Azithromycin, Ophthalmic
“This page provides important general information for pet owners whose animals have been prescribed Azithromycin, Ophthalmic during a consultation by Dr Noor. Azithromycin eye for pets in Perth.”
(ay-zith-roe-my-sin)
Description: Azithromycin eye for pets
This is an antibiotic medicine used on the eye. It belongs to a group of antibiotics called macrolides.
Other Names for this Medication:
- AzaSite®
Common Dosage Forms:
- For animals:
- there is no standard veterinary product listed.
- For people:
- a 1% eye solution that comes in a 2.5 mL bottle with a dropper.
Antimicrobial Classification:
- Critically Important
This handout does not include every detail that exists about this medicine. It is meant to help with common questions, but it does not replace advice from a medical professional. If you need more details or have questions, call your veterinarian or your pharmacist.
Key Information
- This is an antibiotic placed in the eye to treat eye infections.
- Keep it in the refrigerator. After you first open the bottle, throw it away after 14 days.
- After you put this medicine in the eye, wait 5 minutes before you put any other eye medicine in.
- Use it the way you were instructed so the medicine does not get contaminated. When you are not using it, make sure the cap is closed tightly.
How is this medication useful?
- Azithromycin eye solution is used in animals for eye infections caused by bacteria.
This medicine has approved use for people, but not for animals. In some cases, veterinarians may prescribe medicines that contain this drug for other species or for different health problems. You can talk with your veterinarian about why this medicine was chosen.
What should I tell my veterinarian to see if this medication can be safely given?
Many different factors can change how well this medicine works for your animal. Talk with your veterinarian about the points below so you can make treatment choices together.
- 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. Also share how much you give and when you give each one.
- Tell your veterinarian about any health problems your animal has now, or has had before.
- If your animal has had treatment in the past for the same illness or problem, tell your veterinarian what was used and whether it helped or did not help.
- If your animal is pregnant or nursing, discuss with your veterinarian what risks may come with using this medicine.
- Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist if your animal has ever had side effects from medicines before. Examples include allergic reactions, not wanting to eat, 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?
- You usually need to give multiple doses before you notice changes.
- The strongest results may not show up until your animal has received the medicine regularly for several weeks. During that time, you should see the signs slowly improve until the medicine reaches its full effect.
- This medicine does not last long in the body. Its effect stops within 24 hours.
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 animal.
This drug SHOULD NOT be used in patients:
- If your animal fits the situation below, discuss with your veterinarian how the risks compare to the benefits.
- Animals that have an allergy to this medicine or to similar medicines (for example, erythromycin, clarithromycin, lincomycin).
What are the side effects of this medication?
Side effects that usually are not serious include:
If any of the signs listed below are strong, get worse, or do not go away, contact your veterinarian.
- Mild burning or discomfort, eye irritation, or redness.
- A cloudy or milky look to the eyes.
Side effects that may be serious or indicate a serious problem:
If you notice any of the signs below, contact your veterinarian immediately.
- Trouble breathing or loud breathing, or swelling in the throat. These can be signs of a severe allergic reaction to this medicine.
If my animal gets too much of this medication (an overdose), what should I do?
- When this medicine is used as eye drops, giving too much is not expected to happen often. However, problems could occur if your animal eats the medicine.
- If your animal swallows it, call your veterinarian or an animal poison control service right away for guidance. A fee may be charged for the call.
How should this medication be given?
For the medicine to work properly, you must give it exactly the way your veterinarian prescribed it. It is helpful to read the prescription label each time so you confirm you are giving it correctly.
- Before you give the medicine, wash your hands.
- To keep the bottle from becoming contaminated, do not let the dropper tip touch your animal’s eye or touch any other surface.
- If medicine remains on the fur or skin around your animal’s face after dosing, wipe it away gently using a damp tissue or cloth.
- If you are giving more than one eye medicine, leave a 5-minute gap between each one before giving the next.
- If you are using both eye drops and eye ointment, put the drops in first so they can soak into the eye.
- If this medicine is being used as an eye solution for a horse, your veterinarian may have placed a special eye catheter (a tube system called a subpalpebral lavage, or SPL, catheter). Use that catheter only as your veterinarian instructed. After you inject the medicine into the catheter, use only air to flush the medicine through to the eye.
- If you are struggling to apply the medicine, or if your animal resists treatment, contact your veterinarian or pharmacist for ideas on how to give it and how to reduce stress during dosing.
- This medicine may be used 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 the full course is finished. Do not stop the medicine without speaking to your veterinarian first, 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 scheduled dose, do not give the missed one. Instead, give the next dose at the regular time.
- After that, 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 bottle, or in another approved container used to organize doses.
- Before the bottle is opened, store it in the refrigerator and keep it away from light.
- After opening, you may keep it either in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Even so, you must throw it away 14 days after opening.
- If your veterinarian or pharmacist prepared a custom-made version (a compounded product) 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 unless you are allergic to this medicine or to similar medicines (for example, erythromycin or clarithromycin).
- 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 toilet or down 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 used coffee grounds or cat litter. This helps make it less appealing to children and animals and harder for others to recognize. Put the mixture into a sealable plastic bag so it does not leak, and then 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.”
Related Medication Information
- Chloramphenicol, Ophthalmic
- Ciprofloxacin, Ophthalmic
- Erythromycin, Ophthalmic
- Gentamicin Sulfate, Ophthalmic
- Neomycin/Polymyxin/Bacitracin, Ophthalmic