THE EFFICACY OF OXYTETRACYCLINE THERAPY AND THE DURATION OF TREATMENT IN THE COURSE OF BOVINE ANAPLASMOSIS

Abstract

A total of 27 crossbred calves (12 intacts, 9 splenec­tomised and 6 uninfected control) were sub­cutaneously Inoculated with 2 x 10⁷ Anaplasma marginale infected erythrocytes. Oxytetracycline (at 10mg/kg body weight) was administered in­travenously when the PCV dropped to 16 per cent or below. The pattern of development of parasitaemia, appeared to be similar in both intact and splenec­tomised calves. The spelectomised calves, however, gave higher percentage of parasitaemia. Fluctuation in the PCV followed the same pattern in both groups, but the splenectomised calves were observed to suffer more anaemic crisis than the intact ones. In the intact calves, all those treated once and for 2 consecutive days survived. In the splenectomised calves, all those treated once died, while all those treated for 2 consecutive days survived. It may be concluded that, 2 consecutive ox­ytetracycline treatments (at 10mg/kg body weight) gave better recovery rates in cases of clinical bovine anaplasmosis.