Safety and Efficacy of Cefovecin (Convenia®) as an Adjunctive Treatment of Periodontal Disease in Dogs

This study was designed to determine the safety and efficacy of cefovecin (Convenia?; Pfizer Animal Health) when compared to clindamycin (Antirobe?; Pfizer Animal Health) as an adjunctive therapy to periodontal scaling or surgery for severe periodontal disease in dogs. A multi-centre, double-masked, randomised study was conducted in 299 dogs with severe periodontal disease. Clindamycin, administered once daily at 11 mg/kg bodyweight orally for 10 days following dental surgery was compared with a single, subcutaneous injection of cefovecin (8 mg/kg bodyweight) administered at the time of dental surgery. The primary efficacy parameter assessed was percentage of tooth-root sites bleeding when probed (an indicator of gingival inflammation) 42 days after surgery. Two-hundred and ninety-one (291) dogs were included in the efficacy assessments. Cefovecin was shown to be non-inferior to clindamycin. The percentage of sites bleeding on probing was reduced from 54.3% to 20.3% for the cefovecin group (53.1% reduced to 17.4% for the clindamycin group). There were no suspected adverse drug experiences attributed to treatment with cefovecin or clindamycin. Cefovecin was shown to be as effective and safe adjunctive treatment for severe periodontal disease in dogs undergoing periodontal scaling and surgery as clindamycin.