SENSIBILITY OF RABBITS TO TREATMENT WITH AMPICILLIN AND GENTAMICIN

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 12  (1) , 11-17
Abstract
Ampicillin administered to rabbits (20 mg/kg per day) over a period of 3 days caused death in 40%. No deaths were observed after treatment with gentamicin (10 mg/kg per day) or with a combination of ampicillin and gentamicin. On the 4th day weight loss in the 3 treated groups was 12, 11 and 9%, respectively, compared to controls. At the same time food intake in the treated groups was only 15-20% of the amount consumed by controls. In the cecum, ampicillin treatment resulted in dominance of a strain of Enterobacter aerogenes. Gentamicin had no effect on bacterial flora, although in combination with ampicillin the number of cecal bacteria (aerobic and anaerobic) was reduced. Floral modification might be responsible for accumulation of NH3 and an imbalance of free fatty acids. Cecotrophy was inhibited by administration of ampicillin. When administered i.m., ampicillin produced results comparable with those obtained orally, although gentamicin was ineffective.