FDA Approves First And Only Single-Dose Antibiotic For Dogs And Cats
16 years ago
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Posted
1st July, 2008 00h00
Pfizer's New Prescription-Only Convenia® Eliminates Difficulty Owners Have Giving Pills to Pets for Weeks
Pfizer Animal Health has announced the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Convenia® (cefovecin sodium), the first and only antibiotic for dogs and cats available in a single veterinarian-administered injectable dose.
Convenia provides up to 14 days of antibiotic treatment in a single dose for the most common skin infections in dogs and cats - the No. 1 reason pets are prescribed antibiotics.
By relieving pet owners of the often impractical responsibility of giving pills to their pets several times a day for weeks at a time, Convenia ensures the antibiotic course of treatment is completed on time, giving the pet the best chance for treatment success.
"We understand how difficult it can be for owners to give their pets the right pills at the right time. With career and family responsibilities, many people simply aren't around at appropriate intervals once, twice or even more times a day despite their best intentions," said George Fennell, vice president, Companion Animal Division, Pfizer Animal Health. "With Convenia, the pet gets the dose it needs right in the veterinarian's office - so owners don't have to worry about when and how to give pills to their pets."
The third in a string of new companion animal products in 15 months - following the approvals of the first canine obesity medication and the first veterinary drug to control vomiting in dogs, both in early 2007 - Convenia represents yet another first from Pfizer Animal Health. Convenia is now available at veterinary practices nationwide.
'Pilling' is a Challenging Responsibility for Pet Owners
Antibiotics currently in use for dogs and cats, while generally effective, can be challenging for owners to give due to the need for daily or twice daily oral doses over several weeks. Besides busy lifestyles that often don't allow owners to be physically present to give their pets oral medications at the right times, owners often forget to give pills and they prematurely end therapy when their pets start to look or act better.
Some pet owners report that pets resist "pilling" or other orally administered medications. Research shows that 30 percent of dog owners have trouble pilling their dogs, while cat owners rank pilling as one of the most stressful activities involved with caring for their cats.
When doses are not given on time or when they are missed or stopped prematurely, pets do not receive optimal treatment and risk treatment failure, deterioration of health, and additional veterinary visits. Veterinarians report that non-compliance is the major cause of treatment failures and/or relapses in antibiotic therapy.
"The approval of Convenia, the first in its class, marks a significant milestone in the effective administration of antibiotics for companion animals," said Amy Trettien, DVM, Pfizer Animal Health. "For the first time, we may be able to see what 100 percent antibiotic compliance looks like."
Full Course of Antibiotic Treatment
Skin infections, which are caused by a variety of bacterial pathogens, are the No. 1 reason dogs and cats receive antibiotic treatment. In dogs, skin infections are typically a response to an allergy or parasite infestations that result in scratching, licking and biting behavior that can weaken skin and make it susceptible to bacterial infections. In cats, skin infections are typically in response to wounds or bites that become infected.
In U.S. clinical trials with 26 veterinary clinics, Convenia was proven to be statistically equivalent to a 14-day course of antibiotics with a veterinary-labeled, multi-day oral cephalosporin antibiotic. Study results showed that, in most cases, a single dose of Convenia was effective against naturally occurring skin infections in dogs and cats. Treatment outcomes for both dogs and cats were as effective as the oral antibiotic used in the study. In most cases, only a single injection was necessary. Only 14 percent of treated canines required a second dose of Convenia to complete treatment.
Convenia is well tolerated, and its safety has been demonstrated in adult dogs and cats as well as in puppies and kittens. The most common side effects seen with Convenia are similar to those seen with other antibiotics, vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite and lethargy. More than 4 million doses of Convenia have been administered to pets globally since 2006.
For full prescribing information about Convenia, visit
www.convenia.com.
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