And what about the spelling? What about Cefazoline? Why did the injection of Cefazolin (not sure if has an "e" on the end) take my cat's fever down two and a half degrees and hold it there while many doses of Cephalexin (Keflex) only had the effect of baby aspirin and pushed the fever down temporarily?
My cat's fever went on to spike dangerously high every day going higher once a day. That was frightening.
What is the Difference Between Cefazolin and Cephalexin?
Question posted by IceyPink1 on 10 Jan 2011
Last updated on 5 June 2011
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Answers
therxman1
6 June 2011
Both cefazolin and cephalexin are first generation cephalosporins with coverage mainly against gram-positive bacteria. They are time-dependent bactericidal antibiotics that work by disrupting the bacterial cell membrane. Both have similar antibacterial coverage with the only real difference being that cephalexin is available orally where as cefazolin is only available as injection. Theorectically neither drug should bring down the fever on its own, but instead allow it to come down after it has killed the bacteria and the body no longer needs to fight it off thus lowering the fever. It is likely that the infection had almost run its course by the time cefazolin was given and thus the reason for the fever going down.
therxman1
6 June 2011
also since cefazolin is an injection it reaches higher blood serum concentrations. Therefore, it is possible the oral dose of cephalexin was too low to effectively kill off the bacteria.
Related topics
fever, bacterial infection, cefazolin, cephalexin, injection, veterinary
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