Give at the correct time - If medication is to be given twice daily, give it as close to 12-hour intervals as you can, not at breakfast and tea time. Give for the correct length of time - Even if your pet seems to be better, don't stop before the end of the prescribed course.
Some antibiotics, as mentioned, must be given every six hours, some every eight, some every 24 hours. One prescription may need to be given with food and another on an empty stomach.
If you're taking it twice a day, leave 12 hours between each dose. For example you could take it at 8am and 8pm. It's best not to take phenoxymethylpenicillin at mealtimes because food can stop it from working well. Take it 30 minutes before a meal or at least 2 hours after you have eaten.
If your pet misses a dose, it's fine to give him or her the medication as soon as you realize it's needed, as long as it's only been a few hours since the antibiotic should have been taken. If it's almost time for the next pill, don't give your pet the missed dose. Instead, provide the next dose at the scheduled time.
For bacterial infections: Adults, teenagers, and children weighing 40 kilograms (kg) or more—250 to 500 milligrams (mg) every 8 hours, or 500 to 875 mg every 12 hours.
It's important to make sure you take your antibiotics at regularly scheduled doses — for example, every 8 hours or every 12 hours. This is so the medicine's effect spreads out evenly over the course of a day. Make sure to ask your medical provider if you should take your medication with food or on an empty stomach.
Try to space the doses evenly throughout the day. If you take it 3 times a day, this could be first thing in the morning, mid-afternoon and at bedtime. Ideally these times should be at least 4 hours apart. Missed dose: If you forget to take your dose, take it as soon as you remember.
by Drugs.com
In an ideal world - every 6 hours is best. In hospital they would dose you every 6 hours. This is what you should do if your infection is severe. In the real world it is more practical or realistic that most people take it only during waking hours.
There's an increased risk of side effects if you take 2 doses closer together than recommended. Accidentally taking 1 extra dose of your antibiotic is unlikely to cause you any serious harm. But it will increase your chances of getting side effects, such as pain in your stomach, diarrhoea, and feeling or being sick.
And, just to make sure we're all cool….
Medications prescribed for twice a day should be given as close to every 12 hours as possible. Medications prescribed for three times a day should be given as close to every 8 hours as possible.
Take twice daily typically means to take a medication approximately 12 hours apart each day.
When should I give Amoxicillin. Amoxicillin is usually given three times each day. These should be evenly spaced, usually 4–6 hours apart.
If you take too much
Try to take the right number of doses each day, leaving at least 3 hours between doses. Taking an extra dose of flucloxacillin is unlikely to harm you or your child. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if you're worried or if you take more than 1 extra dose.
Can Dogs Overdose on Antibiotics? Dogs may overdose on antibiotics if they are given too much by accident or they get into the antibiotic container. Ingestion of excess antibiotics often leads to gastrointestinal effects like vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, and loss of appetite.
Give the medication for the entire prescribed duration unless otherwise directed. Measure liquid forms carefully, and shake well before administering. This medication will take effect quickly, in about 1 to 2 hours.
Amoxicillin Dosage for Dogs
The recommended dosage of Amoxicillin for dogs is 5 mg per lb of body weight, twice per day. The use should last for around 5 to 7 days or 48 hours after all symptoms resolve.
So for example, if you are supposed to take your antibiotic every 12 hours, you could take it if it's less than six hours away from your next scheduled dose. If it's beyond six hours, simply take the next dose when it's due, understanding that your therapy will need to be extended to incorporate the dose you missed.
Studies show that taking antibiotics such as penicillin or erythromycin two or three times a day instead of the usual four works just fine. If taking medicines more than once or twice a day is hard to remember -- as it is for many people -- ask your doctor if there's an alternative drug that you could take less often.
How many hours apart is 4 times a day? A medicine written 4 times daily should roughly be taken 4 or 5 hours apart while you are awake assuming you wake up at 7 am and go to bed at 10 pm, for example: 7 am (when you wake up)
Some antibiotics are always meant to be taken at the same time of day, others are meant to be taken before, with or after a meal. If you are supposed to take the medicine three times a day, for example, it usually needs to be taken at set times so that the effect is spread out evenly over the course of the day.
When the medicine label on the medicine says to take three times day it generally means 'take every 8 hours'. For example we divide 8 hours into 24 hours which gives us 3.
Try to space the doses evenly throughout the day. If you take it 3 times a day, this could be first thing in the morning, mid-afternoon and at bedtime.
Yes, it is OK to take your meds an hour prior to your normal time. This won't have any impact on your health.
You just need to remember that there are 60 minutes in every hour. Two hours would be 60 minutes x 2 = 120 minutes. 2.5 hours would be 60 minutes x 2.5 = 150 minutes.