Effectiveness and safety of cefovecin sodium, an extended-spectrum injectable cephalosporin, in the treatment of cats with abscesses and infected wounds.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of cefovecin sodium in the treatment of cats with naturally occurring skin infections (abscesses and infected wounds). DESIGN: Multicenter (26 sites), randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. ANIMALS: Client-owned cats of any breed with naturally occurring skin infections with associated clinical signs and confirmatory bacteriologic culture results. PROCEDURES: Cats with clinical signs of skin and soft tissue infection were randomly allocated to receive a single dose of cefovecin (8 mg/kg [3.6 mg/lb], SC) followed by placebo drops administered orally once daily for 14 days or 1 SC placebo injection followed by cefadroxil (22 mg/kg [10 mg/lb], PO, once daily for 14 days). Only one 14-day treatment course was permitted. RESULTS: Effectiveness of cefovecin in the treatment of cats with abscesses and infected wounds was similar to that of cefadroxil. At the final assessment on day 28, 97% (86/89) of cefovecin-treated cats and 91% (80/88) of cefadroxil-treated cats were considered treatment successes. There were no serious adverse events or deaths related to treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: 1 SC injection of 8 mg of cefovecin/kg for the treatment of cats with naturally occurring skin infections (wounds and abscesses) was safe and as effective as cefadroxil administered orally at 22 mg/kg, once daily for 14 days.