Gentamicin/Betamethasone Ophthalmic
“This page provides important general information for pet owners whose animals have been prescribed Gentamicin/Betamethasone Ophthalmic during a consultation by Dr Noor in Perth.”
Gentamicin/Betamethasone Ophthalmic for pets
(jen-ta-mye-sin / bay-ta-meth-a-sone)
Description:
This is an eye medicine that combines a steroid (to reduce swelling and irritation) with an antibiotic (to fight bacteria).
Other Names for this Medication:
- Gentocin Durafilm®
Common Dosage Forms:
- Veterinary: There is no veterinary product currently sold. In the past, it was sold as Gentocin Durafilm® as an eye suspension containing betamethasone 0.1% and gentamicin sulfate 0.3%.
- Human: There is no human product currently sold. Even though it is not sold commercially anymore, trained professionals may be able to prepare this combination as a custom-made (compounded) product.
Antimicrobial Classification:
Highly Important
It is meant to answer common questions, but it does not replace medical guidance. If you need more details or have questions about this medicine, contact your veterinarian or pharmacist.
Key Information
- Shake the bottle well before each use.
- Use the medicine in a way that prevents germs from getting into the bottle (for example, do not introduce bacteria into it). When you are not using it, keep the cap firmly closed.
- After you put this medicine in the eye, wait 5 minutes before using any other eye medicine. If your animal also needs an eye ointment, use the drops first so the medicine can soak in better.
- Keep it in the refrigerator or at a steady room temperature, protected from moisture and direct light; do not freeze.
- Do not use this medicine if your animal has an eye ulcer or has a fungal or viral eye infection.
- Do not use in birds.
How is this medication useful?
This eye medicine (betamethasone with gentamicin) can be used when the eye is inflamed (red, irritated, or swollen) due to allergies, a bacterial infection, or irritation from something stuck in the eye. It can also be used for inflammation inside the eye (uveitis). It may be used by itself, or your veterinarian may combine it with other antibiotics if needed. You and your veterinarian can talk about why this option is the best fit.
What should I tell my veterinarian to see if this medication can be safely given?
Many factors can change how well this medicine works for your animal. Share the following information with your veterinarian so you can decide together on the safest plan.
- Other medicines may affect this one. Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist about everything your animal receives, including other eye medicines, vitamins, supplements, or herbal products. Include how much you give and when you give it.
- Tell your veterinarian about any health problems your animal has now, or has had before.
- If your animal has had the same problem in the past, tell your veterinarian what was used before and whether it helped or did not help.
- If your animal is pregnant or nursing, discuss the possible risks of using this medicine.
- Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist about any past medicine reactions or side effects your animal has had (for example: allergic reactions, poor appetite, diarrhea, itching, or hair loss).
How long until I will know if this medication is working, and how long will the effects of this medication last?
Your animal should start to feel relief within 1 to 2 hours. After that, you should see improvement in the signs you noticed. The effects last a moderate amount of time, which means they may continue for a few days. The helpful effects may last longer if your animal’s kidneys and/or liver do not work as well.
When should this medication not be used or be used very carefully?
No medicine is completely safe for every patient. Your veterinarian will talk with you about any concerns that apply to your animal.
If your animal has any of the conditions listed below, talk with your veterinarian about the risks compared with the benefits.
- Animals that have an allergy to betamethasone, gentamicin, or similar medicines.
- Birds, because they are very sensitive to steroids.
- Cats or horses where a viral (for example, herpes) or fungal eye infection is suspected.
- Animals that have eye ulcers.
- Animals with diabetes.
- Animals with glaucoma.
- Animals that are pregnant or nursing.
What are the side effects of this medication?
Side effects that are usually not serious include:
If any of the following are strong, get worse, or do not go away, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible to help prevent problems.
- A mild burning feeling, stinging, irritation, or redness in the eyes.
- A droopy eyelid.
Side effects that may be serious or indicate a serious problem:
If you notice any of the following, contact your veterinarian right away.
- Trouble breathing or swelling in the throat, which may mean a severe allergic reaction to this medicine.
- Signs that could suggest an eye infection, such as squinting, yellow or green discharge, or sensitivity to light.
- Eye injuries that do not heal.
- In diabetic animals, blood sugar becoming harder to control.
If my animal gets too much of this medication (an overdose), what should I do?
When this is used as an eye medicine, giving too much is unlikely. However, side effects or poisoning could happen if your animal eats the medicine. If that occurs, contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control center right away for guidance.
How should this medication be given?
Give this medicine exactly the way your veterinarian instructed. It is also helpful to read the pharmacy label each time so you confirm you are giving it correctly.
- Some versions of this medicine need to be shaken well before use. Follow the directions given by your veterinarian or pharmacist.
- Wash your hands before you give the medicine.
- To avoid contaminating the bottle, do not let the dropper tip touch your animal’s eye or any other surface.
- If any medicine remains on the fur or skin around the face after dosing, gently clean it away using a damp cloth or tissue.
- If you are giving more than one eye medicine, wait 5 minutes between each one before giving the next. Use eye drops before eye ointments so the drops can absorb.
- If you are using this as an eye solution for a horse, your veterinarian may have placed a special eye catheter (a tube used to deliver medicine to the eye) called a subpalpebral lavage (SPL) catheter.
- Use this catheter only as your veterinarian directed.
- After you inject the medicine into the catheter, use only air to push the medicine through and into the eye.
- If you are struggling to apply the medicine, or your animal resists treatment, contact your veterinarian or pharmacist for advice on how to give it and how to reduce stress during dosing.
- This medicine may be prescribed for different lengths of time. Make sure you understand how long your veterinarian wants you to keep giving it. You may need prescription refills before treatment is finished. Do not stop this medicine without speaking to your veterinarian, because there may be important reasons to continue.
What should I do if I miss giving a dose of this medication?
If you forget a dose, give it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, do not give the missed one; instead, give the next dose at the normal time. Then continue with the usual schedule. Do not give two doses at once and do not give extra doses.
How should I store this medication?
- Keep this medicine in the original prescription container, or in another approved dose-reminder container (such as a pill organizer). Store it at room temperature and keep it away from light.
- If your veterinarian or pharmacist prepared a custom-made (compounded) version for your animal, follow the storage directions and the expiration date provided for that product.
- Store it where children and other animals cannot reach it.
Can handling this medication be hazardous to me, my family, or other animals?
There are no special handling warnings for this medicine unless you are allergic to it or to similar medicines (for example, dexamethasone). Even so, it is a good practice to wash your hands after you handle any medicine.
How should I dispose of this medication if I don’t use it all?
- Do not pour this medicine into the sink and do not flush it in the toilet.
- If your area has a medicine “take-back” program, use that option.
- If there is no take-back program:
- combine the medicine with something undesirable like used coffee grounds or cat litter (so it is less appealing to children and animals and not recognizable to someone searching trash).
- Put that mixture into a sealable plastic bag to prevent leaks, and place it in the household trash.
- Do not keep leftover medicine to use later, and do not give it to anyone else.
What other information is important for this medication?
- Some animal competitions may not allow the use of this medicine. Check the rules before entering your animal in a competition while your animal is receiving this medicine.
- If you have more questions about this medicine, contact your veterinarian or pharmacist.
“Disclaimer: The information on this page is provided as general educational material only. Every animal’s health situation is unique, and treatment decisions must be based on a full veterinary assessment. Always follow the specific instructions given during your consultation, and contact the prescribing veterinarian if you have any concerns.”
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