Antibiotics are powerful medicines that are used to fight bacterial infections. Early civilizations used antibiotics in some form or another (e.g. mold), but didn’t know how they worked. The earliest discovered and still most widely-used antibiotic is Penicillin. Sir Alexander Fleming is given credit for “accidently” discovering Penicillin in 1928 [1]. He shared a Nobel Prize in 1945 with the men who developed the technology to mass produce it. Penicillin saved the lives of many Allied soldiers during the Second World War and many lives since.
For more than 40 years, antibiotics approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been used to treat sick animals, prevent illness, and maintain the health of animals. Several layers of protection have been put into place to make sure antibiotic use in livestock does not cause harm to humans.
Description
Therapeutic use of a drug means that it is being used to treat (sometimes prevent) a disease. Penicillin (many brand names) is probably the most widely used antibiotic in the sheep and goat industry. It is FDA-approved to treat sheep for bacterial pneumonia caused by P. multocida Slaughter withdrawal is 9 days. Use in goats requires veterinary approval. Long-acting penicillin is not FDA-approved for sheep or goats and requires veterinary approval.
Naxcel® (Ceftiofur Sodium) is FDA-approved to treat sheep and goats for respiratory disease (pneumonia); however, its use is restricted to veterinarians. There is no slaughter withdrawal . Micotil® (tilmicosin phophate) is another prescription drug that is FDA-approved to treat sheep for pneumonia . Slaughter withdrawal is 28 days Biosol® (neomycin sulfate) is an over-the-counter drug that is FDA-approved to treat e. coli scours in sheep and goats . Slaughter withdrawal is 2 days for sheep and 3 days for goats . Terramycin® is FDA-approved as an opthalmic ointment for sheep .
Indications of Penicillin For Goats
Penicillin Injectable is indicated for treatment of bacterial pneumonia (shipping fever) caused by Pasteurella multocida in cattle and sheep, erysipelas caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae in swine, and strangles caused by Streptococcus equi in horses.
Directions For Use
A thoroughly cleaned, sterile needle and syringe should be used for each injection (needles and syringes may be sterilized in boiling water for 15 minutes). Before withdrawing the solution from the bottle, disinfect the rubber cap top with 70% alcohol. The injection site should be similarly disinfected with alcohol. Needles of 16 to 18 gauge and 1 to 1.5 inches long are adequate for intramuscular injections.
In livestock intramuscular injections should be made by directing the needle of suitable gauge and length into the fleshy part of a thick muscle, such as rump, hip, or thigh region; avoid blood vessels and major nerves. Before injecting the solution, pull back gently on the plunger. If blood appears in the syringe, a blood vessel has been entered; withdraw the needle and select a different site.
Dosage:
Penicillin Injectable is administered by the intramuscular route. The product is ready for injection after warming the vial to room temperature and shaking to ensure a uniform suspension. The daily dose of penicillin is 3,000 units per pound of body weight (1 mL per 100 lbs body weight). Continue daily treatment until recovery is apparent and for at least one day after symptoms disappear, usually in two to three days. Treatment should not exceed four consecutive days. No more than 10 mL should be injected at any one site. Rotate injection sites for each succeeding treatment.
Precautions
Intramuscular injection in cattle, sheep, and swine may result in a local tissue reaction which persists beyond the withdrawal period of 14 days (cattle), 9 days (sheep), or 7 days (swine). This may result in trim loss of edible tissue at slaughter. Allergic or anaphylactic reactions, sometimes fatal, have been known to occur in animals hypersensitive to penicillin and procaine. Such reactions can occur unpredictably with varying intensity. Animals administered penicillin G procaine should be kept under close observation for at least one half hour. Should allergic or anaphylactic reactions occur, discontinue use of the product and call a veterinarian. If respiratory distress is severe, immediate injection of epinephrine or antihistamine following manufacturer’s recommendations may be necessary.
As with all antibiotic preparations, use of this drug may result in overgrowth of nonsusceptible organisms, including fungi. A lack of response by the treated animal, or the development of new signs or symptoms suggest that an overgrowth of nonsusceptible organisms has occurred. In such instances, consult your veterinarian. It is advisable to avoid giving penicillin in conjunction with bacteriostatic drugs such as tetracyclines.
Prices of Penicillin For Goats
$19.45 – $89.55