using baytril prescribed from a previous course?

[piggiemummy03x]

wondering if anyone can give me some advice please. my girl della is supposed to be on baytril until sunday however we are definitely not going to have enough to do us until then! (i don’t know why but always seem to run out of meds before the last date i don’t measure it wrong i am soso careful so i have no idea why this happens)

i have just found an old pot of it from a previous time she had been given it (pretty sure it was beginning of this year, i will have to double check later!) thats dated 2024 and wondered if i could just use this? how could i tell if it had gone bad or been stored incorrectly? it look’s completely fine to me, i just worry!

thanks everyone!

 

[Claire W]

Has the baytril been opened? The problem you have is most medication has a shelf life and loses its efficiency especially once it’s been opened. I’m afraid I don’t know what the shelf life is for baytril, a few weeks I think. Could you not phone your vet and explain that they haven’t given you enough to last? They may prescribe you some more

 

[Pantalaimon]

It depends on how long ago it was opened. Being an antibiotic it will have a very short expiry once opened. If it has been open for a while it may no longer be effective, therefore you would be effectively ending the course of antibiotics earlier than intended which can lead to antibiotic resistance. If the bottle has been correctly stored, was not contaminated and was only opened a month or so ago you would probably be ok. Personally I wouldn’t risk it any longer than that.

 

[piggieminder]

I would phone the vet and check. I seem to remember Baytril has a short shelf life once open. I seem to remember although mine were on it for a month I had to have a new prescription after 2 weeks.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Once opened its shelf life is only around 28 days so the bottle you have if opened at the beginning is the year is not able to be used

 

[piggiemummy03x]

Has the baytril been opened? The problem you have is most medication has a shelf life and loses its efficiency especially once it’s been opened. I’m afraid I don’t know what the shelf life is for baytril, a few weeks I think. Could you not phone your vet and explain that they haven’t given you enough to last? They may prescribe you some more

what do you mean opened? its in a smaller pot measured from the vets bigger pot if that makes sense? so definitely has been opened as it was transferred over! its from march.. yes was just hoping to save a vist down as its half an hour away x

 

[piggiemummy03x]

It depends on how long ago it was opened. Being an antibiotic it will have a very short expiry once opened. If it has been open for a while it may no longer be effective, therefore you would be effectively ending the course of antibiotics earlier than intended which can lead to antibiotic resistance. If the bottle has been correctly stored, was not contaminated and was only opened a month or so ago you would probably be ok. Personally I wouldn’t risk it any longer than that.

oh man thats a shame! thankyou

 

[piggiemummy03x]

Once opened its shelf life is only around 28 days so the bottle you have if opened at the beginning is the year is not able to be used

ah gutted! thankyou x

 

[piggiemummy03x]

hey guys i’m freaking out a bit as the last fews days i’ve noticed the baytril has seperated a little, i just put this down to the fact its been a long course but i’m now reading this means its gone bad and iv been giving it to della these last few days.. i’m so anxious i’v poisoned her or something i’m honestly freaking out

 

[piggiemummy03x]

is there any chance i can make my girl poorly having done this or is it more likely the baytril just wouldn’t be as effective/effective at all anymore? i feel like such an idiot i thought it was a little strange when i noticed i honestly hate myself

 

[piggieminder]

I doubt it would have gone off if your vet only gave it to you a few weeks ago. I'm not a vet or an expert but if it was me I'd give it a shake to make sure it's mixed and still use it until you can speak to the vet if you don't have enough to finish the course. If it did go off it's not likely to poison her it would just be weaker so not as strong a dose. Your vet won't have dispensed something that is going to go off in the time it was prescribed to be taken. They have strict controls on their drugs the same as a pharmacy.

 

[piggiemummy03x]

I doubt it would have gone off if your vet only gave it to you a few weeks ago. I'm not a vet or an expert but if it was me I'd give it a shake to make sure it's mixed and still use it until you can speak to the vet if you don't have enough to finish the course. If it did go off it's not likely to poison her it would just be weaker so not as strong a dose. Your vet won't have dispensed something that is going to go off in the time it was prescribed to be taken. They have strict controls on their drugs the same as a pharmacy.

hi yes i’ve been shaking it each time! phoning vet tomorrow first thing, thankyou so much for the reassurance i am honestly kicking myself

 

[piggieminder]

Please try not to worry, I know it's hard, I've been there! It's not your fault, things happen. I've found the things I worry about the most in life are the things I needn't have worried about at all!

