Heads-up on Antibiotics, Jan 2017

Source

(Starting January 1, 2017 animal owners) must work with a licensed veterinarian with whom they have an established veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) in order to receive permission to order and use... a VFD drug (i.e., any oral "veterinarian grade" antibiotics).

The use and distribution of antibiotics in animal agriculture is changing and producers of all sizes need to begin preparing to adapt in the coming year. Focusing on the one-health concept of combating antibiotic resistance, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working to ensure the judicious use of humanly medically important antibiotics. Changes include eliminating the growth promotion use of human medically important antibiotics and expanding the list of feed-grade antibiotics classified as Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) drugs. Historically, a majority of feed-grade antibiotics used in or on animal feeds have been available to producers over-the-counter, without approval from a veterinarian. By Jan. 1, 2017 the FDA will move all human medically important feed-grade antibiotics to the VFD drug process.

It is important to note not all antibiotics will be considered VFD drugs (Figure 1). The use of injectable antibiotics will not be affected. 

The last time I used "veterinarian grade" antibiotics was when Herc decided to kick a raccoon's butt.  Unfortunately, the raccoon was in the bottom of a ditch filled with stagnant water.  The fight was a draw.

After a day, his wounds became large, soft and puffy.  At Belladonna's urging I whacked him with a couple of days of antibiotics from our supply.

I still ended up taking him to the vet.  Bella came home from college for the weekend to check Herc out and was worried about him.  The vet said he was healing just fine.

The two times before that I had used antibiotics on myself.  Mrs ERJ frowns on my experimenting with the kids.

I accept no responsibility for any misuse of the information presented here.

Storage life
For those of you who are tempted to lay in a supply of vet-grade antibiotics, I reproduce this table from HERE. It must be noted that the extended life is under ideal storage conditions.

In general, antibiotics lose potency as they age.  "Old" Tetracycline family antibiotics have the potential for liver damage  as they age due to the nature of the chemicals they decay into.

Product

	Length of Original Dating	Average Total Years Extended	Total Shelf Life Obtained
Doxycycline 100mg tablets	2 years	5 years	7 years
Ciprofloxacin 500mg tablets	3 years	10 years	13 years

			Extension Time (Mos.)
Antibiotic	Dosage Form	No. Lots Tested	Mean	Range
Amoxicillin sodium	Tablets	21	23	22–23
Ampicillin	Capsules	5	49	22–64
Ampicillin sodium	Injection-solution	8	57	29–87
Cefazolin sodium	Powder	10	82	63–110
Ceftriaxone sodium	Powder	4	60	44­–69
Cefoperazone sodium	Powder	4	46	25–57
Cefoxitin sodium	Powder	10	24	24–55
Cephalexin	Capsules	6	57	28–135
Cephaprin sodium	Powder	13	74	50–114
Chloroquine HCl	Injection-solution	4	64	27–98
Ciprofloxacin	Suspension	7	32	25–40
Ciprofloxacin	Tablets	242	55	12–142
Clindamycin phosphate	Injection-solution	31	44	18–77
Doxycycline hyclate	Capsules	13	50	37–66
Doxycycline hyclate	Powder	31	27	14–52
Doxycycline hyclate	Tablets	169	27	15–91
Erythromycine lactobinate	Powder	4	60	38–83
Neomycin and polymyxin B sulfates and bacitracin zinc	Ophthalmic ointment	5	28	12–40
Penicillin G	Powder	15	49	22–95
Penicillin G benzathine	Suspension	4	70	61–84
Penicillin G procaine	Powder	7	70	67–72
Primaquine phosphate	Tablets	12	55	41–80
Spectinomycin HCl	Suspension	8	83	55–109
Sulfacetamide sodium	Ophthalmic ointment	4	39	35–44
Sulfadiazine silver	Cream	37	57	28–204
Sulfadozine and pyrimethamine	Tablets	8	67	34–93
Sulfisoxazole	Tablets	4	56	45–68
Tetracycline HCl	Capsules	11	50	17–133