Pharmacokinetic study of chloramphenicol in calves using sensitive gas-liquid chromatographic analysis.

Chloramphenicol was given intravenously and intramuscularly to calves and the blood levels determined over 27 hours. At a dosage of 11 mg/kg chloramphenicol was detected in the blood for 25 hours after intravenous and 27 hours after intramuscular administration. The blood levels after intravenous administration indicate that chloramphenicol in animals moves in a two compartment model. Kinetic parameters were determined for intravenous but not intramuscular chloramphenicol treatment. The blood levels of chloramphenicol were higher following intramuscular than intravenous administration from five hours onward. Chloramphenicol distributed quickly and widely throughout the animal's body.