Expiration Date On Pills

[macoduck]

I have some Valium I use for Gracie when she's having a bad back day. She didn't need it often unless she did a lot of running.

These 5mg pills were dispensed in December 2009 and the label says they expired in December 2010.

Do they have a longer shelf life?

Gracie hasn't needed them in a long time but we will be having a noisy contractor taking down trees in the backyard. Boarding Gracie, Harold and Pudge may not be an option. I thought maybe giving them a Valium before the work starts would help prevent stress.

I'll be at the vet in an hour with Gracie for a toe re-check but just thought I'd see what ya'll think about this.

[Jenbo]

Usually meds do have a longer shelf life than what's on the label. What did your vet say?

[Remolacha]

meds , especially pills (as opposed to liquids) do have a longer life than their expiration date, I just don't know how you would tell how long they are good for I don't usually keep them for more than a year after the exp. date.

[Guest greysmitten]

They are probably still a-ok.

[PatricksMom]

Call your human pharmacist--they should be able to give you an answer.

[macoduck]

I showed the bottle to the vet this afternoon. He checked the pills and said we could use them up to another year. Plus he told me how to dose my 3 dogs on the day we have the very noisy tree work done.

[Guest BrianRke]

The worst that could happen is that they dont really work well anymore. They may lose their effectiveness over time.

[tbhounds]

The worst that could happen is that they dont really work well anymore. They may lose their effectiveness over time.

Not true will all drugs. Take tetracycline for example- expired tetra is hepto toxic.

[DustysMom]

I think the expiration date it generally a rip off. It seems to me that the expiration date on the prescription should be the expiration date on the bottle of pills the pharmacist receives, not a year from the date you have it filled!

[4My2Greys]

The worst that could happen is that they dont really work well anymore. They may lose their effectiveness over time.

Not true will all drugs. Take tetracycline for example- expired tetra is hepto toxic.

 

I also learned that expired Doxycyclene (sp?) is highly nephrotoxic. Many vets are not even aware of this.

[Guest Angelique]

The worst that could happen is that they dont really work well anymore. They may lose their effectiveness over time.

Not true will all drugs. Take tetracycline for example- expired tetra is hepto toxic.

 

I also learned that expired Doxycyclene (sp?) is highly nephrotoxic. Many vets are not even aware of this.

It all depends on the active ingredients. Vitamins and such (aspirin) only loose potency, while other drugs do "break down" and change enough to become toxic or to become another drug. Be careful. In general though, most meds can be taken safely a few months after the expiration date.

[joejoesmom]

I think the expiration date it generally a rip off. It seems to me that the expiration date on the prescription should be the expiration date on the bottle of pills the pharmacist receives, not a year from the date you have it filled!

I agree! I never understand why all my medications magically expire one year from the date the prescription was filled. I guess it would be too much trouble to manually enter the date the manufacturer says it will expire?

 

Jane

[tbhounds]

Whenever I have filled a script (from the vet clinic) the expiration is from the manufactor (expiration on the bottle)- not from when it was filled--I think that's pretty standard in the industry. As mentioned above- be careful- some drugs should definetly not be given post expiration.

Edited to add- this is why I also have been so opposed to giving "fish antibotics" to pets. Those are labeled for fish because they are expired and are no longer suitable for human or pet use--- FYI tetracycline falls into that category.

Edited March 24, 2012 by tbhounds

[4My2Greys]

Whenever I have filled a script (from the vet clinic) the expiration is from the manufactor (expiration on the bottle)- not from when it was filled--I think that's pretty standard in the industry. As mentioned above- be careful- some drugs should definetly not be given post expiration.

Edited to add- this is why I also have been so opposed to giving "fish antibotics" to pets. Those are labeled for fish because they are expired and are no longer suitable for human or pet use--- FYI tetracycline falls into that category.

 

I recently got a bottle of Cephelexin for my bulldog that was labeled for fish. He had a fast progressing infection that arose suddenly behind his ear. I came home on a Thursday to find his ear swollen. Overall he was eating and acting fine so I thought something might have stung him. Friday morning a reddish area developed so I called the vet's office on my way to work to see if they could see him on Saturday, unfortunately they were booked up so I scheduled a Monday appointment.

When I got home on Friday his ear and lymph nodes in his neck were swollen. Here is a picture of his ear on Friday night.

 

 

I knew it was an infection at that point so I bought the fish antibiotics and started him on them until I could get him in to see my vet. The bottle I got has an expiration date of 10/2014. I did take him on that Monday, by that time the infection had come to a head, bursting and draining a really disgusting combination of pus and blood. My vet, who I absolutely love, said that if anything ever arose again like that to bring him in and they would work me in. He was very pleased though with the way his ear was looking when he saw him.

