Monday, September 30, 2013

Challenge: September 30, 2013 A challenge to animal owners--Ask as many questions as possible about compounded preparations

I challenge all animal owners to be proactive in the future and ask their veterinary some essential questions when having their animals treated.  If medications are prescribed, asked if they are compounded preparations.   Ask why a compounded preparation is being used?  Is there a commerically available?  Ask why it is not being used?   If compounded preparations must be used ask questions about where the medication is compounded.  Ask who does the compounding.  Ask what qualifies the pharmacy and pharmacists to do the compounding.  And then be more specific and ask what qualifies the pharmacy or pharmacists to compound animal medications.  What special training did the pharmacist receive?  Very few pharmacists have the specific knowledge and expertise to compound animal medications. You need to make sure your veterinarian is using a pharmacist that has this specialized knowledge and training; otherwise, it could be very harmful to your animal and even result in the death of that animal. Also ask the veterinarian about the testing of the compounds.  If the veterinarian doesn't know ask him or her to find out, or ask the question directly to the the pharmacists. Ask as many questions as you can think to ask about compounded preparations that will be used on your animal--it could save your animals life.

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