Topically applied furazolidone or parenterally administered oxytetracycline for the treatment of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis

• Published in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Vol. 192; no. 10; p. 1415
• Main Authors: George, L, Mihalyi, J, Edmondson, A, Daigneault, J, Kagonyera, G, Willits, N, Lucas, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 15.05.1988
• Subjects: Administration, Topical; Aerosols; Animals; CALVES; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - drug therapy; CONJONCTIVITE; CONJUNCTIVITIS; CONJUNTIVITIS; Disinfection; Female; Furazolidone - administration & dosage; Furazolidone - pharmacology; Furazolidone - therapeutic use; INJECTION; Injections, Intramuscular; INYECCION; KERATITE; KERATITIS; Keratoconjunctivitis, Infectious - drug therapy; Male; MORAXELLA; moraxella bovis; Mycobacterium bovis - drug effects; Mycobacterium bovis - isolation & purification; Mycobacterium Infections - drug therapy; Mycobacterium Infections - veterinary; NITROFURANE; NITROFURANOS; NITROFURANS; Oxytetracycline - administration & dosage; Oxytetracycline - pharmacology; Oxytetracycline - therapeutic use; Prospective Studies; QUERATITIS; Random Allocation; Recurrence; Regression Analysis; TERAPIA; TERNERO; TETRACICLINA; TETRACYCLINE; TETRACYCLINES; THERAPEUTIQUE; THERAPY; VEAU
• ISSN: 0003-1488; 1943-569X

The effectiveness of topically applied furazolidone (FZ) or parenterally administered oxytetracycline (OTC) for treatment of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis was determined in a field study. Between June 13 and Aug 6, 1985, a study was conducted on a ranch in northern California. Eyes of Hereford calves (n = 103) were examined 3 times each week for 7 weeks. After daily examinations on June 13 and 14, calves were allotted randomly to 3 groups. On June 17, calves (that had corneal ulcers) of groups 1 (n = 35) and 2 (n = 35) were treated with OTC and FZ, respectively. Treatments were administered again only if new ulcers were observed, if an existing ulcer worsened, or if a healed ulcer recurred. Calves of group 3 remained untreated (controls). Corneal ulcers developed in 35 of the FZ-treated calves, in 33 of the OTC-treated calves, and in 33 of the untreated calves. Corneal perforations were observed in 3 untreated and 2 FZ-treated calves but were not observed in any OTC-treated calves. Panophthalmitis developed in one eye of an untreated calf. Corneal ulcers in the OTC-treated calves were smaller and healed more rapidly than did corneal ulcers in calves of the other groups. By the 22nd day of the study (July 3), the number of OTC-treated calves with corneal ulcers was less than that of the other 2 groups. Calves of the OTC treatment group had the fewest multiple corneal ulcer recurrences, but calves of all 3 groups had a similar number of single corneal ulcer recurrences.