Meropenem
“This page provides important general information for pet owners whose animals have been prescribed Meropenem for pets in Perth during a consultation by Dr Noor.”
(mer-oh-pen-em)
Description:
This medicine is an antibiotic in the carbapenem group.
Other Names for this Medication:
- Merrem® IV
Common Dosage Forms:
- For animals: there is no standard veterinary product form.
- For people: it comes as 500 mg and 1 gram vials that are mixed with liquid to make an injection.
Antimicrobial Classification:
- Critically Important
Key Information
- This medicine has to be given by injection into a vein or under the skin. If it is swallowed by mouth, it will not work.
- Hair over the injection area may become lighter, thinner, or change color.
How is this medication useful for Meropenem for pets?
In dogs and cats, meropenem is used for severe bacterial infections when the bacteria are no longer responding to other antibiotics. This medicine is approved for use in people, but it is not officially approved for use in animals. You and your veterinarian can talk about why this medicine is the best option.
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. Talk with your veterinarian about the points below so you can make treatment choices together.
- Some medicines can affect how meropenem works. Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist about everything your animal receives, including medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal products. Include 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 for the same illness before, tell your veterinarian what was used 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 side effects your animal has had from medicines. This includes allergic-type reactions, not wanting to eat, loose stool, 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 should begin working within 1 to 2 hours, even if you do not notice changes right away. Your animal should start to seem better within 1 to 2 days. The medicine does not last long in the body, so it stops working within 24 hours. However, the helpful effects may last longer if your animal’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 concerns that apply to your animal.
This drug should be used WITH CAUTION in patients that:
- Allergic to this medicine or similar medicines (for example, ertapenem or imipenem).
- Have kidney problems.
If your animal fits either of these situations, speak with your veterinarian about the possible benefits compared with the possible risks.
What are the side effects of this medication?
Common but not serious side effects include:
If you notice any of the signs listed below, you usually do not need to panic unless the signs are strong, get worse, or do not go away. If that happens, contact your veterinarian.
- Discoloration of the hair or hair loss where the injection was given.
- A stinging feeling where the injection was given.
- Not wanting to eat (this is especially seen in cats).
Side effects that may be serious or indicate a serious problem:
If you notice any of the signs below, contact your veterinarian right away.
- Drinking more or peeing more, which may be a sign of kidney trouble.
- Low energy, skin rashes, trouble breathing, or signs of anemia (for example, pale gums), which may be signs of an allergic reaction to this medicine.
If my animal gets too much of this medication (an overdose), what should I do?
Too much meropenem can be dangerous and may harm the kidneys, nervous system, and liver. If you see an overdose happen, or you think one may have happened, contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control center for advice.
How should this medication be given?
For this medicine to work properly, give it exactly the way your veterinarian prescribed it. It helps to read the prescription label each time so you confirm you are giving it correctly.
By Injection:
- Your veterinarian or pharmacist will provide what you need to prepare and give the injections (such as needles and syringes). If the medicine must be mixed before use, mix it exactly the way your veterinarian or pharmacist instructed.
- Because this medicine must be given by injection, make sure you understand the correct dose, where to give it, and how to give the injection.
- Each time you mix a vial or give an injection, use a fresh needle and a fresh syringe. Do not use needles or syringes again.
- When you add the mixing liquid to the vial, it is important to balance the pressure inside the vial. Your pharmacist or veterinarian will show you how to add the liquid in a way that prevents the medicine from spraying back out.
- After you add the mixing liquid, shake the vial until the liquid looks clear. In many cases, your veterinarian will then instruct you to dilute (mix) the full vial into a larger bag of fluids so it can be given under the skin.
- Once mixed, liquid forms can break down quickly if they are not prepared exactly as directed and kept in the refrigerator. After mixing, the “use by” time depends on the situation, but it cannot be more than 5 days. Do not use any mixed liquid after that time.
- Injections can sting. If your animal reacts strongly to the sting, ask your veterinarian whether something can be mixed into the liquid to reduce the stinging.
- If you are giving injections at home, put used needles and syringes into a sharps container right after use. Your veterinarian or pharmacist can help you get a sharps container. Avoid poking yourself by accident. Do not try to remove the needle from the syringe. Keep the container where children and animals cannot reach it. When the container is about three-quarters full, dispose of it using your local rules.
- This medicine may need to be given 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 this medicine without speaking with 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 dose; 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.
- Vials that have not been mixed can be kept at room temperature and protected from light.
- After mixing, the liquid must be refrigerated.
- Mixed liquid can break down quickly if it is not prepared exactly as directed and kept cold.
- After mixing, the “use by” time varies, but it cannot be longer than 5 days.
- Do not use the mixed liquid after the listed expiration time.
If your veterinarian or pharmacist has prepared a custom-made version (a compounded product) for your animal, follow the storage directions and the expiration date that come with that product.
- Store this medicine where children and other animals cannot access it.
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. After you handle any medicine, wash your hands.
How should I dispose of this medication if I don’t use it all?
- Do not pour this medicine into a sink and do not flush it in a toilet.
- If there is 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 throw it away with regular 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. Before entering a competition while your animal is receiving this medicine, check the rules.
- 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.”