AMPULES of Buprenex... how do I get medicine out?

My Ketchie has been prescribed Buprenex by my veterinarian, but I normally have had the small vials that are similar to insulin vials, where you put the needle in and draw out the fluid. But, my vet wrote a prescription for the vials, but only the glass ampules were available.

Now I have run out of the medicine in the little vial, and need to get one of the ampules open. There are no directions on the glass ampule and I don't want to lose the medicine, or get glass mixed in to the Buprenex if I try to break one open.

Can anyone tell me how to get them open? I am in Maryland, and there is this Hurricane Irene on its way up here, and Ketchie needs to have a dose of this medicine on hand, because she has Interstitial Idiopathic Cystitis. It is very painful at times, and that is when I give her a very small dose, usually about .1 ml to .2 ml every 8 hours for pain. It works very well for her.

I would like to get one of the ampules open and inject the medicine into an empty vial, to have it ready to give to her if I need to. Any ideas on how I get the ampule open?

Thanks!!!
Jean and Charcoal (GA)

 

See this video:

Opening an ampule

 

Thanks, Karen! Great video!

 

Hi Jean,

I have the brand name ampules of Buprenex and here's my opening procedure. You will need to have enough syringes on hand to draw up all the doses you need at once as once the ampule is open it's no longer sterile. You can buy an ampule opener online but if you're like me, you have to open one NOW with whatever supplies you have at hand and don't have the luxury of waiting for shipping. ;-)

Supplies: 1 Buprenex ampule, syringes (I use 1/2cc tuberculin, but you can use insulin syringes so long as you do the conversion from unites to ccs) a nail file, a kleenex, makeup pad, or sterile gauze pad in wrapper.

If you have the brand name Buprenex ampule there should be a little blue dot on the top part just above the neck. If you look right below the blue dot on the neck you should see a little groove cut in the glass. The dot and the groove indicate the breaking point of the ampule. I use the nail file to saw a little deeper into the groove to weaken the glass even more so as to ensure a cleaner break. You may not even need to do this but I find it helps me achieve a cleaner break.

To open the ampule you hold the bottom part of the ampule in one hand with the blue dot facing away from you. I cover the top and neck with a sterile gauze pad which can make it a little harder to grip, but ensures I don't get cut by glass in case of a mishap. So far I've never been cut once. Grasp the top of the ampule with your other hand at the blue dot. Apply pressure and snap it like a hinge. It should snap cleanly off.

Once your ampule is open, carefully draw up all of your doses all at once and discard the ampule in your sharps container.

I'm not a lab tech so I hope someone else comes along and posts their tips and tricks.

Best to you and Ketchie!