Ampicillin
“This page provides important general information for pet owners whose animals have been prescribed Ampicillin for pets in Perth during a consultation by Dr Noor.”
(am-pi-sill-in)
Description:
This medicine is an aminopenicillin antibiotic (an antibiotic in the penicillin family).
Other Names for this Medication:
- Omnipen®
- Princillin®
Common Dosage Forms:
- Veterinary:
- Ampicillin trihydrate 10 g and 25 g injection powder that is mixed to make a liquid suspension.
- Human:
- 250 mg and 500 mg capsules
- powder that is mixed into an oral liquid:
- 125 mg/5 mL (25 mg/mL)
- 250 mg/5 mL (50 mg/mL)
Key Information
- Ampicillin is taken into the body best when it is given on an empty stomach.
- Stomach and gut problems can happen, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and reduced appetite.
- Shots (injections) may sting when they are given under the skin.
- Do not give this medicine by mouth to rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, hamsters, rodents, or other small mammals (“pocket pets”), because it can cause severe diarrhea that can be life-threatening.
- Give all doses for the full time your veterinarian prescribed, even if your pet seems to be doing well.
How is this medication useful?
For dogs and cats, ampicillin may help treat infections affecting the skin, the breathing system (airways and lungs), and the urinary system (bladder and related parts). In some cases, veterinarians may prescribe products with this medicine for different animal types or different problems. You can talk with your veterinarian about why this medicine is being chosen.
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 pet. Talk with your veterinarian about the points below so you can decide together on the best plan.
- Other medicines can affect ampicillin. Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist about everything your pet receives, including vitamins, supplements, and herbal products, and include the dose amount and the timing for each one.
- Tell your veterinarian about any health problems your pet has now, or has had before.
- If your pet has had the same illness or problem before, tell your veterinarian what was used to treat it and whether it helped or did not help.
- If your pet is pregnant or nursing, discuss the possible risks of using this medicine.
- Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist if your pet has had medicine side effects before, including allergic-type 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?
This medicine begins working within about 1 to 2 hours, but you usually will not be able to see that effect directly. Your pet may start acting better within 1 to 2 days. The medicine does not last long in the body, so its action ends within 24 hours. However, the helpful effects may last longer if your pet’s kidneys and/or liver are not working normally.
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 special concerns for your pet.
This drug SHOULD NOT be used in:
If your pet has any of the situations listed below, discuss the possible risks and benefits with your veterinarian.
- Pets that have an allergy to this medicine or similar medicines (for example, other penicillin-type antibiotics).
- Rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, chinchillas, rodents, and other pocket pets, because giving ampicillin by mouth can lead to deadly gut problems in these animals.
What are the side effects of this medication?
Common, but not serious side effects include:
You usually do not need to be highly worried if these happen unless they are strong, get worse, or do not go away. If that occurs, contact your veterinarian.
Side effects that may be serious or indicate a serious problem:
If you notice any of the following, contact your veterinarian right away.
- Diarrhea, vomiting, and reduced appetite.
- Pain or stinging where the injection was given.
- If a cat stops eating completely, this can sometimes lead to serious liver trouble, so contact your veterinarian if your cat will not eat at all.
- A fever, skin rashes, breathing difficulty, or pale gums can be signs of an allergic reaction to this medicine.
If my animal gets too much of this medication (an overdose), what should I do?
If too much ampicillin is given, it may only cause vomiting. Larger overdoses can be dangerous and may harm the nervous system and the liver. If you see an overdose happen, or you think one may have happened, contact your veterinarian right away for instructions.
How should this medication be given?
To get the intended effect, give this medicine exactly the way your veterinarian directed. Always read the prescription label so you confirm you are giving it correctly.
- Give ampicillin without food when possible. If your pet vomits or seems unwell when it is given on an empty stomach, try giving it with a small amount of food or a small treat to see if that helps. If vomiting continues, contact your veterinarian.
- If you are using a liquid form by mouth, measure it carefully. Keep it in the refrigerator and shake it well before each dose. Your veterinarian or pharmacist can provide special spoons or dosing syringes to help measure correctly. After the liquid is mixed, throw it away after 14 days.
- Your veterinarian will prepare the ampicillin trihydrate (Polyflex®) injectable suspension (a liquid mixture), because after it is mixed it stays usable for a long time:
- 3 months at room temperature, or
- 12 months in the refrigerator.
- Before each injection, shake ampicillin trihydrate (Polyflex®) suspensions well. These injections must be given only under the skin and not into a vein.
- Because this medicine is given by injection, make sure you understand the correct dose, where to give the injection(s), and the correct way to give them.
- Your veterinarian or pharmacist will supply what you need for injections (needles, syringes, alcohol swabs). If the medicine must be mixed before you give it, mix it exactly as your veterinarian or pharmacist tells you.
- Use a fresh needle and a fresh syringe for every injection. Do not use needles or syringes again.
- When adding the mixing liquid (diluent) into an ampicillin vial, it is important to balance the pressure inside the vial. Your pharmacist or veterinarian will show you how to add the diluent in a way that prevents the medicine from spraying back out.
- Ampicillin sodium injections may cause stinging when injected under the skin.
- If you are having trouble giving the medicine, contact your veterinarian or pharmacist for ideas to make dosing easier and to lower stress during medication time.
- This medicine may be prescribed for different lengths of time. Make sure you know how long your veterinarian wants you to keep giving it. You may need prescription refills before the full 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 regular time. Then continue with the normal 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 vial. Store ampicillin capsules at room temperature.
- Liquid forms (oral liquids and injectable liquids) must be kept in the refrigerator.
- In some cases, veterinarians may choose to use ampicillin sodium injection solutions (clear) rather than ampicillin trihydrate suspensions (cloudy, milky). Clear ampicillin sodium solutions can break down quickly unless they are mixed exactly as directed and kept refrigerated. After mixing, the expiration time can range from 1 hour to 72 hours. Do not use any mixed ampicillin after the listed expiration time.
- If your veterinarian or pharmacist has prepared a custom-made (compounded) version for your pet, follow the storage directions and the expiration date provided for that product.
- Store out of reach of children and other animals.
Can handling this medication be hazardous to me, my family, or other animals?
No special handling steps are needed unless you are allergic to this medicine. Wash your hands after you handle any medication.
How should I dispose of this medication if I don’t use it all?
- Do not put this medicine into the toilet or pour it into a sink.
- If your area has a community medicine “take-back” program, use that option.
- If there is no take-back program:
- combine the medicine with coffee grounds or cat litter so it is unpleasant to children and animals and not recognizable to someone searching through trash.
- Put that mixture into a sealable plastic bag to prevent leaks, and place it in the household trash.
Do not keep leftover medicine for later use and do not give it to anyone else.
What other information is important for Ampicillin for pets in Perth?
- If you are giving injections at home, place used needles and syringes into a sharps container right after use.
- Your veterinarian or pharmacist can help you get these containers.
- Avoid accidentally poking yourself.
- Do not try to separate the needle from the syringe.
- Keep sharps containers where children and pets cannot reach them.
- When the container is about three-quarters full, dispose of it following your local rules.
- Ask your local trash service or health department about disposal options in your area.
- This medicine may not be permitted in some animal competitions. 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.”