Interactions Between Cephalosporins and Food

Cephalosporins are a class of antibiotic drugs developed by the drug company Pfizer. They are used in the treatment of bacterial infections. Some of the brand names of cephalosporins are Cefa-Dri, Cefa-Lak, Excenel and Naxcel. Cephalosporins are not approved for use in food animals; however, they are commonly used in other livestock such as horses.

  1. Cephalosporins and Horses

    • Cephalosporins are divided into several categories known as generations. Ceftiofur is among the newest generation of cephalosporins and, according to a press release from Pfizer published in TheHorse.com, "is the only cephalosporin approved for use in horses and is known for its low toxicity and high margin of safety."

    Advantages

    • One key advantage of the newest generations of cephalosporins is their effectiveness with minimal dosing. Conversely, many antibiotics require long-term therapy. Also, cephalosporins do not show negative interactivity with food.

    Administration

    • Cephalosporins are not well absorbed with oral administration in horses, so the drug would not directly interact in the stomach with food. Intravenous administration is typically preferred over intramuscular injections, which are painful.

    Food-Related Side Effects

    • Side effects from cephalosporins can include diarrhea. Nausea and vomiting are also potential side effects; however, since horses cannot vomit and cannot state that they are experiencing nausea, you should monitor horses being treated with cephalosporins for signs of disinterest in food.

    Vantin

    • According to a paper by Pfizer, the semi-synthetic Vantin is one cephalosporin that reacts favorably to oral administration with food. When administered in coated tablet form, the extent of absorption and the concentration time were greater when given with food. The suspension form of Vantin did not show significant concentration differences between administration after eating or after fasting. However, Vantin is not a form of cephalosporin commonly used in horses.

    Considerations

    • The use of cephalosporin antibiotics should not raise concerns regarding interaction with food. As for administration in animals used for food, no withdrawal times (how long after discontinuing treatment before it is safe for meat to be consumed) have been established, so use of cephalosporins in food animals would be considered "off-label" use and is not legal in most countries.