? A question about adequan

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Daddy Jack's Mommy (GA)

Daddy Jack's Mommy (GA)

Member Since 2019
This is a question for a civvie, not a sugar baby. Dede was prescribed Adequan and I have a question about the syringes. The vet suggested 25 guage, but I know that I clearly preferred a thinner shorter needle for Jack's insulin. Is thinner better for Adequan as well? I can pick them up from Walmart, but they only carry 31 guage, 1/2 inch in the 1cc syringes. Will that work with Adequan?
I lost my sweet little Jack -- my buddy -- early Monday morning. I can't even talk about it.
 
Oh no, so sorry about Jack. :bighug::bighug::bighug:

I gave Cartrophen instead of Adequan, which is what we use in Canada. I got them to fill the insulin syringes with smaller gauge needles cause I hated using the "harpoons".
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Oh no, so sorry about Jack. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
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Thank you Wendy. I'm heart broken. It happened too fast.

The vet said to get 1cc syringes. Does it matter if I get U-100 or U-40? I don't want to pick them up from her because, like you, I hate those harpoons. Is a 1cc syringe going to measure .23 the same, regardless of how many units? I wish it were clear to me.
 
I used insulin syringes the vet gave me, they had smaller gauge needles on hand. The amount of 0.23, depends on the concentration of the liquid. Just like a U-40 insulin measures differently than a U-100 one in the same syringe. You might have to do a conversion to the other syringes, but the vet clinic should be able to help you with that.
 
Big hugs Carolyn for the loss of Jack. So very sorry to hear.

I was given the "harpoons", and used them until I saw something Wendy had suggested. Tina's dose of Adequan was .25 ml. That converted to 25 units in a U100 insulin syringe, and it worked great.
And I double checked several times!
 
Tina Marie (GA) and Jan said:
Big hugs Carolyn for the loss of Jack. So very sorry to hear.
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Thank you Jan. I wish I was coming to this forum, for the first time all over again, to be introducing my sugar baby and to ask for help. I would do it all over again in a heart beat. I even miss testing him - warming his little ear with a pill bottle while he purrs. And for Jack, it was always worth a freeze dried shrimp!
Tina Marie (GA) and Jan said:
Tina's dose of Adequan was .25 ml. That converted to 25 units in a U100 insulin syringe, and it worked great.
And I double checked several times!
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Would that be the 3/10 ml/cc? Thank you. That's so helpful. (I have those from Jack.) This morning, I searched old threads here and read about adequan doses and syringes. It cleared up my confusion about some things, like 1cc is still 1cc even in a U100 syringe, but I was still unsure about converting. I didn't ask my vet because she suggested not using an insulin syringe. I wound up ordering U100s in a 1cc syringe. Now I'll have options and I can compare the 29 to the 31 guage. I'm starting it tomorrow.
 
Daddy Jack's Mommy (GA) said:
Thank you Jan. I wish I was coming to this forum, for the first time all over again, to be introducing my sugar baby and to ask for help. I would do it all over again in a heart beat. I even miss testing him - warming his little ear with a pill bottle while he purrs. And for Jack, it was always worth a freeze dried shrimp!

Would that be the 3/10 ml/cc? Thank you. That's so helpful. (I have those from Jack.) This morning, I searched old threads here and read about adequan doses and syringes. It cleared up my confusion about some things, like 1cc is still 1cc even in a U100 syringe, but I was still unsure about converting. I didn't ask my vet because she suggested not using an insulin syringe. I wound up ordering U100s in a 1cc syringe. Now I'll have options and I can compare the 29 to the 31 guage. I'm starting it tomorrow.
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I smile just thinking about Jack getting his little shrimp!
And you are correct - 3/10 ml/cc syringe for U100 insulin - Jack's would work (I happen to have 31G).

Once I think someone mentioned the Adequan being a thicker liquid, therefore needing a larger syringe. I found the Adequan plenty thin for the insulin syringes. Tina did really well on it - great actually! She was on it for a little over a year.

Any idea exactly why a vet would say not to use an insulin syringe? I never asked mine!
 
Tina Marie (GA) and Jan said:
Any idea exactly why a vet would say not to use an insulin syringe? I never asked mine!
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I really don't understand that one either. I just found a new vet that sees only cats. I love her! She's seen two of my cats, but sadly never got to meet Jack. And I was so happy to have finally found a vet who encourages home testing. As far as the insulin needles, maybe they're leery because of the need to convert? But even that doesn't make sense because I was able to find 1cc insulin needles, minus the harpoon. I'm so happy to know that Adequan helped Tina. Dede rarely can hold her tail up and sometimes needs to be coaxed to even walk to her water bowl. Otherwise, she's a healthy, fiesty 16 year old calico.
I'm so sorry for your loss of Tina. She was a cutie.
 
