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Equine veterinary journal2019; 52(1); 136-143; doi: 10.1111/evj.13131

Administration of enrofloxacin during late pregnancy failed to induce lesions in the resulting newborn foals.

Abstract: A recent study demonstrated that enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin cross the equine placenta without causing gross cartilage or tendon lesions in the 9-month fetus; however, long-term effects of in utero fluoroquinolone exposure remain unknown. Objective: To assess effects of fetal exposure to enrofloxacin on the resulting foal's cartilage and tendon strength. Methods: Healthy mares at 280 days' gestation were allocated into four groups: untreated (n = 5), therapeutic treatment (7.5 mg/kg enrofloxacin, PO × 14 days, n = 6), supratherapeutic treatment (15 mg/kg, PO × 14 days, n = 6) and no mare treatment with treatment of the foals post-partum (n = 2). Mares were allowed to carry pregnancy to term, and foals were maintained on pasture for 5 weeks. After that foals were euthanized, and their articular cartilage and extensor and flexor tendons were examined macroscopically and histologically for lesions. Tendon strength was tested by loading until failure. Results: Administration of enrofloxacin at recommended doses in late gestation did not result in cartilaginous lesions or clinical lameness in any foal by 5 weeks old. Tensile strength was greater in hind tendons than front tendons, but no difference was found between foals born from treated and control mares. Expectedly, osteochondral changes were present both in foals born from enrofloxacin-treated mares and in negative control foals with no apparent association with fluoroquinolone treatment during pregnancy. Conclusions: Only one time point in gestation was evaluated, and mares treated in the study were healthy at time of treatment. Additionally, it is possible that the assessments performed herein were not sensitive enough to detect subtle or functional changes in the articular cartilage. Further studies are needed to determine if enrofloxacin administration during late pregnancy potentiates osteochondral alterations in the first year of life. Conclusions: While this study did not assess other stages of gestation or long-term foal outcomes, short-term administration of enrofloxacin to late gestation mares did not result in macroscopic or microscopic lesions in the resulting foals by 5 weeks of age.
© 2019 EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2019-05-30 PubMed ID: 31009093DOI: 10.1111/evj.13131Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Veterinary

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research focuses on revealing the effects of enrofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, on the strength and conditions of a foal’s cartilage and tendons following in utero exposure during the late stages of equine pregnancy.

Study Overview

  • The objective of the study is to evaluate the impact of fetal exposure to enrofloxacin by observing the resulting foal’s cartilage and tendon strength.
  • Four groups of healthy mares at 280 days’ gestation were prepared for the experiment, with different treatments: therapeutic enrofloxacin treatment, supratherapeutic enrofloxacin treatment, no treatment, and post-partum treatment of the foals.
  • After the foals were born, they were kept on a pasture for five weeks. The foals were then euthanized, and their tendons and articular cartilage studied for any lesions.
  • The researchers also conducted a tensile strength test on the tendons to identify any weakening.

Study Results

  • The research found that enrofloxacin, when administered in recommended doses during late gestation, did not lead to lesions in the cartilage or clinical lameness in any of the foals.
  • No difference in tensile strength was found between foals born from treated and untreated mares, although the hind tendons were generally stronger than the front tendons.
  • The foals showed osteochondral changes, irrespective of whether the mares were treated with enrofloxacin or not, suggesting that the treatment during pregnancy did not have a significant impact on this aspect.

Study Limitations and Considerations

  • The study only assessed one point in gestation, limiting the scope of the findings.
  • The assessments carried out may not have been sensitive enough to detect subtle or functional changes in the foals’ articular cartilage.
  • All the mares used in the study were healthy at the time of treatment, which could affect the transferability of the results to lesser health scenarios.
  • Since the study didn’t analyze other stages of gestation or long-term foal outcomes, more research is needed in these areas to determine if enrofloxacin administration could lead to osteochondral changes later in the foals’ lives.

Study Conclusions

  • According to this study, short-term administration of enrofloxacin to mares in late gestation does not result in macroscopic or microscopic lesions in their offspring by 5 weeks of age.

Cite This Article

APA
Ellerbrock RE, Canisso IF, Roady PJ, Litsky A, Durgam S, Podico G, Li Z, Lima FS. (2019). Administration of enrofloxacin during late pregnancy failed to induce lesions in the resulting newborn foals. Equine Vet J, 52(1), 136-143. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13131

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 52
Issue: 1
Pages: 136-143

Researcher Affiliations

Ellerbrock, R E
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
  • Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
Canisso, I F
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
  • Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
Roady, P J
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
  • Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
Litsky, A
  • Department of Orthopaedics, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
  • Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Durgam, S
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Podico, G
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
Li, Z
  • Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
Lima, F S
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
  • Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / adverse effects
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Ciprofloxacin / adverse effects
  • Ciprofloxacin / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Enrofloxacin / administration & dosage
  • Enrofloxacin / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / etiology
  • Horses
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / chemically induced
  • Pregnancy Complications / veterinary
  • Pregnancy, Animal
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
  • Tendons / drug effects
  • Tendons / pathology

Grant Funding

  • USDA Hatch
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine Koteska Fellowship, University of Illinois

References

This article includes 22 references
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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Balducci JJ, Barber RM, McHale BJ, Stanton JB, Ryan CA. Cladophialophora encephalitis in an alpaca. Can Vet J 2020 Feb;61(2):142-146.
    pubmed: 32020931
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