Effect of preoperative administration of erythromycin or flunixin meglumine on postoperative abomasal emptying rate in dairy cows undergoing surgical correction of left displacement of the abomasum.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether preoperative administration of erythromycin or flunixin meglumine altered postoperative abomasal emptying rate, rumen contraction rate, or milk production in dairy cattle undergoing surgical correction of left displacement of the abomasum (LDA).


METHODS
Nonrandomized, controlled clinical trial.


METHODS
45 lactating Holstein-Friesian cows with LDA.


METHODS
Cows were alternately assigned to an erythromycin (10 mg/kg [4.5 mg/lb], IM), flunixin (2.2 mg/kg [1.0 mg/lb], IV), or control group (n = 15/group). Treatments were administered once 1 hour before surgical correction of LDA. D-Xylose solution (50%; 0.5 g/kg [0.23 g/lb]) was injected into the abomasal lumen during surgery, and venous blood samples were periodically obtained to determine time to maximum serum D-xylose concentration.


RESULTS
Abomasal emptying rate was significantly faster in cows treated with erythromycin (mean +/- SD time to maximum serum D-xylose concentration, 149 +/- 48 minutes) than in control cows (277 +/- 95 minutes) but was not significantly different between cows treated with flunixin (230 +/- 49 minutes) and control cows. Cows treated with erythromycin had significantly greater milk production, relative to production before surgery, on postoperative days 1 and 2 than did control cows. Cows in the erythromycin and flunixin groups had a significantly higher rumen contraction rate on the first postoperative day than did control cows.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggested that preoperative administration of a single dose of erythromycin increased abomasal emptying rate, rumen contraction rate, and milk production in the immediate postoperative period in cows undergoing surgical correction of LDA.
Wittek
Thomas
T
Medizinische Tierklinik der Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Tischer
Katja
K
Gieseler
Tobias
T
Fürll
Manfred
M
Constable
Peter D
PD
D000018:Abomasum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003002:Clonixin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007774:Lactation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D013997:Time Factors; D014994:Xylose / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004917:Erythromycin; C014558:flunixin meglumine; D014994:Xylose; D003002:Clonixin