Insuvet discontinued - what to use as replacement?

Re: Insuvet discontinued - what to use as replacement?

Christopher Saul — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:41:38 GMT

you're welcome, I hope it works.

Let me know how you get on with it; I've never used hypurin myself so my advice is only based on today's reasearch not on perspnal experience!

Chris

Re: Insuvet discontinued - what to use as replacement?

Ana Xavier — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:20:44 GMT

Hi Chris and thank you for your research!

I've ordered some Hypurin PZI today ;)

Cheers,

Ana

Re: Insuvet discontinued - what to use as replacement?

Christopher Saul — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 21:15:44 GMT

Thinking on, I suppose it's possible that the hypurin bovine insulins may get prioritised to human use so we may have to mange with hypurin porcine PZI and hypurin porcine neutral, but only time will tell I suppose.....

Re: Insuvet discontinued - what to use as replacement?

Christopher Saul — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:29:52 GMT

Hello All,

I've been doing a little homework on this subject. There seem to be conflicting stories out there - one is that the production gap is temporary and will soon be resumed and another one is that bovine insulin production will soon end altoghether and we will have to rely on porcine. I had a quiet afternoon and did some phoning around.......

As far as I can work out the situation is this: It is Pfizer's (i.e. insuvet) production which is interrupted (and may or may not return). This means that the insuvet range may soon be unavailable if wholsalers run out. However, the production of hypurin ( by a company called wockhardt)- a rival product range to Pfizer's human insulin range - is unaffected.

The hypurin range includes both bovine and porcine - PZI, lente and neutral being available in both types.

My own feeling is that, under the cascade, all animals needing lente should if possible be converted to caninsulin.. we cannot justify using hypurin lente where there is a licensed alternative.

However for those patients needing PZI, for DKAs requiring neutral, (or for those rare patients where porcine insulin doesnt work) - I see no problem using hypurin.

So Ana - if you're sure this dog really needs PZI - I would use hypurin.

I hope that helps

Chris

Re: Insuvet discontinued - what to use as replacement?

Ana Xavier — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:26:40 GMT

I agree, Chris!

The other day wanted to do a blood glucose curve with neutral insulin on a drip and all of them were out of stock with no idea when they'd be back in stock!!! Finally managed to get one from another branch but very very bad when you need it to be immediately available for ketoacidotic cases!

Re: Insuvet discontinued - what to use as replacement?

Christopher Saul — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:13:12 GMT

What worries me is the availability of soluble/neutral insulin for ketoacidotics.....

Re: Insuvet discontinued - what to use as replacement?

karen jones — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:04:27 GMT

Pfizer say all bovine insulin now going to human market, Intervet SP say they're talking to experts and will provide regime for swopping from insuvet to caninsulin

Re: Insuvet discontinued - what to use as replacement?

Kirsten Simpson — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:14:20 GMT

Uh oh, I didn't know it was being discontinued. I read the letter and took it as a temporary blip in the production, but they are actually discontinuing it? Urgh how annoying!

Re: Insuvet discontinued - what to use as replacement?

Colin Cameron — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:30:49 GMT

we use Caninsulin and generally have pretty good results at b.i.d dosing

Re: Insuvet discontinued - what to use as replacement?

Charlotte Marshall — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:13:24 GMT

AAARGH! I hadn't heard and just started a new dog on it this week! They've gone home clutching a nice new full bottle of the stuff, enough for several wks - just enough to get it stable probably.

Re: Insuvet discontinued - what to use as replacement?

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 10:05:14 GMT

Have a look in the BSAVA formulary, there's a good guide and number of insulins suggested, Hypurin included, your wholesaler should be able to get them or write a script for the pharmacy. You may have to adjust dosage but that often happens anyway if a patient becomes 'resistant' to one type of insulin.

Re: Insuvet discontinued - what to use as replacement?

michelle greaves — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:03:34 GMT

I have a similar dilemma, and no idea what direction to go in. very frustrating!

michelle