloh
Markus
M
Trott
Darren
D
D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000652:urine; D002415:Cats; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000652:urine / Q000662:veterinary*; D006095:Gram-Positive Cocci / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013649:Taste; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000652:urine / Q000662:veterinary*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; C507250:pradofloxacin; D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; D004318:Doxycycline