 

[Eriathwen]

I've had baytril seperate loads, I dont know what I do to it but it never lasts long with me before going cloudy and crystallising I've given it without noticing before and nothing bad has ever happened, even to a tiny little 40g hamster, it just means the drug is now ineffective not that it'll make them unwell unless you give more than the prescribed dose which you wouldn't have done. If you contact your vets they'll likely give you some more to at least cover the rest of the course. My vets usually give me a few ml over what I need, but some will give it exactly, which over time coating the outside of the syringe etc can leave you with a little less than you need. I'm sure if you give them a call they'll let you have some more to cover the rest of the course

 

[Freela]

I think they ask you to shake it because some separation is normal. Right now one of my hams is on Baytril and there has been some separation even from day one. It doesn't last for that long once it has been mixed into the base, but some separation doesn't mean it isn't still good. I think the shelf life is a couple weeks once the solution is made. If it's past the point of potency, it shouldn't hurt them, it just won't be as effective. Hope this helps!

 

[piggiemummy03x]

Please try not to worry, I know it's hard, I've been there! It's not your fault, things happen. I've found the things I worry about the most in life are the things I needn't have worried about at all!

thankyou soso much, suffering from anxiety really does make everything 1000xs worse, but you are right, wish i could just tell myself that and believe it!

 

[piggiemummy03x]

I've had baytril seperate loads, I dont know what I do to it but it never lasts long with me before going cloudy and crystallising I've given it without noticing before and nothing bad has ever happened, even to a tiny little 40g hamster, it just means the drug is now ineffective not that it'll make them unwell unless you give more than the prescribed dose which you wouldn't have done. If you contact your vets they'll likely give you some more to at least cover the rest of the course. My vets usually give me a few ml over what I need, but some will give it exactly, which over time coating the outside of the syringe etc can leave you with a little less than you need. I'm sure if you give them a call they'll let you have some more to cover the rest of the course

thank you soooo much this has made me feel somewhat better, still extremely annoyed with myself though as somehow thinking its my fault.. i’m really hoping it hasn’t become ineffective although della has been doing well these last few days and all of a sudden yesterday symptoms started up again.

yes i really don’t know how i’ve run out but it’s happened a few times now.. i have actually noticed with the syringe the vet gives me that after giving della the 0.3ml there is still roughly 0.02/0.03 left in there that i’m unable to squeeze out (it sits in the top bit that goes in the mouth if that makes sense) so wondering if thats where the lost medicine is going?

 

[piggiemummy03x]

i also feel like an idiot because we’ve actually now run out of the newest baytril but i didn’t do anything about it yesterday because i just assumed i could use the old one so theres going to be a dose missed this morning until i can get to the vets this afternoon (i don’t drive so rely on other half who's working) so i’m really concerned i’ve just messed up and made the last 1 and a bit weeks on these ABs completely pointless!

 

[piggiemummy03x]

I think they ask you to shake it because some separation is normal. Right now one of my hams is on Baytril and there has been some separation even from day one. It doesn't last for that long once it has been mixed into the base, but some separation doesn't mean it isn't still good. I think the shelf life is a couple weeks once the solution is made. If it's past the point of potency, it shouldn't hurt them, it just won't be as effective. Hope this helps!

yes i do shake it, it’s made me feel better you say its normal for some separation, everywhere online says as soon as it does this chuck it out its gone bad! thanks so much!

 

[Freela]

i also feel like an idiot because we’ve actually now run out of the newest baytril but i didn’t do anything about it yesterday because i just assumed i could use the old one so theres going to be a dose missed this morning until i can get to the vets this afternoon (i don’t drive so rely on other half who's working) so i’m really concerned i’ve just messed up and made the last 1 and a bit weeks on these ABs completely pointless!

I really don't think missing a dose along the way is going to be a huge setback. If I'm honest, I have probably forgotten antibiotics a time or two and missed a dose with my pets... and with myself. And it hasn't prevented them from working. Hope your piggy is soon feeling a lot better and you can put the antibiotics behind you.

 

[piggiemummy03x]

I really don't think missing a dose along the way is going to be a huge setback. If I'm honest, I have probably forgotten antibiotics a time or two and missed a dose with my pets... and with myself. And it hasn't prevented them from working. Hope your piggy is soon feeling a lot better and you can put the antibiotics behind you.

thanks so much! after confirmation from the vet i was told to use the last of our most recent batch (i did mention about it separating, she just said to mix it) and luckily after scraping all the sides there was just enough for her full dose picking up some more this evening!