Acute renal failure associated with administration of excessive amounts of tetracycline in a cow.

High doses of intravenously and intramuscularly administered oxytetracycline were believed to be responsible for acute renal failure in a dehydrated cow. Signs of renal disease included oliguria, perirenal edema, marked azotemia, moderate proteinuria, tubular casts in urinary sediment, and inability to concentrate urine. Concurrent intravenous administration of fluids and diuretics (mannitol and furosemide) resulted in reestablishment of normal urine production. Because of its nephrotoxic potential, oxytetracycline should be used cautiously and at recommended dosages in ruminants that have prerenal azotemia or otherwise reduced renal function.