I am interested to know though if the expiration date applies to use for fish or is it the expiration date of the drug for all uses. There is an 800 number on the bottle I think I'll give them a call and ask them that.

[Guest BrianRke]

The worst that could happen is that they dont really work well anymore. They may lose their effectiveness over time.

Not true will all drugs. Take tetracycline for example- expired tetra is hepto toxic.

I was ONLY referring to the Valium!

[Guest greyhoundgirl1]

What about expired amoxicillan? Anybody know?

[4My2Greys]

The worst that could happen is that they dont really work well anymore. They may lose their effectiveness over time.

Not true will all drugs. Take tetracycline for example- expired tetra is hepto toxic.

I was ONLY referring to the Valium!

 

While that may have been the case, not saying you weren't, I think tbhounds brought up the info on tetracycline because of the title of the thread and others may interpret what you posted and others posted to refer to all drugs, which unfortunately is not the case with antibiotics and other drugs that change composition as they age.

 

What about expired amoxicillan? Anybody know?

 

I would not use any expired antibiotic.

[tbhounds]

Whenever I have filled a script (from the vet clinic) the expiration is from the manufactor (expiration on the bottle)- not from when it was filled--I think that's pretty standard in the industry. As mentioned above- be careful- some drugs should definetly not be given post expiration.

Edited to add- this is why I also have been so opposed to giving "fish antibotics" to pets. Those are labeled for fish because they are expired and are no longer suitable for human or pet use--- FYI tetracycline falls into that category.

 

I recently got a bottle of Cephelexin for my bulldog that was labeled for fish. He had a fast progressing infection that arose suddenly behind his ear. I came home on a Thursday to find his ear swollen. Overall he was eating and acting fine so I thought something might have stung him. Friday morning a reddish area developed so I called the vet's office on my way to work to see if they could see him on Saturday, unfortunately they were booked up so I scheduled a Monday appointment.

When I got home on Friday his ear and lymph nodes in his neck were swollen. Here is a picture of his ear on Friday night.

 

 

I knew it was an infection at that point so I bought the fish antibiotics and started him on them until I could get him in to see my vet. The bottle I got has an expiration date of 10/2014. I did take him on that Monday, by that time the infection had come to a head, bursting and draining a really disgusting combination of pus and blood. My vet, who I absolutely love, said that if anything ever arose again like that to bring him in and they would work me in. He was very pleased though with the way his ear was looking when he saw him.

I am interested to know though if the expiration date applies to use for fish or is it the expiration date of the drug for all uses. There is an 800 number on the bottle I think I'll give them a call and ask them that.

I would be curious to see what their response would be.

Is there a disclaimer anywhere on the label stating for aquarium use only???

[Guest BrianRke]

While that may have been the case, not saying you weren't, I think tbhounds brought up the info on tetracycline because of the title of the thread and others may interpret what you posted and others posted to refer to all drugs, which unfortunately is not the case with antibiotics and other drugs that change composition as they age.

 

 

Im glad she did because I wouldnt want anyone to think I meant all medications. The OP asked the question about Valium, and my response was about Valium.

Edited March 24, 2012 by BrianRke

[seeh2o]

Whenever I have filled a script (from the vet clinic) the expiration is from the manufactor (expiration on the bottle)- not from when it was filled--I think that's pretty standard in the industry. As mentioned above- be careful- some drugs should definetly not be given post expiration.

Edited to add- this is why I also have been so opposed to giving "fish antibotics" to pets. Those are labeled for fish because they are expired and are no longer suitable for human or pet use--- FYI tetracycline falls into that category.

 

I recently got a bottle of Cephelexin for my bulldog that was labeled for fish. He had a fast progressing infection that arose suddenly behind his ear. I came home on a Thursday to find his ear swollen. Overall he was eating and acting fine so I thought something might have stung him. Friday morning a reddish area developed so I called the vet's office on my way to work to see if they could see him on Saturday, unfortunately they were booked up so I scheduled a Monday appointment.

When I got home on Friday his ear and lymph nodes in his neck were swollen. Here is a picture of his ear on Friday night.

 

 

I knew it was an infection at that point so I bought the fish antibiotics and started him on them until I could get him in to see my vet. The bottle I got has an expiration date of 10/2014. I did take him on that Monday, by that time the infection had come to a head, bursting and draining a really disgusting combination of pus and blood. My vet, who I absolutely love, said that if anything ever arose again like that to bring him in and they would work me in. He was very pleased though with the way his ear was looking when he saw him.

I am interested to know though if the expiration date applies to use for fish or is it the expiration date of the drug for all uses. There is an 800 number on the bottle I think I'll give them a call and ask them that.

