Pharmacokinetics of amikacin in cats.

Six mixed-breed adult cats were given 5 mg of amikacin sulfate/kg of body weight by rapid IV, IM, and SC routes of administration. The serum concentration-vs-time data were analyzed, using a noncompartmental model. The harmonic mean +/- pseudo-SD of the effective half-life of amikacin was 78.8 +/- 19.3 minutes after IV administration, 118.7 +/- 14.4 minutes after IM administration, and 117.7 +/- 12.8 minutes after SC administration. The arithmetic mean +/- SD of mean residence time was 118.3 +/- 21.7 minutes, 173.4 +/- 19.9 minutes, and 171.7 +/- 19.1 minutes after IV, IM, and SC drug administration, respectively. The mean apparent volume of distribution at steady state was 0.17 +/- 0.02 L/kg, and the mean total body clearance was 1.46 +/- 0.26 ml/min/kg. Mean bioavailability was 95 +/- 20% after IM administration and 123 +/- 33% after SC drug administration. A recommended dosage of 10 mg/kg, q 8 h can be expected to provide a therapeutic serum concentration of amikacin with a mean steady-state concentration of 14 micrograms/ml. The SC route of administration is preferred, because of rapid absorption, good bioavailability, and ease of administration.