Enteritis in Piglets – Colibacillosis
Baytril's efficacy in treating E.coli diarrhoea (colibacillosis, edema disease) in piglets was tested in different trials.
20 piglets (weight range 5.2 to 6.5 kg) were experimentally infected with E.coli K88. They were divided into four groups: One received Baytril® 2.5% injectable solution i.m. (2.5 mg/kg bw on three consecutive days), the second group received Baytril® in feed (100 ppm) for 7 days, the third group received furazolidone in feed (200 ppm) for 7 days and the fourth group served as untreated control. Baytril® treatment was effective and superior to furazolidone.
Reduced clinical symptoms
Whilst in the Baytril® groups diarrhoea ended on the second day after start of treatment, in the furazolidone group diarrhoea was present till the seventh day, and two piglets died.
Reduced mortality
In the control group diarrhoea was present past the eighth day and also two piglets died.
In another trial, 30 pigs (weight range 7.3 – 19.4 kg) were divided into three groups of 10 animals each and infected with E.coli O147. Severe diarrhoea was noticed 8 hours after infection. One group received Baytril® 2.5% injectable solution i.m. (2.5 mg/kg bw on three consecutive days), the second group was treated the same way but with a dosage of 1 mg/kg bw. The third group served as controls.
Whilst in the treated groups all animals survived, the mortality of the controls raised to 80% on the eighth day after infection. The number of the pathogenic E.coli that could be isolated per g faeces dropped remarkably in the treated groups and ended after day three.
The efficacy was also tested in an outbreak of E.coli diarrhoea in suckling piglets. Baytril® was tested in dose rates of 1.25, 2.5 and 5 mg/kg bw (given as 2.5 % injectable solution applied i.m.).
The treatment success was compared with the efficacy of oxytetracycline, given at a dose rate of 10 mg/kg bw in the form of 5% injectable solution i.m.. The overall clinical efficacy was 61% for oxytetracycline, and 89%, 96% and 94% for the groups treated with 1.25, 2.5 and 5 mg/kg bw of Baytril® respectively.
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