Synacthen!!

Re: Synacthen!!

charlie_bubbles86 — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 20:06:16 GMT

Synacthan is still a case of mission impossible & doesnt look like things will be improving anytime soon.

Dechra are manufacturing Tetracosactide which is a veterinary only alternative to Synacthan. It doesnt come in vials it comes in small bottles, which after opening need to be thrown away. The dose is reduced to 5mcg/kg, so dont just use it @ the old synacthan dose.

You have to contact Dechra direct, who will then email you all the details you need. You then basically, fax them a prescription for a particular patient, along with practice details & bank card details & then they will send you a box of 1x8 bottles. N.B, they will only let you order 1 box per patient, and delivery is 7-10 days from receipt of the fax. So i recommend doing 2 prescriptions for 2 patients so you always have plenty.

We have been using it for the past few months now and all is going well!

Life would be much easier if they let the likes of NVS/Henry Schein wholesalers be selling it so you can get it next day, but apparently there is no chance of this any time soon either!

Dechra are super helpful, so give them a call!

Re: Synacthen!!

Steph Worsley — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 18:00:59 GMT

you can apply to dechra to get Tetracosactide for a named patient

dose is exactly the same as synacthen at 5 micrograms per kg to a max of 250micrograms....the main difference is that it is 100micrograms per ml so overall volume will be greater

Re: Synacthen!!

chris beasley — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 13:24:02 GMT

Thanks. will give that a try.

Re: Synacthen!!

Nicola Smith — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 12:27:12 GMT

We got ours from teyrra - human wholesaler - not sure what the situation with vet wholesalers is.

Re: Synacthen!!

chris beasley — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 11:30:58 GMT

Hi Anybody know if things have improved yet?

Re: Synacthen!!

charlie_bubbles86 — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 18:10:59 GMT

Hi, we too have struggled at our small animal practice. Try your local pharmacy. But my bro-in-law is a pharmacist & apparently they have been told not to give to vet practices as it's in such short supply for humans too. Luckily tho, he was able to give us 4 vials as they are due to expire at the end of this month. My head vet knows a specialist in the USA, who a few yrs back, had the same supply problem. They worked out a low dose rate that can be used of 5mcg/kg. (Instead of the usual 0.5ml or 1ml dose of synacthan depending of weight). So with our new low supply, we have calculated these low doses for all the patients in need of testing, to maximise the number of tests we can do :-)

Re: Synacthen!!

Tweed House — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 15:46:49 GMT

Hi, dont panic :) our local Lloyds chemist has kept us in supply of Synacthen since the issues with stock began :)

Re: Synacthen!!

Sal the 1st — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 23:21:06 GMT

looks like we will now be doing the urine cc ratio wherever possible - 3days first thing in the morning pooled urine sample. or low dose dex. Must admit I am liking the urine cc as no need to hospitalise, so stress is less of a problem with results as samples are collected by the owner at home.Is also quite a lot cheaper for owners

Re: Synacthen!!

Sarah Cahill — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 20:57:30 GMT

One of our vets saw a Dechra rep today, he said they will soon be stocking Tetracosactide - we got a sheet of paper with how to order it - was very confusing though! Apparently there will be issues with supply of Synacthen for 2-3 years?!

Re: Synacthen!!

Nicola Smith — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 20:14:47 GMT

Hi. Yes we are doing low dose dex tests. Seem to be working fine, positives on the ones we expect. As its an all day thing rather than just an hour between tests most owners bringing back for sampling if they are going to stress in a kennel.

Re: Synacthen!!

Sal the 1st — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 13:08:27 GMT

just out of interest has anybody started to use anything different instead of synacthen? ie has anybody swapped over to doing low dose dex or urine cortisol: creatinine ratio? and if so how are you finding it diagnostic wise?

Re: Synacthen!!

Lesley M — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 12:12:15 GMT

We have now got some so hopefully coming back in with the suppliers (this was from a back order in around November time!)

Re: Synacthen!!

LizzyJ — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 19:03:39 GMT

We've just got a box from our local chemists so might be worth a ring round?

Re: Synacthen!!

Steph Worsley — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 17:31:49 GMT

I was going to say if you use the search facility on here you will find the thread that has been going for a while, (the thread in a nutshell...try and sweet talk a local hospital or pharmacy and see what they can do for you)

Re: Synacthen!!

Celine — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 17:29:14 GMT

http://www.vetnurse.co.uk/forums/p/23840/148474.aspx#148474