insulin bottles: to swab or not to swab?

[MikeLuvsCasey]

This question isn't really specific to any one brand of insulin, so I'm posting it in the Main Forum (hope that's okay!) After you withdrawl the syringe needle from the vial of liquid insulin, do you wipe the top of the glass bottle with an alcohol swab, before putting it back in the fridge? Like right on that round rubber "lid" of the glass bottle?

I've heard that the reason they say to throw out unused Vetsulin (for example) after 42 days, is because of the risk of bacteria forming somehow. So I thought if I wipe the outside of the rubber lid with an alcohol swab every few days or so, that might help? But I called the manufacturer of Vetsulin (Merck Pharmaceuticals) yesterday and they that said some people do that, but they can't officially recommend it because alcohol can possibly interact with the delicate insulin chemicals somehow.

So I wanted to see how many people respond to this thread with either "yes" you do this, or "no" you don't think it's a good idea...? Please share your opinion - the more people that reply the better!

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

No, it's not necessary.

A quick "wipe" won't kill anything anyway.....save your alcohol wipes

 

[Callie & Patches]

When I first started to care for Callie, my vet told me to swab the top of the insulin vial before drawing up any insulin. She didn't say anything about after,except to get in the habit of putting the vial back in the fridge before giving the shot so I wouldn't forget. I don't think that it would hurt. Perhaps other members would have other

 

[FurBabiesMama]

I do not wipe the top with alcohol. Nothing ever touches it except sterile needles.

 

[Tracey&Jones (GA)]

I don't wipe my pen either (Using Lantus). Never in came up in discussions with vet. Just to keep it refrigerated.

 

[Vader723]

I’ve always swabbed mine, but that’s what 25 years in a clinic setting has programmed me to do

 

[Amanda and a Loudogg]

I swab mine before I draw up the insulin and right after, before I put it back in the fridge. I'm a lab tech though, so like Reggie, it's ingrained. It would feel weird for me not to, like drawing someone's blood without using an alcohol wipe. Haha. And now that I think about it, I believe my vet had told me to wipe the top prior to drawing up the insulin.

 

[MikeLuvsCasey]

Interesting - thanks for the great varied replies, all! I like reading the different schools of thought behind each person's preference & all the varied input - keep 'em coming!

 

[PussCatPrince - GA]

I have not been told to swab .

 

[Sylvie]

i felt like i would be contaminating the insulin when needle goes through wiped swabbed rubber part even though alcohol evaporates, so i never do so. I just make sure to never touch top of vial with anything but, the sterile needle and i put vial right back into its box before putting it back in fridge.