Liquid Doxycycline Expiraton

[Milo's Mom]

Is liquid Doxycycline good past its expiration date? I have a bottle that expired 7/1/15 and I need to use it NOW. I just got a little one in that is in dire need, so I've got to get him started tonight.

If it is not good past its date would Nuflor be a good substitute?

Thanks in advance!!

[Milo's Mom]

Oh DUH! I'm dealing with Pasturella.

And the Doxy has been in the fridge the entire time, just like the instructions on the bottle say. I got it directly from the vet in May/June of 2015, so it was brand new at the time.

[cava]

As a former vet tech I can tell you that any reconstituted antibiotics, especially those that require refrigeration (such as amoxi drops or clavamox drops) wouldn't be good after a year. Typically they would lose efficacy and simply not work. But if it were me and I was desperate and there was nothing else, then yeah, I'd give it a try until I could get a new batch as long as none has evaporated (leaving what's left too concentrated) and it doesn't look or smell funny. I'm no squirrel expert, but I have lots of experience with meds.

[Milo's Mom]

As a former vet tech I can tell you that any reconstituted antibiotics, especially those that require refrigeration (such as amoxi drops or clavamox drops) wouldn't be good after a year. Typically they would lose efficacy and simply not work. But if it were me and I was desperate and there was nothing else, then yeah, I'd give it a try until I could get a new batch as long as none has evaporated (leaving what's left too concentrated) and it doesn't look or smell funny. I'm no squirrel expert, but I have lots of experience with meds.


That's what I was always told and that's precisely why I was asking...the reconstitution is what worried me.
I have Nuflor that is fresh, so I'd rather use that than chance it with an old possibly toxic (or weak) drug. Thank you!!

[Milo's Mom]

CritterMom- I saw your post but when I went to reply to it it was gone. :thinking

Baytril doesn't touch this, not even remotely, tried that last year before I got the Doxy.

I too think the Doxy is not safe at this point.

[Nancy in New York]

I have doxy in a packet that I can overnight tomorrow.
You wouldn't get it until Wednesday though.

[Milo's Mom]

Thank you Nancy, but I can go get some tomorrow.

EDIT: Actually the center just got back to me, they have doxy tablets so I can go get them tonight.

[Daisey007]

I think you'd be better off to use a broad spectrum antibiotic rather than limit treatment to strictly gram negative organisms... unless you've actually done a culture and know for a fact what you're treating. I mean, why take chances when you don't know? :dono

[Spanky]

Any antibiotic that comes in powder (or pill) and then is reconstituted (liquified?) is not effective beyond a couple (2) weeks... if it were stable in a liquid (suspension), it would come in a liquid (suspension)!

In the specific case of doxycycline, it should never (ever!) be used beyond the manufacturer's expiration date. :thumbsup

[CritterMom]

CritterMom- I saw your post but when I went to reply to it it was gone. :thinking

Baytril doesn't touch this, not even remotely, tried that last year before I got the Doxy.

I too think the Doxy is not safe at this point.


My brain remembers something about doxy and not using past the expiration date and I deleted my post and ran off to do some googling to see if I could pull up more info before I shot off my mouth... Looks like you can get fresh anyway though.

[TubeDriver]

I have doxy that is three weeks old (orablend) and it actually looked like something was growing in it (white clumps)? I suppose the doxy could have fallen out of solution but it looked suspiciously like growths? It was not refrigerated. I made up a new batch and have been refrigerating it. I would not trust a solution that was almost a year old.

[Spanky]

In the specific case of doxycycline, it should never (ever!) be used beyond the manufacturer's expiration date. :thumbsup

Just sayin'... again...

[Milo's Mom]

Any antibiotic that comes in powder (or pill) and then is reconstituted (liquified?) is not effective beyond a couple (2) weeks... if it were stable in a liquid (suspension), it would come in a liquid (suspension)!

In the specific case of doxycycline, it should never (ever!) be used beyond the manufacturer's expiration date. :thumbsup

It DID come as liquid suspension, directly from the vet. AND, I just re-looked at the label.....it's wrong. According to the label I bought it from the vet 2 months after it expired, which is clearly a typo.

[Milo's Mom]

My brain remembers something about doxy and not using past the expiration date and I deleted my post and ran off to do some googling to see if I could pull up more info before I shot off my mouth... Looks like you can get fresh anyway though.

