Questions on Interferon
The Vet had another look at Tomi today, a week after his transfusion, and gave me a 500ML bottle of Interferon Alfa-2B 30ui/ml, that they had just received. His blood count was 17, up from 16 on Monday, which isn't as much as the vet was hoping for, so Tomi's supposed to stay on Prednisone for another week at one pill a day (he's been getting 2 a day so far). Now I shouldn't be giving him the Interferon until he is done taking Prednisone right? The vet said I should probably wait, but wasn't positive as I don't think she's very familiar with Interferon treatment. Another thing, I read something about freezing Interferon. My bottle just says on it to keep refrigerated. Will the Interferon last for months just being refrigerated? Thanks for all the info being shared here, i've learned a lot in the past week. The tip on baby food was a lifesaver, as he's being a very picky eater this last week, turning his nose up even at tuna. The baby food he seems to like though.
Re: Questions on Interferon
After my interferon is mixed, I put it in small containers and freeze it. I've read that you can freeze it once. Once unfrozen, I think it lasts 30 days, but I could be off on that - maybe it's 60 days, I'm sure somebody knows. There are many different PRICES for interferon alpha - ranging from very high to low, depending on the vet. I now get it for $15 for a large bottle (about 30 ml, I think?) It serves as an immune system modulator, and works very well for me, in some circumstances. I do daily low dose oral interferon with some FELV cats. I don't do the on =off that some people do. Best of luck, Gloria On Mar 16, 2007, at 9:10 PM, C & J wrote: The Vet had another look at Tomi today, a week after his transfusion, and gave me a 500ML bottle of Interferon Alfa-2B 30ui/ ml, that they had just received. His blood count was 17, up from 16 on Monday, which isn't as much as the vet was hoping for, so Tomi's supposed to stay on Prednisone for another week at one pill a day (he's been getting 2 a day so far). Now I shouldn't be giving him the Interferon until he is done taking Prednisone right? The vet said I should probably wait, but wasn't positive as I don't think she's very familiar with Interferon treatment. Another thing, I read something about freezing Interferon. My bottle just says on it to keep refrigerated. Will the Interferon last for months just being refrigerated? Thanks for all the info being shared here, i've learned a lot in the past week. The tip on baby food was a lifesaver, as he's being a very picky eater this last week, turning his nose up even at tuna. The baby food he seems to like though.
Re: Questions on Interferon
I got a big 500ML bottle that should last for months, and it just says on it to keep refrigerated. After reading here that it should be frozen, I think i'll take the suggestion of buying a bunch of syringes, filling them up and freezing them, though this will end up being about 50 syringes. That big bottle should last for many months, but that will do me no good if the Interferon goes bad from just sitting in the fridge. - Original Message - From: Gloria Lane To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2007 9:18 PM Subject: Re: Questions on Interferon After my interferon is mixed, I put it in small containers and freeze it. I've read that you can freeze it once. Once unfrozen, I think it lasts 30 days, but I could be off on that - maybe it's 60 days, I'm sure somebody knows. There are many different PRICES for interferon alpha - ranging from very high to low, depending on the vet. I now get it for $15 for a large bottle (about 30 ml, I think?) It serves as an immune system modulator, and works very well for me, in some circumstances. I do daily low dose oral interferon with some FELV cats. I don't do the on =off that some people do. Best of luck, Gloria On Mar 16, 2007, at 9:10 PM, C & J wrote: The Vet had another look at Tomi today, a week after his transfusion, and gave me a 500ML bottle of Interferon Alfa-2B 30ui/ml, that they had just received. His blood count was 17, up from 16 on Monday, which isn't as much as the vet was hoping for, so Tomi's supposed to stay on Prednisone for another week at one pill a day (he's been getting 2 a day so far). Now I shouldn't be giving him the Interferon until he is done taking Prednisone right? The vet said I should probably wait, but wasn't positive as I don't think she's very familiar with Interferon treatment. Another thing, I read something about freezing Interferon. My bottle just says on it to keep refrigerated. Will the Interferon last for months just being refrigerated? Thanks for all the info being shared here, i've learned a lot in the past week. The tip on baby food was a lifesaver, as he's being a very picky eater this last week, turning his nose up even at tuna. The baby food he seems to like though. -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.12/724 - Release Date: 3/16/2007 12:12 PM
Re: Questions on Interferon
I believe Island Pharmacy (where many people get their Interferon) says the final dilution - 30units per dose - shouldn't be frozen and should last 90 days in the fridge. Some people say it lasts longer, I personally don't know. Gary - Original Message - From: C & J To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2007 9:22 AM Subject: Re: Questions on Interferon I got a big 500ML bottle that should last for months, and it just says on it to keep refrigerated. After reading here that it should be frozen, I think i'll take the suggestion of buying a bunch of syringes, filling them up and freezing them, though this will end up being about 50 syringes. That big bottle should last for many months, but that will do me no good if the Interferon goes bad from just sitting in the fridge.
