blackacre Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Did we ever reach a consensus on this one? Mark? Dividing the large dog pills would sure save me some money. Andrea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 I must have missed this thread. I wonder, too. My vet would never sell me "the wrong size" pills to split, I am sure. But I will ask this week when the dogs have their check-ups. I'm always looking for a good way to save. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoofly Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Hey A. - My vet said if they're not scored to split, they aren't meant to be and the med might be concentrated in one spot rather than spread through the tablet. I shop around on the net and try to get the best price, but yeah, those things are expensive for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurie etc Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 My personal experience - I've split Interceptor for years and used it every 45 days, and haven't had anyone test positive for Heartworm (but have had a few breakthrough cases of Whipworms). I do random SNAP tests on my dogs, just because of Lymes/Erlichea. The vets at the large animal hospital where I worked (and bought the meds)felt it was OK to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Andrea, It would depend upon how the tablet was manufactured; I do suspect (but don't have evidence to support) the scoring concept presented by Robin. My only concern would be that your dog gets at least the minimum effective dose. How close to the minimum dose (0.5 mg/kg body weight) will 1/2 of a tablet be for your dog? I just found a report that patients splitting human meds can be up to 30% off 1/2 of the pill (by weight). Assuming this as the worst case, will 1/2 of a pill (minus 30%) be below the minimum dose for you dog? Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackacre Posted February 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Argh. No wonder I didn't take away a definitive answer last time. You'd think the stuff would all be mushed together so the active ingredient was evenly distributed and then pressed out into the different sizes, wouldn't you, so that the manufacturer could guarantee an effective dose for the sizes they do make? Is there another way of making a pill? As to your worst case calculation, Mark, which sounds sensible, the two smaller dogs would not be safely within those parameters. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackacre Posted February 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Check out this article for the opposite perspective to ours, ie individuals resisting their health insurer's requirement to split pills as a cost saving measure. From the article: In its defense arguments, Kaiser Permanente stated that drugs suitable for tablet splitting should have a "wide therapeutic window and low-medium intrasubject variability." However, tablets that should not be split according to these Guidelines "include hydroscopic drugs, which are coated to protect from moisture, enteric-coated tablets, and controlled-release tablets." A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Andrea, are you asking about pill splitting to save money? My solution to cut costs was to give my dogs the .08% Ivomec drench instead of Interceptor for heartworm prevention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Controlled release and special coating were two types I knew would not be good for splitting; but this is not how heartworm drugs work. I recently re-calculated the cost per monthly dose using Ivomec Sheep Drench; for a 26-50 lb dog dose (range of the medium size dog HeartGard formulation) the cost was 0.009 USD. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackacre Posted February 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Is that the sheep version Christine? By weight as for a sheep? A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Crowder-BaaramuLuke Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Okay, please don't be hyper-offended here, folks... You spend $,$$$ on dogs (purchase prices) and then try to save on the cost of drugs to keep them safe from heartworm disease? The drugs (guaranteed when used on-label)can be had fairly inexpensively, if you just do the shop-around. If we have to save money because we don't have it, maybe we have too many dogs (or other expensive stuff). I am as thrifty as the next person, but too paranoid to do it that way. I've probably said too much here, I'll quit now, just had to say it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mona Howard Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 I'd sure like to hear where others get their pills from. I'm a little worried to order it for fear it may not be as good or maybe stale. Pound for pound I think the stuff I get from my vet is actually more expensive than gold!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoofly Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Mona - I get mine from kvvet.com and i've also used Lambriarvet.com You need a prescription but my vet is okay with providing one. The packages are date stamped, as are the blister packs inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 We could cut costs by disposing of the retirees; but I think I'll stick with finding cheaper sources of the same drugs. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Andrea, yes the Sheep drench. Debbie, I felt the same way you did before I made the switch. I did lots of research before using the Ivomec and consulted with quite a few BC people who do use the product. I was very leary to give that to my dogs, hearing all the hype from vets about how Ivemectin can kill collies. But after consulting with some vets, tech's and top handlers who have used the product successfully for many, many years and after seeing the study results that no Border Collies have tested postive for ivermectin sensitivity, I decided to try it. In addition to the Ivomec, I dose my dogs with fenbendazole every 6 months to take care of intestinal parasites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mona Howard Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Well thanks Robin! I'll write those web address down and then ask my vet to write a subscription for me. Hopefully she will not be too offended since I think I fund 90% of her income..... : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Debbie, I do what Christine does. While I can understand the sentiment that if you need to save $$ you might have too many expenses (dogs or whatever), I tend to take the view that it makes no sense to spend X amount of money for something when I can spend less for a product that is just as effective. That is, why put my money in someone else's pocket when I can use it for something else, maybe even "extras" for my dogs? It's not about cutting corners and putting dogs at risk; it's about spending money wisely. At any rate, it's not as if we're advocating the use of some unproven medication to protect against heartworm--we're using the exact same chemical or chemical class that's used in the standard HW prevention formulations.... It's kind of like the vet asking me if I had a vet come out to help "birth the lambs." Huh? Would I really want to pay for a farm call every time a ewe was lambing? Would anyone who raises sheep look askance at that attitude? J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackacre Posted February 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Mark, I sent you a PM. Debbie, I'm with Julie. (Well put, Julie.) God knows I don't stint on providing my dogs with anything they need, but I'm damned if I'm going to pay more than I need to. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Crowder-BaaramuLuke Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Thanks to everybody who responded sincerely and kindly to my spoutting off. I guess I've seen too many clients who drive Lexus's and bitch about paying for everything we do for them (their pets). Yeah, the lower exam fees are subsidized perhaps by selling these drugs, and hey, I can't say a lot because Merial and Pfizer give us free product. I see a lot of people in our place who struggle to give "Fluffy" good health care and here we are "splitting pills". If it works for you, go for it. I vaccinate all my own horses and dogs (and not as often as suggested...) because of my feeling of overdoing it there. Again, I appreciate the kindness shown me for stating my opinion. Mark, I guess that's why over 50% of my animals are retirees...somebody knows I'm a sucker for an old dog/horse, and I'm in a postion to give them good care affordably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feas Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 I havn't tried from here yet but these are the lowest prices I have found for Jakes meds. Anyone have any experience with this place? http://www.bullwrinkle.com/index.html?Shop...s.htm~indexmain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Originally posted by Debbie Crowder-BaaramuLuke:I'm in a postion to give them good care affordably. Hey Debbie,Your statement above is the crux of the issue! You are giving good care affordably, which is all most people want to do. No one wants to give/get good care for the most $$ they can spend (well, except maybe in the human medical system.). J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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