But this is not a medication that will last long. However, if there is no color or odor change and it is a few days beyond that date – it is probably okay. If your vet mixes the liquid and says it expires in 7 or 14 days – then I’d honor that. The shelf life once reconstituted is real. However, there are a few liquid medications that are less stable if refrigerated and they should clearly say so on the package. Most will have a longer shelf life if they are refrigerated. Most liquid medications that are not reconstituted also have a shelf life of 1 to 2 years but once reconstituted (mixed with water – such as powered amoxicillin is mixed with water) – most expire in about 7 to 14 days depending on the specific product. This is what I would do and does not mean that it is right or wrong. If my pet was…itching and it was 3 am and all I had was some expired Benadryl – I’d probably try it. If my pet was REALLY ill – then I would NOT use any expired medication. For some medications, I would feel comfortable using on my own pets if they were expired by 1 to 2 years. The honest answer is…probably most oral pill or capsule medications are good for longer than their expiration dates. Most oral pills or capsules expire in 1 to 2 years from the date of manufacturing. The expiration of a medication varies based on several factors including the type of medication and the manufacturer. Here is some information about the expirations of some medications types: Pills and Capsules I would not want to tell you that a medication is still good and it doesn’t work to later find out that it didn’t work putting your pet at risk. To be honest, many worry that there are liability issues involved if they tell you a medication is okay to use and it is not. That is the safest way to ensure that the medication is stable. Most veterinarians, physicians, and pharmacists will tell you to honor the expiration date on the package. With some liquid medications – it can be obvious by a color change or change in consistency.

It can be nearly impossible to tell when the chemical stability of a product is altered. This last is the part that can be hard to determine with many products. There are several factors that can affect the “shelf life” including exposure to light, lack of appropriate refrigeration, and eventually…the chemical instability of the product that can occur with time. A common question that clients ask is…can they use expired medications for their dogs? Are they still good? The topic that I’ll address today is…How Long Do Expired Medications Really Last?Īll medications have an expiration date on their label. They knew that I would speak the truth regardless of pet owners or other veterinarians liked it or not. Recently, they forwarded some emails they thought were suited to me, the Irreverent Veterinarian. Our customer service department gets a lot of emails from dog lovers about every type of question you can imagine about dogs.

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