Author Topic: Anyone use Optimmune?  (Read 6388 times)

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Offline Joules

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Anyone use Optimmune?
« on: February 18, 2019, 08:34:41 PM »
Coco has been diagnosed with dry eye and prescribed Optimmune ointment.

My vet charges £68  :o for a teeny tube and, as it is an ongoing medication I am looking to get the most economical option going forward.  I have seen it for about £30 online and my vet charges £9 for a prescription so, obviously this is much cheaper.

For those of you who use it, how many tubes will your vet put on one prescription?  I am thinking if I can get 6 months' supply at a time, it would work out more reasonable.  :-\

We also have some Remend drops which I can also buy cheaper online without prescription, but does anyone have any suggestions for anything else that works well for dry eye please??
Julie and Watson

Offline Jaysmumagain

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Re: Anyone use Optimmune?
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2019, 09:08:17 PM »
For the repeat prescription - I understand that they can word it to be repeated as explained below.

I think vets are obliged to do this, but I enquired at mine about some flee and tick they don't supply and they said it would be £10 to write along with wording to repeat , they said they would ring there othr branches and phoned me with a near matching price....

The vernacular repeat prescriptions are written is a little confusing, as it is the original prescription PLUS the stated number of repeats. So for example if your dog requires 1 tube of ointment per month, a repeat prescription for six month’s treatment would state 5 repeats. This is the tube stated on the original prescription PLUS the five times it can be repeated, giving a total of six tubes.
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Offline Emilyoliver

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Re: Anyone use Optimmune?
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2019, 09:16:59 PM »
My vet does a 6x repeat prescription for optimmune, and it get it for just  under £30 from pet drugs online. Ollie is also on trusopt for glaucoma and my vet issues a 12x repeat prescription for that.
Michelle, Emily and Ollie

Offline AndyB

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Re: Anyone use Optimmune?
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2019, 12:20:17 PM »
Jazz was prescribed Optimmune and I know how expensive it is.  The senior vet at my practice suggested we tried Remend drops as an alternative and told me they were very effective and much cheaper so for the last two years of his life I used the  Remend drops.  One problem I found with the Optimmune is because the tube is made of metal after you have used about half of it the tube would split and the ointment would ooze out of the side which was extremely annoying bearing in mine the cost of this product. 

Offline elaine.e

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Re: Anyone use Optimmune?
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2019, 11:12:20 AM »
Hi Joules, sorry to hear that Coco has Dry Eye. William was diagnosed with it about 8 years ago and has Optimmune in both eyes once daily. It's stopped the condition from getting any worse and although his eyesight isn't great now that he's almost 15, that isn't because of Dry Eye but is down to age related changes to his eyes.

I get a prescription from the vet that's valid for 6 months and up to 6 tubes of Optimmune. The prescription costs about £16. I usually buy from PetDrugsOnline because they're generally the cheapest at around £24 per tube and they don't charge postage. I scan and email the prescription to them and can then order whenever I want to.

The leaflet that comes with Optimmune states to discard 4 weeks after opening but the ophthalmologist that William sees says it's OK for up to 6 weeks. I find that a tube lasts him about 6 weeks.

I've never had the problem with the tube splitting that Andy has described, although I've heard one or two other people say they've had that problem.

Offline PennyB

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Re: Anyone use Optimmune?
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2019, 12:05:22 PM »
Its definitely worth it re buying online - my vets went up to 96 a tube so it was easy to make the decision and my vets usually do 2 repeats on prescription too

I buy my meds from animed  direct - and its free postage after 30 quid

Only problem I had with optimmune is when you 1st open it and the amount of air in there and if not careful it squirts out too much too quickly but never had a problem with the tube splitting

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Offline Joules

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Re: Anyone use Optimmune?
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2019, 07:25:33 PM »
Thanks for the replies everyone.   :D

The Remend drops and Optimmune seem to be doing the trick and Coco's eyes seem much better. I am also using some artificial tears from Superdrug which help too (and much cheaper than the animal version)

I have found the Remend drops online for about £11 for a 10ml bottle compared to the same price for 3ml from the vet, and the Optimmune seems to be generally under £30 online, so that is much better.

