ROLE OF OXYTETRACYCLINE DIHYDRATE IN THE TREATMENT OF MYCOPLASMA-ASSOCIATED OVINE KERATOCONJUNCTIVITIS IN LAMBS

Thirty-six lambs were placed in two groups of 10 each, one group of 11 and one group of five. The first three groups were challenged with a field strain of Mycoplasma conjunctivae and the group of five lambs wi th an inactivated culture. One group of lambs was treated with oxytetr acycline dihydrate as conjunctivitis developed at 1 day post-inoculati on (dpi) and the other group was treated when the conjunctivitis was a t its most severe (3 dpi). A rapid response to treatment was observed with a complete recovery obtained after 2 and 4 days, respectively. Ho wever, the treatment did not eliminate the M. conjunctivae infection. Conjunctivitis did not develop in the five lambs challenged with the i nactivated culture.