Bioavailability of flumequine after semisimultaneous administration to veal calves.

The absolute bioavailability of flumequine after semisimultaneous intramuscular administration as a water-based suspension to veal calves was 92 +/- 14%. The semisimultaneous experimental design provided a reliable determination of absorption rate and demonstrated flip-flop pharmacokinetics. No period or sequence effects were detected. Calculated elimination rate, clearance, and volume of distribution after intravenous administration were comparable to values obtained from traditional design studies. The semisimultaneous experimental design proved to be valuable for the assessment of bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of drugs in food-producing animals while preventing violation of basic clearance assumptions.