Florfenicol

What is this medication for?

• BRD (Mannheimia, Pasteurella, Histophilus); footrot (label)
• Respiratory disease (label)
• Susceptible infections when avoiding chloramphenicol's myelotoxicity (the design logic — no human aplastic-low red blood cell counts link)

How is it given?

Give exactly as your veterinarian prescribed — never change the dose or stop on your own unless your veterinarian has told you to.

• The F-for-NO₂ swap is the whole drug: chloramphenicol spectrum without the human aplastic-low red blood cell counts handler risk — which is exactly why it could become a cattle label workhorse while chloramphenicol got food-animal-banned.

What if I miss a dose?

• Give it as soon as you remember — unless it is almost time for the next dose (then skip the missed one; never double up).
• Call your clinic if you miss more than one dose in a row.

Side effects — what should I watch for?

Effects listed as common in this handout

• Anorexia, ↓water intake, diarrhea, injection-site reactions (trim loss) (Cattle label events)
• Painful into a muscle (Route effect)
• Transient loss of appetite/fever (Occasional)

Worth a phone call to your veterinarian

• Any new symptom that worries you.

⚠️ Contact your veterinarian or an emergency clinic IMMEDIATELY if you notice

• Cat retinopathy/blindness (overdose) (Dose-discipline consequence)

Before starting (or refilling), tell your veterinarian if your pet:

• has or has had: into a vein route; veal/breeding cattle (manufacturer); hypersensitivity
• has or has had: Not for lactating dairy (US label era); prolonged dosing = marrow-class watch (theoretical)

• is pregnant, nursing, or used for breeding
• is taking any other medications, supplements, or flea/tick products, including:
  • 50S competitors (erythromycin/lincosamides/chloramphenicol)
  • Warfarin (class)

Storage and handling

Never into a vein; painful into a muscle in small animals; neck-site rules in cattle (trim loss economics).

Good to know

• The F-for-NO₂ swap is the whole drug: chloramphenicol spectrum without the human aplastic-low red blood cell counts handler risk — which is exactly why it could become a cattle label workhorse while chloramphenicol got food-animal-banned.
• Cat precision rule: 22 mg/kg every 12 hours works, ~20 mg/kg retinopathy territory — thin margin, compounding-grade care.
• Resflor Gold pairs the antibiotic with flunixin in one shot — convenient, but remember you're also giving an NSAID (withdrawal + contraindication inheritance).