Re: Questions on Interferon
Hmm I was planning on buying lots of syringes to freeze, but now i'm not sure what to do. I'll maybe have to call my vet about it, but I don't think she's very familiar with Interferon, so i'm not sure she would know. If it isn't supposed to be frozen, and lasts 90 days, i'll have to get smaller quantities than 500ML, which would take me a year to use. - Original Message - From: "gary" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2007 12:38 PM Subject: Re: Questions on Interferon I believe Island Pharmacy (where many people get their Interferon) says the final dilution - 30units per dose - shouldn't be frozen and should last 90 days in the fridge. Some people say it lasts longer, I personally don't know. Gary - Original Message - From: C & J To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2007 9:22 AM Subject: Re: Questions on Interferon I got a big 500ML bottle that should last for months, and it just says on it to keep refrigerated. After reading here that it should be frozen, I think i'll take the suggestion of buying a bunch of syringes, filling them up and freezing them, though this will end up being about 50 syringes. That big bottle should last for many months, but that will do me no good if the Interferon goes bad from just sitting in the fridge. -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.13/725 - Release Date: 3/17/2007 12:33 PM
Re: Questions on Interferon
Hello, I currently get Interferon for my FeLV+ kitty, Shane, from Pet Health Pharmacy in Youngtown, Arizona <http://www.pethealthpharmacy.com/>. The dilution is 30 IU/ml. I give 1 ml. orally once daily for seven days, every other week (seven days on/seven days off). The instructions on the label are as follows: "If using immediately (liquid), store in refrigerator. Expires in one month. If storing, keep in freezer. Expires in six months." According to this, even when frozen it has a limited shelf life (six months). Since, on the seven days on/seven days off schedule, I would never use up the entire prescription within one month, here is what works for me. When I receive the prescription (30 mls.), I split it into four small plastic bottles and put 7 mls. in each and freeze them (that leaves me with two doses in the original bottle). The day before each weekly dosing schedule begins, I thaw one of the 7 ml. bottles in the refrigerator. Each day I use a syringe to draw up 1 ml. for that day's dose. My vet furnished the small plastic bottles for free. Prior to getting the Interferon from Pet Health Pharmacy, I used a local (much more expensive!) pharmacy that dispensed it in individual dose syringes. Their instructions were to keep it frozen until ready to use, then thaw out a week's worth (seven syringes) at a time in the refrigerator. Each pharmacy seems to have a slightly different way of dealing with Interferon. I don't know why Island Pharmacy says not to freeze it once it's diluted as that contradicts what the two pharmacies I've dealt with have said to do. I hope this helps. Sue and Shane Jerome, AZ >On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 16:57:04 -0600 "C & J" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Subject: Re: Questions on Interferon > Hmm I was planning on buying lots of syringes to freeze, but now i'm not > sure what to do. I'll maybe have to call my vet about it, but I don't think > she's very familiar with Interferon, so i'm not sure she would know. > > If it isn't supposed to be frozen, and lasts 90 days, i'll have to get > smaller quantities than 500ML, which would take me a year to use.
Re: Questions on Interferon
It could be they just want you to keep ordering. Supposedly, if diluted to only 3000 units, it will keep frozen indefinately. Unfortunately, if you do it that way, you have to do your own dilution to 30 units when you thaw some. Gary - Original Message - From: "Susan Tillman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2007 8:02 PM Subject: Re: Questions on Interferon Hello, I currently get Interferon for my FeLV+ kitty, Shane, from Pet Health Pharmacy in Youngtown, Arizona <http://www.pethealthpharmacy.com/>. The dilution is 30 IU/ml. I give 1 ml. orally once daily for seven days, every other week (seven days on/seven days off). The instructions on the label are as follows: "If using immediately (liquid), store in refrigerator. Expires in one month. If storing, keep in freezer. Expires in six months." According to this, even when frozen it has a limited shelf life (six months). Since, on the seven days on/seven days off schedule, I would never use up the entire prescription within one month, here is what works for me. When I receive the prescription (30 mls.), I split it into four small plastic bottles and put 7 mls. in each and freeze them (that leaves me with two doses in the original bottle). The day before each weekly dosing schedule begins, I thaw one of the 7 ml. bottles in the refrigerator. Each day I use a syringe to draw up 1 ml. for that day's dose. My vet furnished the small plastic bottles for free. Prior to getting the Interferon from Pet Health Pharmacy, I used a local (much more expensive!) pharmacy that dispensed it in individual dose syringes. Their instructions were to keep it frozen until ready to use, then thaw out a week's worth (seven syringes) at a time in the refrigerator. Each pharmacy seems to have a slightly different way of dealing with Interferon. I don't know why Island Pharmacy says not to freeze it once it's diluted as that contradicts what the two pharmacies I've dealt with have said to do. I hope this helps. Sue and Shane Jerome, AZ
Re: Questions on Interferon
I had this same problem, my vet made me a whole bag (as in saline IV bag), and I was unable to use it before it expired. One thing to consider, offer to donate part to a local rescue group that accepts FELV or FIV cats (if you have any near you). It wont be any cheaper for you, but at least the "waste" would be going to a good cause. :-) Phaewryn http://ucat.us/domesticcatlinks.html Special Needs Cat Resources
