A clinical comparison of two injectable oxytetracycline preparations for the treatment of pneumonia in calves.

The experiment was set up to make a clinical comparison in 140 pneumonic calves of two injectable oxytetracycline formulations with different pharmacokinetic properties: Engemycin 10% DD and Terramycin LA. The animals were examined clinically on the day of admission (day 0) and 1, 2, 3, 6 and 21 days thereafter. Calves were treated on day 0 with either Engemycin 10% DD (n = 70) or Terramycin LA (n = 70) at a dose of 20 mg/kg. If animals were not cured after one single injection, a second or even third injection was given at day 3 and day 6 respectively. No significant differences between the two treatment groups were found with regard to the number of injections needed for a complete cure, the evolution of dyspnoea, or the restoration of appetite. Thus both preparations gave comparable recovery rates. A difference between the two groups existed in the evolution of body temperature during the test period: the return to a normal body temperature occurred more rapidly in the Engemycin 10% DD group. Regarding the tolerance aspects the degree of irritation depended in the preparation used. Calves treated with Engemycin 10% DD showed significantly less swelling of the injection site on day 1 then calves treated with Terramycin LA.