I would be curious to see what their response would be.

Is there a disclaimer anywhere on the label stating for aquarium use only???

 

I've never seen that one one of the fish antibiotic bottles. I've known humans who use those antibiotics because they couldn't afford to go to the doctor.

[4My2Greys]

Whenever I have filled a script (from the vet clinic) the expiration is from the manufactor (expiration on the bottle)- not from when it was filled--I think that's pretty standard in the industry. As mentioned above- be careful- some drugs should definetly not be given post expiration.

Edited to add- this is why I also have been so opposed to giving "fish antibotics" to pets. Those are labeled for fish because they are expired and are no longer suitable for human or pet use--- FYI tetracycline falls into that category.

 

I recently got a bottle of Cephelexin for my bulldog that was labeled for fish. He had a fast progressing infection that arose suddenly behind his ear. I came home on a Thursday to find his ear swollen. Overall he was eating and acting fine so I thought something might have stung him. Friday morning a reddish area developed so I called the vet's office on my way to work to see if they could see him on Saturday, unfortunately they were booked up so I scheduled a Monday appointment.

When I got home on Friday his ear and lymph nodes in his neck were swollen. Here is a picture of his ear on Friday night.

 

 

I knew it was an infection at that point so I bought the fish antibiotics and started him on them until I could get him in to see my vet. The bottle I got has an expiration date of 10/2014. I did take him on that Monday, by that time the infection had come to a head, bursting and draining a really disgusting combination of pus and blood. My vet, who I absolutely love, said that if anything ever arose again like that to bring him in and they would work me in. He was very pleased though with the way his ear was looking when he saw him.

I am interested to know though if the expiration date applies to use for fish or is it the expiration date of the drug for all uses. There is an 800 number on the bottle I think I'll give them a call and ask them that.

I would be curious to see what their response would be.

Is there a disclaimer anywhere on the label stating for aquarium use only???

 

Yes, it does. It says "For aquarium and ornamental fish only. Not for human use." And some other stuff that really doesn't pertain to the topic.

[JJNg]

Whenever I have filled a script (from the vet clinic) the expiration is from the manufactor (expiration on the bottle)- not from when it was filled--I think that's pretty standard in the industry.

Maybe standard in vet med, but I've noticed that many/most scripts from human pharmacies show an expiration date of 1 year from when they were dispensed. So maybe that's standard for the pharmacy industry, perhaps because they stock so many drugs and are so high volume that it isn't practical to try to keep up with each bottle's expiration date? Makes me wonder about meds where the stock bottle expires less than a year after the fill date...

 

Edited to add- this is why I also have been so opposed to giving "fish antibotics" to pets. Those are labeled for fish because they are expired and are no longer suitable for human or pet use--- FYI tetracycline falls into that category.

Are fish antibiotics always expired human/pet antibiotics? What is your source for this info? Are the breakdown products of expired tetracyclines not toxic to fish too?

 

I am interested to know though if the expiration date applies to use for fish or is it the expiration date of the drug for all uses. There is an 800 number on the bottle I think I'll give them a call and ask them that.

I doubt you'll get an answer from the company. Since their product is specifically labeled for fish only, they are unlikely to comment on how the expiration date applies to any other use for which it is not intended.

 

What about expired amoxicillan? Anybody know?

I would not use any expired antibiotic.

Ditto. If it's a situation where antibiotics are necessary (ie. active infection), I wouldn't risk using expired drugs as decreased efficacy can mean creating resistance, or worse, allowing the infection to get out of control and lead to life-threatening consequences like sepsis. I'll use expired meds for my own pets but only certain ones, such as pain meds or antihistamines - ones where a lack of efficacy is unlikely to lead to severe consequences.

[tbhounds]

Well- there's another example where I feel there's a higher standard of care in the vet field vs human care. Can't believe meds expiration dates are not better regulated???

I'll see if I can dig up some old links regarding the fish abs.

I do know that the binding agent in the fish tetracycline is different allowing a slower absorption rate (quoted from a MD). The fish abs are not regulated like the human abs- no controlled environment etc.. I'm sure they cover themselves by making the claim that's it's for fish use only.

[JJNg]

I've never purchased fish antibiotics, so I have no idea what form they come in. From a quick Google search, it seems that at least some of them are the exact same pills as the ones made for humans. So I was wondering if these might be expired human drugs that are just repackaged (if that's the case, how do they determine a new expiration date??). Or if they are simply the same meds purchased from the same generic manufacturer, and just packaged differently.

[4My2Greys]

This is from the back of the cephalexin bottle I used on Bruiser.

 

 

Here is what the capsules look like.