With easy accessibility to the Internet and mail order companies
these days, you may have thought
about purchasing your
pet’s medicines from a
supplier other than your
veterinarian. There are several
important risk factors you
should consider before
you decide to buy from
another source.
Your veterinarian
knows your pet
and your family
(both 2-legged and
4-legged). He or
she is familiar with
your pet’s
specific
health needs and
the environment
where you live.
Medications are usually dosed on a
weight basis (milligram per pound
or milligram per kilogram). It is
important that your
veterinarian
determines your pet’s
weight and
calculates the correct dosage to
achieve the desired effect from the
medication. Your
pet’s current
health condition may also alter the
final dosage.
There are several medications that
should not be
administered until
your veterinarian
determines that it
is safe for your pet
to be given
them. For example, heartworm
preventatives should
not be admin-
istered to dogs with active heart-
worm infections because it can lead
to a fatal reaction. Therefore, it is
important to consult your
pet’s vet-
erinarian to determine what heart-
worm prevention program and
timetable best suits your
pet.
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In deciding where to purchase
medicines for your pets, you
need to balance any cost savings
with the unique services and
expertise you receive from
your
veterinarian.
Dog and cat owners
should keep
in mind that their cats are not
small dogs, nor or their dogs large
cats. Many medications that are
administered to dogs are not safe
for cats (they can be fatal), and
the reverse is also true.
Many medications need to be
reconstituted or diluted specifi-
cally for your pet.
Some medica-
tions must be kept in a controlled
environment or refrigerated. The
medications that are shipped to
your veterinarian
are properly
packaged and delivered under
controlled temperatures so you
don’t have to worry about receiv-
ing “spoiled” medicines that were
exposed to temperature extremes,
sunlight, moisture, etc.
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Each animal is a different and
unique individual. Some breeds
and species have special needs or
sensitivities that your
veterinarian
is aware of and he or she can
select the product best suited to
your pet.
Some medications require follow-
up monitoring for adverse reac-
tions or dosage adjustments. If an
adverse reaction does occur, it is
important to have established a
veterinary-client-patient relation-
ship to ensure that your
pet re-
ceives appropriate medical atten-
tion on an emergency basis. An
adjustment to the dosage may need
to be made after lab tests and/or
examinations are performed.
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Your pet’s
health and
well-being, as well as
your satisfaction as
an informed, valued
pet owner
is your
veterinarian’s
primary goal.
Keep in mind also that
medicine prescribed
and purchased at your
veterinarian’s
office
comes with the comfort
of knowing that you
and your pet
are
individuals and have
distinct needs that can
best be served by your
veterinarian.
Based on an article from the
“Keystone
Veterinarian” Nov.-Dec.
Issue - Pennsylvania Veterinary
Medical Association
2500 Country Club Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65109
573-636-8612
Fax: 573-659-7175
Email: mvma@mvma.us
Website: www.mvma.us