Searching for PZI

My cat Star uses PZI. I just found out that it is being discontinued. I am going out of the country 2/5 for 3 months. I need 2 bottles so her care taker can get her through my trip and I can transition her to another insulin when I get back. My vet has none. Anyone have some available for me to buy or know where I can get some?

 

Which PZI are you currently using? Is it U40 or U100?

Idexx PZI has been discontinued but there may be some places that still have some to sell. Or maybe a member here has a bottle that you can use.

BCP PZI is still being made. I don't know how that compares to the PZI you are currently using. Your vet can request a free 5ml sample bottle for you to use: http://www.bcpvetpharm.com/products_bovine.htm

 

Hmmm...this information (discontinuance) has been know for 2 years.

WHY DIDN'T YOUR VET INFORM YOU ???????

No answer for you, but a question:

2 vials for 3 months ??? What dose is your kitty on. Good heavens !!!

 

ProZinc is the substitute for PZI Idexx: http://www.prozinc.us/
The folks here are using Prozinc on the same dosing basis as they used with Idexx. Can your vet call around to other local vets to see if they have either the Idexx or the ProZinc?

 

My vet didn't know I was leaving the country - timing of transition and timing of leaving - poor. It's IDEXX PZI that we are using. Doc says transition to Prozinc needs lower dose and increase with fructosamine testing. Guess if I can't find PZI VET, that's what I will have to ask my caretaker to do. You all know it's hard to put your diabetic kitty in someone else's care and then to change meds at same time is somewhat scary for "mama" and a lot to ask of caretaker. As far as calling other vets, I thought internet might be best bet, but nothing available.

 

Using U40, PZI VET. If a member has some I could use that would be fantastic. Searched the net and didn't find any available. Joined FDMB today in hopes that you all could help me out.

 

i'd have your vet get their hands on the prozinc and if you/your caretaker is hometesting, it shouldn't be a problem to go right over to it.

btw, i also have to ask what kind of dose you are giving if you are using 2 vials in 3 months??? a vial lasts most people at least 6 months (i myself get about 9 months on average out of a vial) unless their cat has another condition like acromegaly or cushings or something that causes a need for more. i'm guessing though that you are gonna tell us you aren't hometesting and your dosing is based solely on days at the vet??? unfortunately if this is the case, then i have to ask if this is the first time you are leaving the cat? i ask because the caretaker could end up with an emergency on their hands if kitty decides to quit eating or something of that nature after you are gone a few days and you should make sure your caretaker has emergency instructions. (my cats like to do this, quit eating when they realize mom isn't home)

 

I have to agree with the others that that's a lot of insulin! Please make sure your caretaker has instructions for what to do in case of hypoglyvermia http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1122, and make sure you have the tools easily available for them http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=2354.

Also, learning how to home-test your cat's blood sugar level will save you money (no need for fructosamine tests) and give you peace of mind (you gain a lot of knowledge and control over your cat's diabetes). You can learn how to home-test here http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=287.


The closest replacements for PZI-Vet are having a PZI insulin made by a compounding pharmacy (there may well be one in your area; check your phone book for compounding pharmacies; alternatively, a lot of folks are using a PZI made by a compounding pharmacy called BCP in Texas), or ProZinc which is being trumpeted as the Idexx-PZI replacement insulin by it's manufacturer (BIV, who bought the rights to PZI-Vet from Idexx).

If you absolutely must have PZI-Vet, I can't offer you any direct help; the only place that I knew that was still carrying it (Drs Foster and Smith) has switched to ProZinc.

I did contact BIV last summer. Please note that this was *before* ProZinc came on the market. Whether BIV still has their hotline open, whether they're still tracking PZI-Vet or have thrown all their supplies in the garbage, I don't know. When I contacted them last summer, they had a PZI-Vet distributor hotline at 866-638-2226, and they were keeping track of which distributors still had supplies of PZI-Vet available. They have (had?) five main companies handling distribution of PZI-Vet; at least one (Butler) has run out. The other four were MWI, Webster, Columbus Serum, and Professional Vet Products (PVP). You can try calling BIV's PZI-Vet distributor information line to get an updated status on which distributors still have PZI-Vet in stock. Like I said, I've no idea whether the number still works or it's still in stock.

If it *is* available from one or more of the distributors, you might want to ask your vet which supply company sells them their medical stuff, and whether they have alternate distributors they use -- it might be one of the companies which still have it in stock. (Most vets get their supplies from one main company, but may have accounts with other companies for things they need less regularly or as a back-up source, but these alternate suppliers are not necessarily a place that they'll think of checking with when looking for something.)

