Method of administering an injectable antibiotic to an animal

Abstract

A method of administering an antibiotic to an animal in need thereof, including the step of injecting the antibiotic subcutaneously at the junction of a pinna with the cranium of the animal, is disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of administering an amount of an antibiotic effective to treat or prevent a bacterial infection in an animal in need thereof, comprising the step of: 
 injecting an antibiotic subcutaneously at the junction of a pinna with the cranium of an animal.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal is selected from the group consisting of cattle, swine, sheep, and goats.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the injection is within the dorsocaudal half of the junction.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the animal is selected from cattle and comprising injecting the antibiotic caudal to the cervicoauricularis muscles and dorsocaudal to the parotid salivary gland.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibiotic is in a formulation.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the formulation is a sterile oil suspension  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the injected volume of the formulation is from about 1 ml to about 15 ml.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibiotic is injected with a single syringe needle.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of procaine penicillin, benzathine penicillin, ceftiofur crystalline free acid, ceftiofur hydrochloride, ampicillin trihydrate, amoxicillin trihydrate, oxytetracycline, erythromycin, tylosin, tilmicosin, florfenicol, enrofloxacin, danofloxacin, and premafloxacin.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the antibiotic is crystalline ceftiofur free acid of formula I  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       which is 7-[2-(2-amino-1,3-thiazol-4-yl)-2-methoxyimino)acetamido]-3-[(fur-2-ylcarbonyl)thiomethyl]-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the ceftiofur crystalline free acid is in a sterile oil suspension.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the bacterial infection is bovine respiratory disease or swine respiratory disease.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the amount of ceftiofur crystalline free acid is from about 1.1 to about 8.8 mg/kg of body weight.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the amount of ceftiofur crystalline free acid is from about 4.4 to about 6.6 mg/kg of body weight.  
     
     
         15 . A method of administering an amount of an antibiotic effective to treat or prevent a bacterial infection in an animal in need thereof, comprising the step of: 
 injecting an antibiotic, in liquid form, subcutaneously in the junction of a pinna with the cranium of an animal.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the antibiotic is in the form of an injectable solution or an injectable suspension.  
     
     
         17 . A method of administering an amount of an antibiotic effective to treat or prevent a bacterial infection in an animal in need thereof, comprising the steps of: 
 stabilizing the head of an animal without the use of a restraining mechanism; and    injecting an antibiotic subcutaneously at the junction of a pinna with the cranium of an animal.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said stabilizing step comprises bulldogging the animal and gripping the injection site ear of the animal with a hand.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the antibiotic is in the form of an injectable solution or an injectable suspension.