Comparison of effectiveness of cefovecin, doxycycline, and amoxicillin for the treatment of experimentally induced early Lyme borreliosis in dogs

Abstract

BackgroundWhile Koch’s postulates have been fulfilled for Lyme disease; causing transient fever, anorexia and arthritis in young dogs; treatment of sero-positive dogs, especially asymptomatic animals, remains a topic of debate. To complicate this matter the currently recommended antibiotic treatments of Lyme Disease in dogs caused by Borrelia burgdorferi require daily oral administrations for 31 days or longer, which makes non-compliance a concern. Additionally, there is no approved veterinary antimicrobial for the treatment of Lyme Disease in dogs in the USA and few recommended treatments have been robustly tested.In vitro testing of cefovecin, a novel extended-spectrum cephalosporin, demonstrated inhibition of spirochete growth. A small pilot study in dogs indicated that two cefovecin injections two weeks apart would be as efficacious against B. burgdorferi sensu stricto as the recommended treatments using doxycycline or amoxicillin daily for 31 days.This hypothesis was tested in 17–18 week old Beagle dogs, experimentally infected with B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, using wild caught ticks, 75 days prior to antimicrobial administration.ResultsClinical observations for lameness were performed daily but were inconclusive as this characteristic sign of Lyme Disease rarely develops in the standard laboratory models of experimentally induced infection. However, each antibiotic tested was efficacious against B. burgdorferi as measured by a rapid elimination of spirochetes from the skin and reduced levels of circulating antibodies to B. burgdorferi. In addition, significantly less cefovecin treated animals had Lyme Disease associated histopathological changes compared to untreated dogs.ConclusionsConvenia was efficacious against B. burgdorferi sensu stricto infection in dogs as determined by serological testing, PCR and histopathology results. Convenia provides an additional and effective treatment option for Lyme Disease in dogs.

ACVIM consensus update on Lyme borreliosis in dogs and cats

“…However, although not a recommendation of the panelists, some veterinarians in the field recommend use of amoxicillin for doxycycline‐sensitive or growing dogs. Recently, cefovecin (2 injections, 14 days apart) was shown to be as efficacious as 4 weeks of doxycycline or amoxicillin . Panelists agreed that this option could be considered for dogs intolerant of tetracyclines.…”

“…[88][89][90][91] The C 6 result has been shown to wane after treatment; [92][93][94] OspF antibodies also may wane. 95 Determination of quantitative titers to C 6 (or potentially OspF), pre-and 3 94 to 6 months post-treatment, were recommended by 4/6 panelists to check for a decrease after treatment as an indicator of decreased antigenic load, and to establish a new baseline for future comparison, because qualitative tests may stay positive a long time after treatment. 96…”

“…However, although not a recommendation of the panelists, some veterinarians in the field recommend use of amoxicillin for doxycycline-sensitive or growing dogs. Recently, cefovecin105 (2 injections, 14 days apart) was shown to be as efficacious as 4 weeks of doxycycline or amoxicillin 95. Panelists agreed that this option could be considered for dogs intolerant of tetracyclines.Despite reports that 4 weeks of high dose treatment (10 mg/kg doxycycline q12h) did not clear all organisms in all dogs, 101,102 most veterinarians treat for 4 weeks 1 and many use a lower dosage of 10 mg/kg doxycycline q24h or divided q12h.…”

In vitro susceptibility of Borrelia burgdorferi isolates to three antibiotics commonly used for treating equine Lyme disease

“…Although serum trough levels of sodium ceftiofur, administered at this dose and interval would be predicted to have remained above the MIC for B. burgdorferi , trough levels in tissue would have likely been near or below the MIC and this could be one possible explanation why two of the four ponies remained infected [ 48 , 49 ]. A similar long-acting antibiotic, cefovecin, has recently been shown to decrease the number of dogs with joint lesions and to induce a marked reduction in serum antibody in an in vivo experimental B. burgdorferi study [ 50 ].…”

Bacterial canine vector-borne zoonotic diseases in “One Health” concept

“…The currently recommended antibiotic treatments of Lyme disease require daily oral administrations of doxycycline or amoxicillin for a minimum of 1 month, making non-compliance a concern. However, recently two injections of cefovecin 2 weeks apart were efficacious against B. burgdorferi sensu stricto infection as demonstrated by serological testing, PCR and histopathology results [105].…”