Are ceftazidime injections still good if theyve leaked in the freezer?
- Thread starter AshleeSparling
- Start date
FIrst, stop the leaks by leaving the syringes pointing up and back the plunger out just a bit.
After defrosting, you can probably suck most of that back into the syringe.
Last, check with your vet about the dosing. We don't know where in the acceptable range your vet dosed the tortoise. If the vet gave the absolute minimum effective dose, then losing a portion of it will matter. If the vet went on the higher end of the acceptable range, anticipating this sort of thing, then the missing 1/10th of a cc won't matter.
After defrosting, you can probably suck most of that back into the syringe.
Last, check with your vet about the dosing. We don't know where in the acceptable range your vet dosed the tortoise. If the vet gave the absolute minimum effective dose, then losing a portion of it will matter. If the vet went on the higher end of the acceptable range, anticipating this sort of thing, then the missing 1/10th of a cc won't matter.
AshleeSparling
Member
I called, they want me to repurchase them. Because there may not be the right dose, but then since I have extras couldn't I just give him 2?
AshleeSparling
Member
I would measure it out to be the exact amount he needs split into 2 different needles.
That is what I would do. Measure out the correct original dose with whatever is left.
AshleeSparling
Member
They strongly advised me against it. I'm just going to take the plunge and get more
AshleeSparling
Member
I just got back from the vet an hour away, and they are completely thawed. I didn't check If they were frozen when we left the vet, but they sent me home with an ice pack. I'm devastated. We definitely can not make another trip, the weather is getting bad. What should I do?
it has most likely never been frozen , they most likely reconstituted it for you , put it in the freezer , it'll be fine ..... like tom said , make sure there is some air on the needle side , as it will push out the air instead of the liquid as it freezes..... your other ones were most likely still good , you would just need to get what was in the needle cover back in the syringe after you thawed it .....
It can be thawed for up to three days and still be good. After three days of being reconstituted at room temp, it begins to degrade. That's why we freeze it.
It comes in powder form in a vial. Your vet has to add sterile saline solution to reconstitute it. Once the fluid is added, its good for three days. If frozen after being reconstituted, then its good indefinitely. You just have to thaw it before use.
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2013
- Messages
- 3,641
Slight correction to the above info is in order. Frozen reconstituted ceftazidime is not good indefinitely. It is good for three months, but only if stored in the original vial, not in a syringe. Here is the info quoted from the package insert on the proper storage and stability of ceftazidime:
"Ceftazidime for injection, when constituted as directed with Sterile Water for Injection, Bacteriostatic Water for Injection, or 0.5% or 1% Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection, maintains satisfactory potency for 12 hours at room temperature or for 3 days under refrigeration. Solutions in Sterile Water for Injection that are frozen immediately after constitution in the original container are stable for 3 months when stored at -20°C. Once thawed, solutions should not be refrozen. Thawed solutions may be stored for up to 3 hours at room temperature or for 3 days in a refrigerator."
Last edited:
AshleeSparling
Member
He's had 5 and he's still got a noticeable squeak/wheeze. That's his only syntom. Should I be concerned? He needs 5 more injections
AshleeSparling
Member
His symtoms before were, watery eyes and squeak/wheeze. He also moves his throat really hard when he breathes, he doesn't pump his arms or anything but he pumps his throat. No open mouth though
As I stated before, unless you have taken steps to correct the problem that caused the sickness, all these injections will do nothing. This tortoises shouldn't drop below 85 degrees day or night for weeks after symptoms disappear. Daytime ambient needs to be in the low 90s.
Thank you for the correction Mr. Z. Much appreciated. Accuracy is important in this case.
AshleeSparling
Member
His wheezing seems to get worse when he's in the low 90s. He seems to hot and distressed
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
What's humidity in the enclosure?
Do you measure temperature at his shell level?
If you have a temperature gun, can you check floor and his shell temperatures?
How do you heat the enclosure now?
my opinion is a temperature gradient is best unless it's a really sick animal that isn't thermoregulating, then an incubator is in order, you can keep them too hot ..... a hot spot of 90 degrees that cools off as you move away from the hot spot i think is safest....... red foots do not need kept excessively warm .....
how long have you had this tortoise? pumping their throat is normal , the more they're stressed the more and harder their throat will pump? wheezing from my experience usually comes from the nares , a chronic uri can damage the nasal passage and a healthy tortoise can wheeze, i imagine to dry may also cause wheezing...... clear/bright eyes , eating and thermoregulating normally, are better indicators of health......
stress causes rapid breathing , can this tortoise hide ?
if it were a URI like a mycoplasma infection, flared up by stress, ceftazidime will not work ......
how long have you had this tortoise? pumping their throat is normal , the more they're stressed the more and harder their throat will pump? wheezing from my experience usually comes from the nares , a chronic uri can damage the nasal passage and a healthy tortoise can wheeze, i imagine to dry may also cause wheezing...... clear/bright eyes , eating and thermoregulating normally, are better indicators of health......
stress causes rapid breathing , can this tortoise hide ?
if it were a URI like a mycoplasma infection, flared up by stress, ceftazidime will not work ......
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
Hello! To avoid confusion, it's not a redfoot, but sulcata.
Here is the original post: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/wheeze-in-sulcata-tortoise.208965/
That is called anthropomorphism. You would feel uncomfortable at those temps. Reptiles don't function that way. This tortoise needs to be able to get warm or it won't be able to heal.
AshleeSparling
Member
I have a sulcata