Yea, I thought I remembered that too about Doxy, but then I wondered if I was thinking about Clavamox suspension so figured I'd ask just to cover my hiney.

Yes I can go get fresh. Thank you!! :thumbsup

[Spanky]

It DID come as liquid suspension, directly from the vet. AND, I just re-looked at the label.....it's wrong. According to the label I bought it from the vet 2 months after it expired, which is clearly a typo.

O, sorry for the confusion... I am still going to say never use beyond the manufacturer's expiration.

In the case of Doxycycline (or Orbax) while it technically does not require refrigeration, it should not reach temperatures above 77 F.

[Nancy in New York]

My brain remembers something about ycly and not using past the expiration date and I deleted my post and ran off to do some googling to see if I could pull up more info before I shot off my mouth... Looks like you can get fresh anyway though.

Lynn was this what you remembered?


The Department of Defense maintained millions of dollars worth of antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals in storage for public emergencies like bioterrorism, natural disasters like earthquakes or epidemics. Ciprofloxacin is maintained in the stockpile for a potential anthrax outbreak due to bioterrorism. The problem is that these drugs expire. They reach an arbitrary date that in the past meant that they had to be discarded. Replacing these drugs cost the government millions of dollars every year to replace drugs that are perfectly good and effective. To combat this problem, the Shelf Life Extension Program (SLEP) was developed in 1985 for the DoD in conjunction with the FDA. Drugs from the stockpiles are submitted for testing for degradation/deterioration. Based on the results the drugs are given a new expiration date.

The bottom line is that MOST antibiotics are effective long past their expiration date. Some are more stable than others. It appears that Ciprofloxacin is very stable and maintains it potency for at least 10 years beyond the expiration. WOW!
It has been a much published rule that doxycycline or tetracycline should not be used beyond the expiration date. I have read a lot of data regarding it degradation into potentially toxic byproducts. Expired tetracycline has been associated with a kidney disorder called Fanconi syndrome.

I was very surprised to see a memo from the SLEP program dated Sept 2015 extending the expiration of doxycycline 4 years beyond the expiration date.
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness/UCM462484.pdf

Personally, I won't be using expired doxycycline or tetracycline. This new redirect is TOO new for me. I don't want to use it and then read 2 years from now a recall of this info.... OOPS, remember that 'Fanconi thing'. :shakehead In December I replaced my doxycycline. The new expiration date 1/2017... about a year. My plans are to split the 30 dose packets with 2 other local squirrel peeps. More than likely I'll never use it but by splitting an order, 3 can take advantage of a single purchase. I figure why risk it.

I also won't be keeping Ciprofloxacin 10 years. Why push it to the limits as long as it's available? If it becomes unavailable, well.. I'll rethink that. :tilt

I think it's safe to keep antibiotics 2-3 years beyond the expiration date with the exception of doxycycline/tetracycline. If you can find specific information from SLEP regarding a specific antibiotic, you can utilize this info. Keep in mind that the drugs stored in the stockpiles are stored under ideal conditions. Antibiotics that have the seal broken, the desiccant removed and are subjected to fluctuating humidity would probably not qualify for 'ideal storage'. I think most antibiotics in our home would be in this category so pushing the stability to the upper limits is unwise.


I'm just wondering about the tetracycline and doxycycline though? When I was a pharmacy technician my pharmacist had explicitly said these can become toxic past expiration.... they can possibly cause renal tubular acidosis?

A few vets I've worked with have also mentioned to not use those after expiration date for this reason although they are happy to give me other expired meds

[CritterMom]

Yes, Nancy - thank you. Every time I get one of these memory flashes it is RIGHT and I always question myself!

[cava]

Man are you guys on top of things here. I will never assume my previous knowledge applies to these babies. :bow

[Daisey007]

It DID come as liquid suspension, directly from the vet. AND, I just re-looked at the label.....it's wrong. According to the label I bought it from the vet 2 months after it expired, which is clearly a typo.

The veterinarians office reconstitutes the product from a powder using either distilled, deionized or 'reagent' water before you get it. I asked them last time to allow me to do it after I got home because I had errands to run before going home and it wouldn't be refrigerated during that time.

[Milo's Mom]

Got fresh so there are no questions. :thumbsup

Oh, and I ditched the suspension too! :)

Thanks!!