In this study, the authors evaluated parenteral treatment of zebu
cattle, with naturally and experimentally induced bovine
dermatophilosis, in western Sudan, using four different antibiotic
treatments. In terms of recovery rate, weight gain, avoiding relapse and
preventing death, gentamycin was found to be the most effective
treatment, followed by a combination of penicillin and streptomycin and,
finally, long-acting oxytetracycline.
However, enrofloxacin was not
successful. A significant improvement in the red blood cell count was
noticed among cattle treated with penicillin-streptomycin (p = 0.021)
and gentamycin (p = 0.029). All treated cattle, except those treated
with enrofloxacin, showed a significant improvement in mean corpuscular
haemoglobin concentration (p = 0.021); mean corpuscular volume (p =
0.021), and white blood cell count (p < 0.021).
Significant
improvements were observed among treated cattle in their total levels of
protein, calcium (p = 0.021) and cholesterol (p < 0.05), when
compared to untreated cattle infected with Dermatophilus congolensis.
This study recommends gentamycin as a drug of choice for the parenteral
treatment of dermatophilosis. Treatment was not only effective in early,
mild cases but also useful among moderately and heavily affected
cattle. According to the observations of the authors, when no
intervention took place, the condition of moderately and heavily
affected cattle deteriorated and/or resulted in death.