Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pradofloxacin treatment for cats with upper respiratory infections
By Hartmann, A D et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2008·Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Efficacy of pradofloxacin in cats with feline upper respiratory tract disease due to Chlamydophila felis or Mycoplasma infections.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 39 cats with upper respiratory symptoms and eye problems were treated for infections caused by Chlamydophila felis and Mycoplasma. They received either pradofloxacin or doxycycline for 42 days. Both medications helped improve their symptoms quickly, but while doxycycline completely cleared the Chlamydophila infection, some cats treated with pradofloxacin still tested positive for it afterward. This suggests that while both treatments are effective, doxycycline may be more reliable for eliminating Chlamydophila in cats.
People also search for: cat upper respiratory infection treatment · pradofloxacin for cats · doxycycline for cat eye problems
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) of cats is caused by a number of pathogens, including Chlamydophila felis and Mycoplasma spp. For effective treatment of both infections, doxycycline and enrofloxacin are recommended, but adverse effects limit their use in cats. HYPOTHESIS: That the fluoroquinolone pradofloxacin is effective against C. felis and Mycoplasma infection in cats with URTD or conjunctivitis. ANIMALS: Thirty-nine cats with signs of URTD or conjunctivitis. METHODS: Placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Cats were randomly entered into 1 of 2 treatment groups: treated PO with either 5 mg/kg pradofloxacin q24h or 5 mg/kg doxycycline q12h for 42 consecutive days. Changes in health status and clinical scores were evaluated. The presence of C. felis and Mycoplasma spp. was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested PCR of conjunctival swabs, respectively. RESULTS: At the beginning of the study, C. felis and Mycoplasma spp. were detected in 23 and 20 cats, respectively. Cats of both groups responded rapidly with a marked improvement in clinical signs within the 1st week. During treatment with either drug, C. felis DNA copy number declined quickly. Complete elimination of Mycoplasma spp. was achieved in both groups; however, whereas all cats receiving doxycycline eliminated C. felis, 4 cats treated with pradofloxacin remained PCR-positive. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: This study demonstrates that both pradofloxacin and doxycycline have good efficacy against C. felis and Mycoplasma spp., resulting in a marked improvement of clinical signs. However, C. felis DNA remained in some cats after treatment with pradofloxacin, suggesting that infection might not have been eliminated.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18289288/