Canadians - how to get insulin at the pharmacy?

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Kiara

Kiara

Member Since 2015
Hey everyone,

My vet prescribed Caninsulin, and it's very early days but Caninsulin seems to have a poor reputation for getting a cat to remission. I'm going to give it another week or two and keep charting, but I'm wondering about getting BCP PZI compounded at a pharmacy - this is a veterinary insulin so I assume my vet would have to order it? And how about Lantus? I've read you can just walk in to a pharmacy and tell them you need it for a cat. Is that true?

Any advice you have would be great! I'm SO GRATEFUL this board exists.
 
If you live in Canada, you can go to any human pharmacy and get Lantus for your cat (and it's a lot cheaper than in the states too!!) You're better off buying a 5 pack of the Lantus Solostar pens because you'll be able to use every last drop, where with vials, most cats won't use 1000 units before the insulin goes bad and you end up throwing a lot of it away.

The pens you use just like "mini-vials" ....each pen contains 300 units so a box of 5 will last most cats about 2 years. You still use regular insulin syringes (not the special needles they sell with the pens) and just pull the cap off the pen and insert the syringe into the little rubber stopper (just like if it was a vial)

I don't know about getting the BCP PZI compounded in Canada so I can't help you there
 
Thank you, Chris! That's great info. I'll surely be poking around with more questions if/when we switch.
 
@Kiara if you are going to switch to lantus you can walk into any pharmacy & get it no prescription required. When you get lantus don't get the pen needles, we use syringes not the pen needles that humans use. I bought a box of lantus at pharmasave & it cost $120 but that was for 5 pens & they will last you along time like Chris & China said above.
 
@Kiara - you're doing great! And yes, you don't even need to tell them it's for your cat. Remember that you MUST use u100 syringes, you can't use the same ones you were using for Caninsulin. The u100's will typically have an orange instead of red cap. Shoppers has them for about $38 a box of 100 - get the 3/10 mL/cc 8mm 31 G - mine are the BD Ultra-Fine in the yellow and purple box.

If you would like a testament to Lantus vs Caninsulin, I tried it for quite a few weeks. Please see the THEN/NOW on Genghis' spreadsheet.
 
If you have a Costco card they sell the BD syringes for $29 a box. That's the cheapest I've found them so far if that helps.
 
Vegetable said:
If you have a Costco card they sell the BD syringes for $29 a box. That's the cheapest I've found them so far if that helps.
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Jennifer - I love costco and that helps a ton :D
Melanie - WOW!! Genghis' numbers are awesome!!! Congrats! I'll keep watching Billy on Caninsulin for now and see what happens
 
If you decide to switch to Lantus, you don't need to buy the pen at all. Just ask for the refills for the pen. Sometimes the packaging for insulin is different here to that in the US.

Just a thought.... it's great that you have indicated your location so everyone knows your Canadian, but there is a Toronto, Calfornia so it might be a good idea to expand the "Toronto, CA" in your signature to read "Toronto, Canada" so there is no confusion.;)
 
A quick google search is showing me zero evidence of a Toronto in California (phone googling is not always the best) but I will update my signature accordingly :P
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
If you decide to switch to Lantus, you don't need to buy the pen at all. Just ask for the refills for the pen. Sometimes the packaging for insulin is different here to that in the US.

Just a thought.... it's great that you have indicated your location so everyone knows your Canadian, but there is a Toronto, Calfornia so it might be a good idea to expand the "Toronto, CA" in your signature to read "Toronto, Canada" so there is no confusion.;)
Click to expand...
google
 
You're right! My bad. I know there are several cities/towns called "Toronto" in the US and I was sure there was one in California but obviously got my states wrong. Sorry! Back to Geography class for me!:woot:
 
Brashworks said:
@Kiara - you're doing great! And yes, you don't even need to tell them it's for your cat. Remember that you MUST use u100 syringes, you can't use the same ones you were using for Caninsulin. The u100's will typically have an orange instead of red cap. Shoppers has them for about $38 a box of 100 - get the 3/10 mL/cc 8mm 31 G - mine are the BD Ultra-Fine in the yellow and purple box.

If you would like a testament to Lantus vs Caninsulin, I tried it for quite a few weeks. Please see the THEN/NOW on Genghis' spreadsheet.
Click to expand...

I hope to see those colors on Smokey when we start with Lantus.
 
In Canada, you don't even need to tell them the insulin is for your cat. Just get a 5 pack of Lantus cartridges (the refill that goes in the pen), cheaper with less "stuff". There are pictures of the cartridges on this note on Handling and Storage of Lantus. I get my syringes at Safeway, under $35. Lancets are cheaper there too, and so was the Levemir. Neko started on Caninsulin - yet another testimonial for getting off of Caninsulin and on to Lantus. The Lev came later.
 
woodsywife said:
I hope to see those colors on Smokey when we start with Lantus.
Click to expand...

@woodsywife we're rooting for you!!! I recommend posting over in Lantus/Levemir as well. There are a lot of folks with a ton of experience who can help you navigate this insulin. It's SO different from Caninsulin/Vetsulin. I know for sure I couldn't have got Genghis where she is without their help and guidance.
 
So, in theory, if anyone I knew was going to Canada for a holiday they could get Lantus for me? Would it be ok in the plane out of the fridge for so long?
 
If unopened and not in the cargo hold (temps can go quite low in cargo, even to freezing at certain times of the year).
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
You're right! My bad. I know there are several cities/towns called "Toronto" in the US and I was sure there was one in California but obviously got my states wrong. Sorry! Back to Geography class for me!:woot:
Click to expand...
There is an Ontario California. Lets face it in pretty much every english speaking country there will be the same list of names. The US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and others all came from the UK. People like to use the names they feel comfortable with. Some names are similar and some names are modified to add important details ie There is a York in the UK and Toronto in Canada was originally York. We have New York State and New York City
 
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