My vet has given me a prescription for 4 tubes, so I think we will go back and get Coco checked over and then I will be holding out for a 6 month prescription.  That way it works out at just under £200 compared to £408  :o

I usually don't bother if there is a bit of a difference in price, but since this is an ongoing medication and the difference is £38 a tube it is well worth it!
Julie and Watson

Offline Jaysmumagain

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Re: Anyone use Optimmune?
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2019, 07:43:55 AM »
Like Coco, I have Dry Eyes, which are really so irrating and I can only imagine how difficult it must me for our doggies.
I was googlng alternatives to my present eye drops and came across an item on omega 3 and how some consultants swear that it helps reduce the severity of dry eyes - not sure if there is thought out there on this for dogs, also several people mentions that they buy certain I drops for there dogs from the like of boots /superdrug.

Hope what you have helps.
Cocker kisses and cuddles just make my day!


You are always with me darlings Jaypup and my precious Oliver you are so missed

Offline Joules

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Re: Anyone use Optimmune?
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2019, 09:00:22 AM »
Like Coco, I have Dry Eyes, which are really so irrating and I can only imagine how difficult it must me for our doggies.
I was googlng alternatives to my present eye drops and came across an item on omega 3 and how some consultants swear that it helps reduce the severity of dry eyes - not sure if there is thought out there on this for dogs, also several people mentions that they buy certain I drops for there dogs from the like of boots /superdrug.

Hope what you have helps.

Yes, the vet said the eye drops from Boots etc are fine (eyes are eyes according to him  ;) ) so I have got the moisturising ones for dry eyes from Superdrug - about £4 - and I am putting those in her eyes at intervals during the day.  I have even heard of people using olive oil in eyes (not tried that!!) so the omega 3 thing makes sense.  I will have a look at increasing her omega 3 too - thanks  :D
Julie and Watson

Offline its.sme

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Re: Anyone use Optimmune?
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2019, 01:45:01 PM »
Bea has dry eye but was not prescribed Optimmune by the RVC, not sure why but she uses Celluvisc which is a human product,

Bea also has left side facial paralysis which means she cannot close her eye completely and so has Systane Gel Overnight drops in that eye, which again is a human product,

I guess like most things there are many different reasons for dry eye and only an expert can advise, but as we all know the costs can be crazy.

Sharon.

Offline Archie bean

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Re: Anyone use Optimmune?
« Reply #10 on: February 24, 2019, 11:35:35 AM »
I think there may be some confusion between “Dry eyes” and the clinical condition “dry eye” - Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS). They aren’t the same thing. Artificial tears are often given at the same time as the first prescription for Optimmune because it takes about two weeks for it to start working. Optimmune restores the dog’s ability to produce tears. Archie had zero tear production in his left eye when he was diagnosed but after two weeks on Optimmune his tears were back in normal range. We don’t use any artificial tears now. He showed absolutely no symptoms of anything being wrong with his eyes - my vet just does the tear test routinely - luckily!
I also get the prescription from the vet vet and buy online from whoverver is cheapest. It was £26.50 last time I got it I think. Like elaine.e it last 6 ish weeks and I’ve not had any split tubes - touch wood.  ph34r :D
There’s more information here - but if course this is the Optimmune website so not impartial!  ;)
http://www.dog-dry-eye.co.uk/treating-kcs/Treating-Dry-Eye/

Offline Jaysmumagain

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Re: Anyone use Optimmune?
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2019, 09:47:22 AM »
I use Systane products myself, wow what an improvement on what the Dr and Optican suggested.
Cocker kisses and cuddles just make my day!


You are always with me darlings Jaypup and my precious Oliver you are so missed

Offline PennyB

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Re: Anyone use Optimmune?
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2019, 05:42:10 PM »
I've been diagnosed with dry eye and use viscotears (not ideal but does the job - it has a habit of making my eyes blurry for a while and runs out my eyes so looks like I've not washed my face when I get up) but finding since I got a smart phone my eyes have got worse
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