PHARMACOKINETICS OF GENTAMICIN IN THE JUVENILE DOG

Abstract

The pharmacokinetics of gentamicin and/or creatinine clearances were investigated in 11 5-mo.-old Beagles. A 2-compartment open model was used to describe the drug''s disposition, as judged by error sums of squares and residual plot analyses. Half-life (elimination phase) was 60.9 .+-. 7.8 min (mean .+-. SD), the volume of distribution calculated from the area under the curve was 35.4 .+-. 3.6 l/100 kg of body weight and the clearance of the drug from the body was 4.08 .+-. 0.62 ml/min per kg of body weight. The 24-h creatinine renal clearance in these dogs was 3.82 .+-. 0.92 ml/min per kg, consistent with gentamicin being eliminated mainly by glomerular filtration. Other pharmacokinetic values were also determined.