Side effects of oral antimicrobial agents in the horse: a comparison of pivampicillin and trimethoprim/sulphadiazine.

The research compared side effects of two oral antimicrobial agents, pivampicillin and trimethoprim/sulphadiazine, in horses. They found that both medications caused loose feces and diarrhea, but pivampicillin had a lower risk of causing diarrhea than trimethoprim/sulphadiazine.

Study Design

• The research involved a study of 200 horses which had been treated with either of two oral antimicrobial agents – pivampicillin and trimethoprim/sulphadiazine. The aim was to assess their side effects.
• The horses were treated with either trimethoprim/sulphadiazine (30 mg/kg twice a day) or pivampicillin (25 mg/kg twice a day) for a minimum of three days.

Outcome Analysis

• The researchers carefully observed the horses during the treatment period to identify any adverse effects.
• Loose feces and diarrhea were the only observed side effects among the horses treated with either antimicrobial agents. There were no other adverse effects detected.

Evaluating the Risk of Diarrhea

• The study found that the risk of diarrhea was less with the administration of pivampicillin as compared to trimethoprim/sulphadiazine.
• The probability of diarrhea was significantly lower at 3 per cent when pivampicillin was administered orally compared to 7 per cent after administration of trimethoprim/sulphadiazine.

Effects Based on Appetite

• The researchers also examined if there existed a correlation between the horse’s appetite and the side effects.
• They found that horses with reduced appetites were predisposed to developing diarrhea after receiving either of the antimicrobial treatments, suggesting that the horse’s appetite status may influence the side effects.