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 with an inactivated culture. One group of lambs was treated with oxytetracycline dihydrate as conjunctivitis developed at 1 day post-inoculation (dpi) and the other group was treated when the conjunctivitis was at its most severe (3 dpi). A rapid response to treatment was observed with a complete recovery obtained after 2 and 4 days, respectively. However, the treatment did not eliminate the M. conjunctivae infection. Conjunctivitis did not develop in the five lambs challenged with the inactivated culture.