Dogs with superficial or deep pyoderma (n = 228) presented to first opinion veterinarians (n = 20) were treated orally with either ibafloxacin, at a dosage of 15 mg/kg, or marbofloxacin, at a dosage of 2 mg/kg, once daily for 3-16 weeks. On initial presentation, 35% of the cases were classified as having recurrent pyoderma and 40% as having deep pyoderma. Staphylococci (mainly Staphylococcus intermedius) were isolated from over 90% of the cases. The average treatment periods were 41 +/- 26 and 38 +/- 21 days in the ibafloxacin and marbofloxacin groups, respectively. One week after the cessation of treatment, 74 and 81% of dogs (P > 0.05) in the ibafloxacin and marbofloxacin groups, respectively, were classified as having responded to treatment. One month after the cessation of treatment, 70% of the dogs in each group were still classified as cured or improved, and 3 and 11% (P < 0.05) in the ibafloxacin and marbofloxacin groups, respectively, were classified as having relapsed. Despite having different pharmacokinetic profiles, ibafloxacin and marbofloxacin produced similar results when used under field conditions at the recommended dosages.

In this randomised, multicentre clinical study, dogs with musculoskeletal pain and inflammation were treated with either vedaprofen or meloxicam administered orally at the recommended dose rates. Clinical examinations were carried out regularly and clinical severity scores assigned. In total, 214 cases (73 acute, 141 chronic) were evaluated. Treatment with vedaprofen and meloxicam was continued for 14 and 17 days, respectively, in the acute cases, and 38 and 39 days in the chronic cases. NSAID treatment resulted in a significant improvement in clinical scores. The overall response to treatment ('responders') at the final clinical examination was 89 per cent and 87 per cent in the acute cases and 72 per cent and 65 per cent in the chronic cases in the vedaprofen and meloxicam groups, respectively. Mild transient gastrointestinal signs were observed in both groups (11 per cent vedaprofen, 12 per cent meloxicam). Adverse effects related to NSAIDs resulted in treatment cessation in 5 per cent of the dogs in each group. Vedaprofen and meloxicam were efficacious in, and well tolerated by, most of the dogs in the study.

Vedaprofen produced a clinically relevant reduction in body temperature and a more rapid return to normality in cats with upper respiratory tract disease. Vedaprofen treatment also resulted in more rapid recovery, presumably through the relief of pain and inflammation, in cats that had undergone soft tissue surgery.

No abstract

PYODERMA is an inflammatory skin disease that is encountered commonly in veterinary practice in dogs. Although pyoderma is usually caused by an opportunistic infection with staphylococci, particularly Staphylococcus intermedius, which can be isolated from the oral, anal and perineal areas of healthy dogs (Cox and others 1988), a number of underlying causes, such as atopy and ectoparasitism, predispose to its development (Willemse 1979). Superficial pyoderma usually requires systemic antibacterial therapy and deep pyoderma always requires systemic antibacterial therapy; the choice of agent may be based on the expected treatment failure, side effects, cost and the advantage of once-daily dosing for owner compliance (Ihrke and Harvey 1998).This short communication describes a multicentre, randomised, non-blinded, controlled clinical study of two formulations of the antibacterial ibafloxacin, carried out in the Netherlands, Germany and Italy.All of the study investigators were experienced small animal practitioners who had received specific training on pyoderma and the conduct of clinical trials. The same investigator was responsible for all of the assessments of each individual dog. Specific diagnostic procedures to confirm the underlying cause of the pyoderma were not within the scope of the present study; however, the investigators were asked, where possible, to indicate the suspected underlying cause and to carry out additional diagnostic work and permitted treatments where necessary.Dogs over eight months of age, or older, depending on breed, with pyoderma were allocated randomly to treatment with ibafloxacin (Ibaflin; Intervet International) orally, at a dose of 15 mg/kg bodyweight once daily, as either tablets (group 1, 93 dogs) or a gel (group 2, 92 dogs) for up to 13 weeks. The absorption of ibafloxacin is promoted by the presence of food in the gastrointestinal tract (Coulet and others 2002), so administration of the agent at or shortly after feeding was advised, according to the label (EMEA 2005).Dogs were excluded from the study if they had received anti-inflammatory, antihistamine or antibacterial agents in the previous 14 days or parenteral corticosteroid treatment in the previous six weeks. Ectoparasite control, shampoo (if prescribed before admission to the trial) and hyposensitisation were permitted based on the diagnosis of the underlying cause of the pyoderma; topical or systemic treatment with other antimicrobial agents, corticosteroids, antihistamines and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were not permitted. Clinical examinations were carried out on days 0, 7 and 21, and then every 14 days until the treatment was stopped. If no improvement was observed at day 7 or day 21, the treatment was considered to be a failure and was stopped; treatment was otherwise stopped when the investigator considered recovery had occurred, depending on the result of the fortnightly examination. Approximately 80 dogs per treatment were required to detect a difference in response of at least 15 per cent, with an e...