PROPER USES OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS
Pharmaceutical Products play a large role in preserving the health of individual sheep and the flock as a whole. However all pharmaceutical products should be used in responsible manner.



Extra-Label Drug Use- Due to the few numbers of antibiotics approved for use in sheep the FDA allows Extra-label Drug Use by veterinarians. If there are no approved products for a specific disease condition, or if approved products are deemed ineffective by the veterinarian, he or she can prescribe a non-approved drug or an approved drug at a higher dose in effort to treat the disease. The veterinarian must have established a Veterinarian-Client-Patient relationship, be available for follow-up consultation, and must calculate a reasonable withdrawal time to ensure that residue contaminated meat does not enter the food chain. Extra Label Drug Use occurs any time that a non-approved product is used or an approved product is used in a way that differs from the package insert (dose, frequency, route) or used for a condition not specified on the label. Extra Label Drug Use does not apply to feed additives. We strongly recommend that you develop a relationship with your local veterinarian in effort to use pharmaceutical products when required yet not compromise the safety of your product. Extra Label Drug Use does not apply to feed additives.



The following is a comprehensive list of many pharmaceutical products used in the sheep industry. Indications, warnings, and other pertinent information is listed after each item. All injectable products should be administered Subcutaneously (S.Q.) unless otherwise indicated.


  • Extra-Label Drug Use, + Prescription Drug. All others are approved and over the counter.


Antibiotics



Penicillins – Broad-spectrum antibiotic. Economical, *Dosage – 5 cc/100 #. Procaine – Short acting (administer every 24 hours), Benzathine – long acting (administer every 48 hours. Do not administer IV.



Uses: Umbilical infections, abscesses, and uterine infections


  • Ampicillin (Polyflex) – Similar to penicillin but broader – spectrum.



Uses: Treatment of choice for Salmonella.


  • Tetracycline (Injectable - LA200, Oxybiotic, Biomycin,) Feed grade – CTC, Aureomycin – Broad spectrum, effective against Chlamydia, Do not use in breeding rams.



Uses: Chlamydia abortions and pinkeye, boluses prophylatically for uterine infections. Feed grade for prevention of Chlamydia abortions


  • Spectinomycin – Used commonly for E. coli scours and Pasturella pneumonia,



Uses: E. coli scours, Pneumonia


  • Gentamicin – Aminoglycoside antibiotic. Very long withdrawal time. Narrow spectrum, Gram negative, Use only orally as little is absorbed by GI tract.



Uses: Orally for E. coli infections




  • +Florfenicol (Nuflor) – New antibiotic. Effective, expensive. Excellent for pneumonia and bone infections. Irritating to tissue. One treatment per 48 hours. Dose = 1cc/30#



Uses: Pneumonia, orally for E. coli scours.


  • +Tilmicosin (Micotil) – New antibiotic. Effective, expensive. Excellent for pneumonia. Drug has been shown to be fatal in primates. One treatment per 72 hours. Dose = 1cc/75#



Uses: Pneumonia, Staph mastitis


  • +Ceftiofur (Naxcel) – Expensive, need to re-hydrate bottle and use within a week or freeze and thaw once. Broad spectrum, no withdrawal, Excenel – stable non-refrigerated ceftiofur but more tissue reactive.

1cc/50# once a day for 3 days.

Uses: routine infections, heavy feeder lambs.




  • Sulfas (Albon, Sulfaquinoxaline, trimethoprim-sulfa) – Only class of antibiotics effective against coccidiosis, Broad-specturm.



Uses: coccidiosis outbreaks, water medication. Scours.










Ionophores and coccidiostats



Deccoquinate (Decox), Lasolacid (Bovatec), *Monensin (Rumensin) – Feed grade compounds to control coccidiosis.



Uses: Coccidiosis, Prevention of Toxoplasma abortions (Rumensin)
Dewormers



Ivermectin – Lowest reported resistance, only effective against roundworms, safe for pregnant ewe. Drench approved. Cattle injectable – ELDU



Levamasole/Tramisole – Cheap, only effective against roundworms, safe for pregnant ewes, injectable is irritating to tissue. Drench Approved. Cattle injectable – ELDU.



Albendazole (Valbazen) – Economical, do not use in first trimester of pregnancy, effective against roundworms, tapeworms, and mature flukes.



  • Fenbendazole (Panacur) – Similar to Valbazen.




Miscellaneous



Baby Lamb Strength – Nutritional and Vitamin E supplement for new born lambs.