Clinical efficacy of diclofenac sodium and flunixin meglumine as adjuncts to antibacterial treatment of respiratory disease of calves.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy of the non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, diclofenac sodium and flunixin meglumine as adjuncts to the antibiotic treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD).


METHODS
We randomly allocated 80 Holstein calves with BRD to three groups. All the calves received a dose of 2.5 mg/kg tulathromycin by single subcutaneous injection and two of the groups received, in addition, either 2.5 mg/kg diclofenac sodium as a single intramuscular injection (diclofenac group, n = 30) or 2.2 mg/kg flunixin meglumine as an intravenous injection on the first three consecutive days after tulathromycin administration (flunixin group, n = 30). All calves were given a clinical score prior to initial treatment (day 0) and after treatment (days 1, 2, 3, 7 and 14) by observing appetite, demeanour, rectal temperature, the rate and type of respiration, presence or absence of coughing, and nasal discharge.


RESULTS
During the first 48 h, improvement of adverse signs of respiratory disease, such as pyrexia and elevated respiratory rate, and of a high clinical index score was significant in the two adjunct groups compared with the calves receiving antibiotic alone. The reduction in pyrexia was greatest in the diclofenac group. There were no statically significant differences between treatment groups with regard to eventual perceived recovery from respiratory disease in 14 days.


CONCLUSIONS
In this trial, a single intramuscular dose of diclofenac sodium was equally effective as three intravenous injections of flunixin meglumine given on consecutive days as adjunctive therapy for BRD.
Guzel
M
M
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Mustafa Kemal, 31040, Hatay, Turkey. muratguzel05@gmail.com
Karakurum
M C
MC
Durgut
R
R
Mamak
N
N
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001831:Body Temperature; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D003002:Clonixin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004187:Disaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D056152:Respiratory Rate; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018942:Macrolides
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D003002:Clonixin; D004008:Diclofenac; D004187:Disaccharides; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; C014558:flunixin meglumine; C485204:tulathromycin; D018942:Macrolides