The effect of low intensity laser irradiation of inflamed udders on the efficacy of antibiotic treatment of clinical mastitis in dairy cows

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of STP-99 laser irradiation applied locally to inflamed cow udders on the efficacy of clinical mastitis treatment with either intramammary infusions of antibiotic products or systemic injections of antibiotics. Examinations were carried out on 124 milking dairy cows suffering from clinical, bacterial mastitis. Cows with signs of local acute inflammation were treated with approved intramammary antibiotic products at labeled doses as control. The exposed cows received the same antibiotic treatment but were also subjected to irradiation of the inflamed udders with a laser for 5 consecutive days (2 minutes a day). Cows with local and systemic signs of mastitis were treated with either intramuscular injections of approved antibiotics in label doses alone (controls), or with the same intramuscular treatment protocol and laser irradiation of inflamed glands for 5 consecutive days (2 minutes a day). The recovery rate after intramammary treatment with antibiotics was 43.7%. Irradiation with laser significantly (P < 0.05%) increased the recovery rate by 31.2%. The recovery rate in the cow cohort receiving systemic treatment with antibiotics was 46.7%. The laser irradiation resulted in a 16.6% increase in recovery. Supportive treatment with laser irradiation increased recovery rates by 24.2%.

Keywords: Antibiotic treatment; Clinical mastitis; Cow; Laser irradiation.