Ketamine, etc - recalls - extremely anger-provoking

I have been participating in the VIN threads regarding this issue and was contacted by the reporter of this story prior to her writing it.

This whole issue and how it has been handled is appalling. And now....I find out from reading this article below, that butorphenol is now being recalled. I have to hear about it from a public article?!?!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 011310.DTL

 

It is absolutely disgusting, sorta like the Melamine in the food. If its about pets, it seems the response is "who cares" .

But whoa nellie, they find Melamine in people food and everyone is screaming about it..

How many animals died because the vets themselves werent informed?! This company SHUT DOWN! And if it was a company that made HUMAN pharmaceuticals would this have been ignored? Of course not!
grr_red grr_red angry(2)_cat angry(2)_cat

 

It is known what is specifically wrong with the drugs?

Depending on what is wrong with the drugs it would continue to be a scary situation since there is a significant black market for Ketamine which would provide the ideal dumping ground for the recalled drug.

 

No, not at this time.

 

What do I as a vet's patient do?

I've scheduled Ennis for a dental procedure later this month. He will have an exam and blood/urine work earlier in the week. He would have that exam, BW, UA anyway because I do that about every 8 months with him.

Is there a "safe" anesthesia that I should be looking for my vet to tell me he will be using? From the article, it sound like this "unsafe" product is on the market under labels that haven't necessarily been identified. Should I just delay the dental procedure until this brouhaha gets worked out? Will it get worked out?

Ennis is a 17 YO diabetic with a trash mouth and no other health issues. But his age alone put him at risk under anesthesia. And from this article, the dog came out of the anesthesia, but with a new health problem. Don't want to see that happen with Ennis.

Thanks for any thoughts or guidance.

 

For induction (initially put animal under so that an endotracheal tube can be inserted and gas anesthesia used) propofol is an option. One thing one has to be aware if the animal is breathing since sometimes it suppresses natural breathing. Otherwise it is a very save drug used a lot in humans. (it is also the "sleep" drug that supposedly killed Michael Jackson).

 

Were these medications also sold outside of the US?

I am recalling the recent problems with Vetsulin/Caninsulin, where the US FDA was first off the mark publicizing them.

It took a lot longer for other countries' regulating authorities to react to this world-wide problem, and some as far as I know (including those in Europe) never ended up reacting at all.

 

Ditto Larry's post.

I just put my Robbie under for a dental - IV catheter....propofol.....iso gas for maint.

And IV fluids, of course, along with neurotic BP measuring by his mom.

Interestingly, propofol was recalled a few months ago - I think from contamination issues.

If it isn't one thing, it's another......

 

As a journalist by education, including many hours of studies on law and ethics, I am offended by this statement.

It's your opinion and you are entitled to it. But you cannot support it as fact, and to use the lack of exposes on dry cat food diets, is ridiculous. There have been pieces about cat food diets (I've read ones that Dr. Lisa's been quoted in), but to expect a 60 Minutes or 20/20 piece on the topic simply means that your priorities differ from those of main stream America. Not a bad thing for feline diets to be of importance to you, but it's not a reason to make an unfounded blast on the ethics of the fourth estate.

 

Oh, please, Venita. I am a journalist too.

 

Re: What do I as a vet's patient do?

Tangentally speaking ... I don't see how the dog in the article developed AV block from ketamine. If anything, ketamine does the opposite. :?: I wonder if he got opioids at the same time. I also wonder if he had AV block to begin with and it wasn't noticed until they put the ECG leads on! Gotta wonder.

Anyway, stepping off the nerd box [-steps-]:
Propofol is a fine alternative to ketamine/valium. I'd be surprised if your vet didn't always use it in old kitties.

 

butorphenol is a form of buprinex, correct? This is also what they are recalling?????????????

That;'s great.........that is what Butchie was on for a long time. Did I prolong his suffering? Was it not helping his pain but also doing more harm to him?

Dr Lisa, please, please, let me know what you find out grumpy_cat grr_red nailbite_smile

 

Buprenex (Buprenorphine) is different from butorphenol. But they are related since both are opiates. Also, there is no special vet Buprenorphine like there is for ketimine and butorphenol. The Buprenorphine that animals use is human grade.