Treatment of opportunistic mycobacterial infections with enrofloxacin in cats

Abstract

spayed cats and 3 castrated male cats, 5 to 13 years old, were referred for diagnosis and treatment of persistent skin and subcutaneous infections that had failed to respond to treatment with antibiotics, and in 3 cases, that had recurred after surgical excision.All were indoor/ outdoor cats, and in each case, the owner or veterinarian suspected the lesions had originated with a fight wound.The inguinal region was affected in all 6 cats, with marked firmness of the underlying and adjacent subcutaneous tissues, slight signs of pain on palpation of this area, and moderately enlarged inguinallymph nodes.In 5 cats, multiple ulcers and draining sinuses with serosanguineous to purulent discharge were noticed.In 1 cat, the subcutaneous inguinal tissue was very firm, but ulcers or sinuses were not found.Three cats also had ulcers and draining sinuses in other sites.Several antibiotics, megestrol acetate,a vitamin E, corticosteroids, and surgical excision had been used to treat the 6 cats before referral.The duration of treatment with each drug had ranged from 1 to 4 weeks.In 2 cats, clinical signs transiently had improved, then worsened during treatment with megestrol acetate.Other cats had failed to respond to any of the treatments.In 1 cat, the initial lesion located over the sacrum had been treated as an abscess with drainage and oral administration of amoxycillin,b but it failed to heal.During the ensuing 6 months, inflammation extended over a large area of the sacrococcygeal and inguinal regions.In another cat, a cutaneous and subcutaneous