Injection provides up to 14 days of treatment against some skin infections.
Pfizer received FDA approval for Convenia®, reportedly the first antibiotic for dogs and cats available in a single veterinarian-administered injectable dose. Convenia provides up to 14 days of treatment for the most common skin infections, the company explains.
Current antibiotics require daily or twice-daily oral doses over several weeks. Veterinarians say that noncompliance is the major cause of treatment failures and/or relapses in antibiotic therapy, according to Pfizer. “The approval of Convenia, the first in its class, marks a significant milestone in the effective administration of antibiotics for companion animals,” remarks Amy Trettien, DVM, Pfizer Animal Health. “For the first time, we may be able to see what 100 percent antibiotic compliance looks like.”
“With Convenia,” adds George Fennell, vp, companion animal division, Pfizer Animal Health, “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.”
This authorization follows approvals last year for the first canine obesity medication and the first drug to control vomiting in dogs, Pfizer points out.
