Determining Optimal Antibiotic Dosing for Septic Foals

Some neonatal foals are at high risk for developing septicemia, a bacterial blood infection that frequently affects the joints and can be life-threatening. The antibiotic amikacin often is the initial treatment of choice for treating septic foals and concurrent administration of amikacin intravenously and directly into an affected joint is not unusual. However, there is insufficient information for dosing in this manner and current recommendations may result in either harmful (too high) or sub-therapeutic (too low) concentrations of the drug, negatively impacting the overall health and outcomes for the septic foal. Researchers will evaluate the efficacy and safety of concurrent administration of amikacin to determine optimal dosing. This information will assist equine practitioners in effectively treating and avoiding potential toxicities from this antibiotic, resulting in better management of sick neonatal foals with concurrent joint infections.