I use the same insulin suyringes I use for my cats. THe are 3/10 CC with 32g, 8mm length needles. For my dog I use ½ CC insulin syringes with 50g, ½ inch needles. I need more than 30 units (0.3ml) of Adequan and I need ½ inch needles since dogs get the injection IM. 31g needles are not available in lengths >8mm since they bend too easily.
 
Larry and Kitties said:
use the same insulin suyringes I use for my cats.
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Thank you. I ordered 1cc syringes and paid to get them delivered today, but the needle is just too thick and long. So, I'm going to use the U100 syringe, 3/10 ml, 31g. Her dose is .23 ml, so I'll be injecting 23 units. I'm so glad that I asked here, because I actually understand now.
 
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@Larry and Kitties
Ok.... I thought I understood but I'm still a little confused here. If the suggested dose of .23 was to be given in a 1cc syringe and I'm converting to a 3/10 cc, how are you coming to 23 as the dose? Why is the dose being multiplied by 100? Why isn't the size of the syringe -- amount of cc/ml -- figured into the conversion of the dose? Sorry I'm still confused about this.
 
Daddy Jack's Mommy (GA) said:
I thought I understood but I'm still a little confused here. If the suggested dose of .23 was to be given in a 1cc syringe and I'm converting to a 3/10 cc, how are you coming to 23 as the dose? Why is the dose being multiplied by 100? Why isn't the size of the syringe -- amount of cc/ml -- figured into the conversion of the dose? Sorry I'm still confused about this.
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On a U100 syringe, each "unit" is 0.01ml because U100 mean 100 units/ml.
0.23 ml would be 23 units in a U100 syringe.
 
Larry and Kitties said:
On a U100 syringe, each "unit" is 0.01ml because U100 mean 100 units/ml.
0.23 ml would be 23 units in a U100 syringe.
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Got it! I was going to use the U100s regardless, as Jan and so many others (that I read from researching threads) have done, and I trusted your judgement. But I really wanted to understand what I was doing. Thank you!
 
Larry and Kitties said:
On a U100 syringe, each "unit" is 0.01ml because U100 mean 100 units/ml.
0.23 ml would be 23 units in a U100 syringe.
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Now this is the easiest explanation that also sounds completely logical! Thanks Larry.
Carolyn, I completely understand needing answers to click - I am excited to see your civvie, Dede improve!!
 
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@Wendy&Neko @Tina Marie (GA) and Jan
@Larry and Kitties
Hope you don't mind that I tagged all of you here. I've been trying to find answers to this question and I don't seem to be able to find one. Dede's been on adequan for 2 weeks, getting two shots a week for now. I'm wondering how long will it take if I'm going to see any positive change? So far, nothing has been any different for her. She's still walking with her tail down and her back arched. I'm hoping that I didn't wait too long. :(
 
Hi Carolyn. I believe you may be close to seeing results, paws crossed. It took about a month before it was obviously helping. I think @Katherine&Ruby saw results sooner, but Ruby may not have been as stiff/ poorly as Dede (and Tina) when she began.
By a month in, we stopped all metacam, and a little later, we reduced Gabapentin from 50mg to 25mg twice a day.
I hope things turn around soon!
 
Tina Marie (GA) and Jan said:
Hi Carolyn. I believe you may be close to seeing results, paws crossed. It took about a month before it was obviously helping. I think @Katherine&Ruby saw results sooner, but Ruby may not have been as stiff/ poorly as Dede (and Tina) when she began.
By a month in, we stopped all metacam, and a little later, we reduced Gabapentin from 50mg to 25mg twice a day.
I hope things turn around soon!
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Thank you Jan! I really hope that something good happens for her. She's such a little sweetheart (but as feisty as any cat could be). I would love to see her go back to being more herself. I just gave her the fourth shot, so paws crossed for sure.
 
Hi Carolyn! I saw almost immediate results with Ruby, but ECID as you know well. She wasn't that advanced, as @Tina Marie (GA) and Jan noted--she was just walking like a very old lady and very hesitant to jump. After a week she was jumping onto the kitchen counters. After a month I started doing once a week or so and now I do it when I remember. She is still doing very well. I found her on the kitchen counter yesterday, and that's the highest I've seen her jump in most of her adult life. Keep doing what you're doing. The kitty will get better. :)
 
Thank you so much Katherine. I'm so glad that Ruby is doing so well! It occurred to me that Dede may be like this as a result of an injury rather than arthritis, so I am hoping that it works for her. In the very beginning of the pandemic in April 2020, Deedee had jumped off of a very high entertainment center and landed hard on the floor. She landed hard enough to rupture her cornea. And of course, in the midst of all the craziness, Deedee was making trips back and forth to an eye specialist. Hr eye recovered, but now I'm wondering if that jump didn't damage her spine and if it hasn't just been happening gradually. I guess time will tell, but I'm so hoping for the best!
 
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