HELP!! Can I reuse already prescribed medicine?

[paradalis]

My guinea pig Poki was sick with a problem which the vet linked to the heart so we were prescribed medicine for her:

heart - Frusemide (Flusapex) drops also known as Diuretic
antibiotics - Enrofloxacin (Baytril)
and medicine for her intestines
Ranitidine (Zantac) Syrup

These were all prescribed on the 22/06/2017. (June)
Poki has started showing the same symptoms she showed previously so we were thinking of giving her the heart medicine and intestine medicine as we still have a lot left over from June/July.

The expiry date for the heart medicine is the 12/2018 (december 2018) and there is no expiry date on the intestine medicine.

If you are able to reuse previously prescribed medicine should I use the same doses?
Frusemide - 0.18ml by mouth twice daily as required
Ranitidine - 0.24ml by mouth twice daily for 3-5 days as required

ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED AS SHE IS ALREADY QUIET SICK!!
THANK YOU!!

[daisymay]

ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED AS SHE IS ALREADY QUIET SICK!!

If she's quite sick I would either take her back to the vet or at least ring them. Don't know where abouts in Australia you are but there's Dr. Vella in N.S.W. and 3 or more good vets in Queensland.

Never had a piggy on heart meds, vets here wouldn't prescribe it even if piggy was on last leg but from what I understand once a piggy is on heart meds and improves on them. Then said piggy is on them for the rest of their days. https://www.guinealynx.info/heart.html The link may help. Weigh your piggy regularly https://www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html and if need be hand feed them. https://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html Wishing you and Poki luck. Sometimes heart conditions can be due to teeth problems were they checked?

As to meds are they in fridge? I would NOT regive until seen or spoken to vet, that's my opinion for what it's worth.

[paradalis]

Thank you for your help!! Also, the meds have been kept at room temperature

[bpatters]

It depends on the meds as to whether they'll be good after having been kept at room temperature. Some are fine that way, others require refrigeration. You could google them to find out which category these fall in. But there's no particular need to give Ranitidine just because you're giving Frusemide. She was probably prescribed that because she was on an antibiotic.

I always keep leftover meds for use in treating the same pig again, or even another pig with the same symptoms.

[Lynx]

Do, of course, contact the vet if you plan on reusing the meds, as daisymay suggests.

I am leery of reusing the furosemide without veterinary approval. For example, your vet could check for excess fluids around the heart with an xray.