Alternately, some states allow your vet to call in a prescription to another vet. For example, I'm currently in New Jersey but, if I run out of many (not all) medications, I can call my vet in Maryland and have her fax a prescription to a vet up here who has the medication in stock and the NJ vet can dispense it to me. Not sure what the regulations are where you live. However, if you live in an area where that's legal, and your vet doesn't have a relationship with one of the distributors, you might call one of the distributors directly and explain that you're trying to find a company that still has PZI-Vet in stock, one that's either local to your area or will sell over the internet. Once you've found and confirmed a source that will sell you PZI-Vet, call your vet with the phone/fax info and have your vet send over a prescription for the other company to sell some PZI-Vet for you.

 

I would not have PZI insulin made by a compounding pharmacy [unless it was BCP and you were ordering BCP because you found your kitty to be resistant to the human insulin variety in ProZinc].

You want ProZinc. And despite what your vet says a study of 50 cats has been done on ProZinc vs PZI Vet with a switch on a 1:1 dosing basis and it was just fine. As it turns out [now in the long run] H needs MORE Prozinc than he did PZI Vet [although H has many different things going on so this should not be extrapolated to every cat].

The Study was called:
Preliminary Study of Protamine Zinc Recombinant Insulin for the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus in Cats
by
Gary D. Norsworthy, DVM, DABVP
Randy Lynn, DVM, MS, DACVCPb
Cynthia Cole, DVM, PhD, DACVCPb

Here's the link to the PDF version:
http://www.vetlearn.com/Media/Publicati ... 2_24_0.pdf
Unfortunately the html link I had for it does not work. Also If you call BIV [get the contact from http://www.prozinc.us ] and ask them to fax that study to your vet they will.

10ml of ProZinc should be $90 + maybe shipping and tax.
Allivet has it for $89.99
http://www.allivet.com/ProZinc-Cat-Insulin-p/32212.htm

 

New at this FDMB. Your posts are most helpful. I am not home-testing. Giving 5 units every 12 hours. So 2 bottles will get us well beyond the 3 months as we have half a bottle remaining before I leave Friday. I will definitely consider home-testing, just can't start that now that I am leaving. Cheaper than fructosamine? I'm diabetic and my supplies are expensive although I have good health insurance that covers them and I don't use insulin. I will check out the hotline and if I can't locate a source, I will consult with Doc tomorrow for Prozinc. I think after reading posts I will request dose for dose switch. And watch what happens for 3 days before I leave. Caretaker lives here too and is also diabetic so kitty won't be too traumatized - although he is not "mama" - but when I have been gone in the past he has fed her and administered shots. Yes, a household full of diabetics! Star kitty is good at letting either one of us know if we get off of her 12 hour insulin schedule - she meows at the refrigerator door! I'll post tomorrow results of my call to the hotline phone number and my consultation with doc. Thank you my new friends.

 

sounds good.

i'm still concerned about that dose though, it's pretty hefty.

as far as hometesting goes, do you guys test yourselves? if so, you should be able to take up testing kitty pretty easily. and it just donned on me that if you'd like some help with that as far as how it's done on a kitty, there's a few other members in minneapolis. if you'd like i could send them messages and point them in this direction. you'd be watching for Carol-Charlie, Amy'sWinston, and carolynnandlatte. if nothing else they can say hi there's a new gal too, Sheryl, whom Amy and Carolynn just went and helped recently with testing too.

 

I dont know anything about any insulin except lantus. So, I cant really help you in that regards.

I could meet with you some evening this week , before you leave to teach you and your caretaker to hometest. And/Or be a back up person for questions/help when you are gone.

PM me if you would like.

Also, when you get back, if you would like help with home testing I could be available to do that as well!

 

5u does sounds like a lot. I would highly encourage you to do everything in your power to get the home testing going before you leave.

As soon as you get the opportunity I encourage you to start home testing get your spread sheet going and come back for more input. Most strips can be had for about $28 per 50 box with free shipping and no tax [or even cheaper for some - but this is the highest price you should pay edit: for human strips]. It turns out to be about equal with doing lab testing but WAY WAY better.

 

seriously, in just a few hours FDMB has connected me with someone to come to my house and teach me home testing?! Wow! I'm relieved, impressed, gracious. Thanks Carolyn and Cindy

 

you are very welcome! we are always glad to help :smile:

 

I have the insulin.........

I can send you two brand new bottles, expiration date of 9/10, but you will need to PM me your name and snail mail address. I can overnight them to you tomorrow and will be there by Thursday. I stockpiled when I knew IDEXX was being discontinued.

 

Insulin sent today......

by overnight USPS. I've sent you two PM's.

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH, HOPE!!! I did just read your PM's. I have been hectically getting ready to be gone for 3 months and haven't had a chance to get on computer. I did respond from blackberry yesterday, but apparently it didn't work. Let me know how much I owe you, (Star and I owe you our lives!!!) How great is FDMB? When I'm back I will spend more time here.