WHO recommends ciprofloxacin as the drug of choice for bloody diarrhea. We retrospectively analyzed antibiotic response in 100 children with bloody diarrhea admitted between 2006-2010. Cotrimoxazole (n=55) had higher chance of attaining improved appetite and normal activity in 48 h, hospitalization of <3d, blood disappearance in ≤5d and not requiring a second antibiotic compared to others (n=45). Older antimicrobials should be tried in all possible situations.