Danofloxacin: veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Antibiotic

Also known as

Advocin, A180

Species with doses

Cattle

General dose range

6–8 mg/kg SC single dose (or q24h) — check the species tables for the indication

Routes

SC

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• Bovine respiratory disease (Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella, Histophilus, Mycoplasma)
• Swine respiratory disease
• Poultry respiratory/enteric infection (where legally permitted)
• Severe Gram-negative/Mycoplasma respiratory infection in food animals

Danofloxacin dose by species

Doses are per administration unless stated. mg/kg doses scale with body weight; per-animal, per-quarter and infusion-rate doses are shown as the reference writes them.

Cattle

• BRD: Papich 5e and Plumb’s p.346 (A180 label): 6 mg/kg (1.5 mL per 100 lb) SC, repeated once about 48 h later, or 8 mg/kg as a single injection; no more than 15 mL per site. US slaughter withdrawal 4 days; not for lactating dairy cattle or veal calves. US law prohibits extra-label use of fluoroquinolones in food animals.

Pigs

• No reference dose for this species: Papich 5e states that no swine dose has been reported and Plumb’s gives cattle only. Follow a local pig label where one exists.

Buffalo

No buffalo-specific doses are on file, so buffalo are dosed as cattle.

• BRD: Papich 5e and Plumb’s p.346 (A180 label): 6 mg/kg (1.5 mL per 100 lb) SC, repeated once about 48 h later, or 8 mg/kg as a single injection; no more than 15 mL per site. US slaughter withdrawal 4 days; not for lactating dairy cattle or veal calves. US law prohibits extra-label use of fluoroquinolones in food animals.

Birds

• No reference dose for this species: Neither Papich 5e nor Plumb’s gives a danofloxacin dose for birds; fluoroquinolone use in poultry is banned or restricted in many countries.

Contraindications

Growing animals (arthropathy — class effect). Fluoroquinolone restrictions in food animals (verify legality; banned for some uses in several countries). Known fluoroquinolone hypersensitivity. Observe meat withdrawal. Not for lactating dairy producing human milk unless permitted.

Species-specific warnings

Birds: Poultry fluoroquinolone use is banned/restricted in many countries (resistance) — verify legality before flock use.

Adverse effects

• Injection-site reaction
• Cartilage effects in growing animals
• GI flora disturbance
• Rare CNS excitation

Drug interactions

• Di-/tri-valent cations (oral): chelation reduces absorption
• Theophylline/NSAIDs: as with the fluoroquinolone class (relevant mainly to oral/small-animal use)
• No major small-molecule interactions at label parenteral use

Pregnancy and lactation

Used in pregnant food animals at label dose; avoid in growing animals (arthropathy).

Monitoring

• Respiratory clinical response (rapid improvement expected)
• Injection-site reaction
• Meat/withdrawal compliance and legal status of fluoroquinolone food-animal use
• Antimicrobial stewardship documentation

Toxicity and overdose

Wide margin in adults; the class-specific concern is cartilage toxicity in juveniles. Overdose may cause GI/CNS signs. The dominant issues are regulatory/stewardship (food-animal fluoroquinolone restrictions and resistance) rather than acute toxicity.

Management: Supportive; no specific antidote. Manage GI/CNS signs and injection-site reactions; ensure hydration. Observe withdrawal.

Clinical pearls

• A single-dose injectable fluoroquinolone for BRD — concentration-dependent killing means one high dose, not a long divided course
• Reserve fluoroquinolones in food animals for justified, culture-supported respiratory disease — they are critically important antimicrobials with use restrictions
• Avoid in growing animals (arthropathy) and verify the legal status of fluoroquinolone use in your jurisdiction
• Observe meat withdrawal; not for lactating dairy unless the product permits

Mechanism of action

Inhibits bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, blocking DNA replication/supercoiling — rapid, concentration-dependent bactericidal killing with a post-antibiotic effect. High Cmax/MIC and AUC/MIC ratios drive efficacy, favouring a single high dose; excellent penetration into respiratory tissue underlies its BRD performance.

Formulations and products

• Injection 180 mg/mL (18 %, Advocin A180)
• Injection 25 mg/mL (2.5 %)
• Advocin A180 (Zoetis) — 180 mg/mL (18 %), SC injection

Storage

Injection: 15–30 °C, protect from light; do not freeze.

Before you use this dose

Reference doses for veterinary professionals. Confirm the dose against the product label, the patient’s condition, current guidance and local regulations before use; the attending veterinarian remains responsible for every clinical decision.

Other antibiotics

• Clarithromycin
• Clindamycin
• Cloxacillin
• Colistin (Polymyxin E)
• Doxycycline
• Enrofloxacin
• Erythromycin
• Florfenicol

Frequently asked questions