From:
Dr. Bruce Williams
Date: 2001-03-02 20:37:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Compounded enacard
Dear Lisa: Said I'd get back to you on this one.
I think this information is appropriate for anyone, vet or otherwise,
that is compounding their own drugs, or making solutions from pills
in order to facilitate administration.
Compounding a drug, or adding a ground up tablet to a solution in
such a concentration as to make a measured dosage requires
appropriate suspension agents. While I'm sure that your vets are
probably doing it right, it is important to know that mixing tablets
in water will yield the solution, but this solution will likely
degrade rapidly over time.
Proper suspension agents, such as methylcellulose, yield a solution
with well-delineated shelf-lives of 6 months or possibly longer.
Wonder why you have to throw out liquid antibiotics such as
Amoxicillin 10 days after reconstituting - it's because they are
reconstituted with water. Even with refrigeration, at 10-14 days
they are degenerated to the point of ineffectiveness.
Make sure that your vets aren't using a water base to compound
medicines in house. Compounding is great, but make sure all the
right ingredients are used!
With kindest regards,
Bruce H. Williams, DVM
Join the Ferret Health List at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-
Health-list
> The enacard was refrigerated and as far as I know, mixed at the
clinic - it
> was typically a 30-day prescription, so I can't imagine it losing
potency
> after only 24 hours. You are aware of my vets, Dr. Williams - they
speak very
> highly of you and I am sure that they will provide you with what
they used to
> make the suspension.
>
> Lisa Leidig, Head Ferret
> The Ferret Haven "By-the-Sea"
> www.ferrethaven.org