Ampicillin dosage concern (updated info)

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Michelle and Doodle

Michelle and Doodle

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Doodle has another abscess at the insertion site of his feeding tube. We took him to the vet on emergency call today and he lanced the abscess and sent us home with injectable ampicillin.(Polyflex)
I am a little nervous about the dose because I just didn't have a general overall good feeling about him...
I have 14 prefilled syringes each with a dose of 0.03cc -- Doodle weighs 6.5lbs.
(I read that the normal dose is 6.5ml/kg )

I just don't want to give him too much - his kidneys are already compromised and there is a sodium concern.

Also I'm not sure if this needs refrigeration.

I'd appreciate any help.
 
Re: Ampicillin dosage concern

OMG! It's so nice to see your name pop up...I've been wondering how you guys have been doing.

No advice - I'm sure someone will have some for you. I hope you get your answer quickly!

((((Michelle)))) (((Doodle))))
 
Re: Ampicillin dosage concern

:) Thank you for saying that Traci!!

Doodle's not doing so great - but he's hanging in there.
I keep hoping he'll turn it around...
 
Re: Ampicillin dosage concern

Polyflex needs to be refrigerated. Polyflex comes as a powder in a large vial and sterile water is added to reconstitute the antibiotic. The bottle gives different reconstitution ratios. Therefore, there is no specific ml/kg of body weight specified. Plumb's says for gram positive infection dose is 5 mg/kg SQ BID. For gram negative 10 mg/kg. Are you saying the the syringes given to you only contains the same volume of 3 units of a U100 insulin? That seems low.
 
Re: Ampicillin dosage concern

awww, michelle i am sorry doodlebug has had another set back. he has been through so much....but he is one tough kitty, has one strong will.
geez, i cannot tell you if what you have pre-drawn in syringes is correct dose or not because we're missing one important part of equation~ concentration. sorry, no way to tell that from here and i'm not gonna play the assumption game on how many mgs/ml what you have is, the person/hospital that made up the vial has to answer that. it comes in powder form in different sized vials, 10g or 25g, and tech adds sterile water for injection in~ how many mls of sterile water determines concentration~ amount of drug in each ml, get it? (i mean yeah there is a 'usual' concentration, but i'm not willing to give advice based on 'usual' cause i have seen 'unusual' too). but easy to get answer to that, give them a call, express your concerns, and ask to have dose doubled checked before you inject. they will help ya, no worries. :)
and yeah keep in frig, k?
keep fighting doodles, we are all rooting for you!
~jojo
 
Re: Ampicillin dosage concern

:) yeah Hope - I read that earlier and couldn't figure out the math.
I guess I don't know the concentration - since like Larry said, it's mixed...

Larry - it's a 1ml. syringe with a dose of 0.3cc(ml) pre-drawn

Thanks for responding you guys - maybe I'll just start him in the AM and call them first to make sure.
 
Re: Ampicillin dosage concern

Oh good! Hi Jojo - Thanks!

SO okay, yeah I get it that we can't know for sure because of the concentration. I'll call tomorrow and ask about the concentration. I just want to make sure I'm not going to hurt him.
 
Re: Ampicillin dosage concern

Aww Michelle. I love to get my Doodle updates but not happy to see he's had a setback.
Thinking of you guys.
 
Re: Ampicillin dosage concern

Just letting you know I'm thinking about you and Doodles and sending possitive thoughts. Feel better Doodle.
 

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Re: Ampicillin dosage concern

Just talked to the vet and the 0.3cc is equal to 60mg.

Doodle is 6.5 lbs - or about 3kg. so according to my limited math abilities that would be 20mg/kg

I have a call into my regular vet to make sure that is a safe dose... but if anyone has an opinion one way or another I'd appreciate hearing it.
 
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