From:
"Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2007-02-08 19:46:48 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Effect of Temperature on Meds
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
EXCELLENT POINT, Barb!
Yes, many medications had temperature ranges they can't deal with. According to the
directions on some of the packing material used for compounded meds and our own 3
month mailed meds, this is why such packs are heated or frozen (depending on the
individual med) by mailing pharmacies to prevent the medication from being destroyed by
temperature extremes. Some can deal with higher or lower temperatures for short periods
of time. At one point we actually had to adjust the temperature of our home refrigerator
to suit the narrow storage range of a human med because our fridge was a bit too cool.
It is still possible with some meds to provide them in warmed food safely if
1 they can deal with higher temps for short periods while diluted by another item
or
2 if a thermometer is used to make sure that the temperature does not exceed the range
found to be acceptable for the med WHEN IT IS LOOKED UP (We personally use a Raytek
Minitemp which we have had for years and find o be very accurate.)
BTW, heat the food, and make sure that the temp is in a safe range for a med which can be
given in food before adding med. Don't add the med and then heat it.
Always let your vet know how you are giving a med. Vets are not pharmacists so won't
have that sort of info on their fingertips but if the technique weakens the med rather than
altering it in a worse way the vet can adjust dosing. Also, always let your vet know what
supplements and herbals are used -- again same point about overload of infofor any
professional to have on one's fingertips but something may ring bells that say, "Hey, look
this up for medical or health conflicts." If physicians had to learn as many species as vets
do I think there would be fewer physicians ;-) So, don't expect them to also be expert in
other professions like pharmacology or pharmacognosy. Luckily, reference books and the
internet are great for looking up medications. Use places like this:
http://www.medicinenet.com/medications/article.htm
It is also important for people to find out which meds can be given with water (Not all
can.), which can be given with fats/oils (Not all can.), which can be exposed to saliva (Not
all can.), which can be given with certain minerals (Not all can.), which can be left exposed
to light (Not all can.), which solid ones can be divided safely with just a cut (pills or caplets
that have a dividing line indented in them) vs, those which must be crushed and mixed
due to active ingredients not being evenly distributed, etc.
http://www.medicinenet.com/prednisolone/article.htm
>STORAGE: Store at room temperature, sealed
>container. Store Pediapred at 39-77 degrees F.
http://www.medicinenet.com/metronidazole/article.htm
>STORAGE: Metronidazole should be stored at room temperature
> and protected from light.
--- In ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, "Barbara Clay" <ROCKY_rrr@...> wrote:
>
> I've read often, and very recently, so many people adding their
> ferrets' meds to their food. It's done directly to the warmed soup,
> it's added to the soup and then microwaved, etc. I have a concern that
> the effectiveness of the meds are compromised through these processes.
>
> I apologize in advance for the possibility of such a broad response
> that might be needed to this question. I think we need to know how
> much, if any, the medicinal properties are degraded by including in the
> heated/heating food processes mentioned; ie, Pred, antibiotics, Flagyl,
> etc.
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