Simplicef 100mg and 200mg film-coated Tablets are manufactured by Zoetis pharmaceuticals private limited company, which is a subsidiary of Pfizer pharmaceuticals company. Its generic name is Cefpodoxime proxetil, a third-generation, cephalosporin, that is used to restrict bacterial growth or kill bacteria. Many people are confused about this FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved medicine and think that Simplicef is a steroid. So, today in the following short article, I decided to answer the question asked me many times from the dog owners “Is Simplicef (cefpodoxime proxetil) is a steroid?”.
Contents
Quick Answer: Is Cefpodoxime a Steroid?
The answer is a big NO. Simplicef Tablets are not a steroid. This is the FDA approved veterinary antibiotic drug that is used to treat long-range of bacterial diseases in canine, feline, and other small animals. Antibiotics and steroids are not the same. They are completely different from each other. Cefpodoxime proxetil, a third-generation, cephalosporin drug (a class of antibiotic drugs), is used to treat infectious diseases caused by bacteria. They do not treat viral infections like cold, flu, influenza, distemper, reovirus, etc.
The Difference Between Antibiotics and Steroids
Antibiotics like Cefpodoxime proxetil
Bacteria are micro-organisms that cause various types of infections in all living organisms including humans, birds, and animals. So the anti-biotics, anti means against, and biotics mean micro-organism (the word biotic taken from bios which means “life”) are the drugs (substance) used to treat infections where the bacteria are responsible.
In dogs, simplicef generic cefpodoxime proxetil is subjected to treat all types of urinary tract infections including kidneys bacterial diseases, bladder infection, ureters or urethra infection, as well as periodontal diseases (gums, teeth, and oral cavity bacterial sickness), a sore throat caused by bacterial accumulation, ear/nose, and eye infections, wounds, soft tissue infections including all types of skin diseases i.e, pyoderma, folliculitis, cellulitis, etc. Cefpodoxime veterinary antibiotic drug also treats other infectious diseases which are not described here.
This is effective against a broad range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Hence, can be used to treat kennel cough in dogs (a respiratory disease caused by a bacterium: “Bordetella Bronchiseptica”), and other bacterial diseases.
What are Steroids?
Steroids are biologically active substances. They have three major types, (1) Anabolic-androgenic steroids like testosterone, etc (2) Glucocorticoids like prednisolone, hydrocortisone, etc (3) Mineralocorticoid like vasopressin. Steroids in general do not treat bacterial infections.
Glucocorticoids like cortisone, hydrocortisone, prednisolone, methyl-prednisolone are used to control allergic reactions in dogs. It may treat allergies like inflammation or swelling in the body, asthma, bronchitis, arthritis, pain, and rashes, etc. Because they are known as immunosuppressants, they suppress the body’s immune system and provide instant relief against swelling, rashes, pain, and other symptoms which body shows up due to other ailments.
Steroids like glucocorticoids (prednisolone) do not treat any disease. They are used in combination with other drugs like antibiotics as they decrease the body’s immune system strength. Simply you can say that corticosteroids vanish the symptoms like pain, rashes, allergies, asthma, etc, which body shows due to any illness or disease.
Summary:
The above article deeply explains that “How Simplicef is not a steroid?”. Simplicef is an antibiotic (antibacterial) drug which contains cefpodoxime proxetil, a third-generation cephalosporin, that kills bacteria by disturbing the process of bacterial cell wall synthesis. It works against bacteria and treats the infectious ailments caused by bacteria in the dog’s body. Steroids are completely different from antibiotics, they are biologically active substances and have three major types. They do not treat bacterial infections like antibiotics.
Glucocorticoids like prednisolone, cortisone are immunosuppressants that are used to remove symptoms like pain, allergies, skin rashes, bronchitis, and asthma, etc. Steroids do not treat diseases by itself, usually, they are used with other medicine to treat allergic reactions in the body. Other steroids like mineralocorticoids (uses to balance water salt level in the body) and anabolic androgenic steroids like testosterone have different uses.
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