How long is prozinc good for once it's punctured.....have gotten conflicting answers from manufacturer, two different vets, AND Costco pharmacy!! Thanks!
There are things you need to do to make sure your insulin will last: 1. never store it in the door of the fridge - it needs to be stored in the middle of the fridge for the least vibration and the most consistent temperature 2. don't shake it. You need to gently roll it between your hands until it is uniformly cloudy. Vibrations shorten its life, so rolling is the best way to mix 3. keep it clean and covered so the stopper isn't exposed to crumbs and drips from anything in the fridge. I recommend storing it in a plastic or glass container with a lid, in a little bed of paper towels - again reducing vibrations 4. be very careful with your technique when drawing the dose - set the vial on the counter. Take your syringe and draw air into the syringe to the proper dose. Then insert the needle into the vial (while the vial is still sitting flat on the counter. Inject the air into the vial begin very careful that the air from the syringe is going into the air from the vial NOT into the insulin itself. NEVER inject air into the insulin (liquid). Then invert the vial and draw the dose. Do not see-saw the plunger back and forth to get the right dose. That introduces contamination into the vial which causes it to break down faster. If you draw too much, take the needle out of the vial and expel the extra insulin into the sink. Don't re-insert the needle into the vial as this damages the needle and makes the shot hurt the cat. Those needles are fragile and get damaged easily. 5. This goes without saying given the directions in #4, but don't re-use needles. They are single use. If you re-insert a used needle into the vial you contaminate the vial and shorten the life of the insulin. 6. Don't leave it out of the fridge, and definitely don't let it freeze. If it freezes, even a little, it's done and needs to be tossed. If you are careful in how you take care of the insulin, we typically see it last as long as six months, with 3-4 months being "normal" life. The manufacturer, vet, and pharmacy can't say it will last that long because of liability and because they can't assume that the person buying the insulin will take proper care. To a large extent how long it lasts depends on how careful you are willing to be with it. That being said, in the interest of keeping your cat safe, even if you do everything perfectly, I would definitely toss it by six months at the absolute longest.
Thank you so much!! Can i keep it in the orignal box it came in as to protect it from light as the fridge opens and closes??
Yes, although again I prefer something that protects it better from contamination. I keep my vial in the box in the container. Might be overkill, but that stuff is expensive and I want it to last as long as possible!
