Why Does My Pet Need a Compounded Medication?
April 20, 2017
Written by Jennifer Kelleher, PharmD, BCPS, FSVHP
Like people, our pets can develop ailments like heart conditions, allergies, cough or thyroid problems that may require medications to treat them. Most medications are dosed based on a pet’s body weight, and therefore; what would be appropriate for a hamster would not be adequate for a Great Dane. Often, a drug company will manufacture the most common doses for human or veterinary-only use, but this leaves a lot of room for tailoring doses to be more precise for your pet.
When a medication is also used in humans, it may only be available in high-dose tablets or capsules that cannot be cut. Some liquid medications may contain added ingredients or sweeteners that can be toxic to canines. Cats are notorious for eating every bit of food around a tablet and birds or reptiles may be difficult to give large volumes of medication. Some pets cannot swallow and need a flavored liquid or are allergic to additives in commercially available products. Often, medications are very bitter and are difficult to swallow, making cats foam at the mouth or dogs hide when they hear the medicine bottle open.
A compounded medication can be the solution to these problems.
Some benefits to compounded medications:
- Allow for more tools for a veterinarian to treat their patients
- Availability of multiple strengths or concentrations
- Unique dosage forms such as trans-dermal creams that at are absorbed into the skin of the outer ear or medicated treats that alleviate owner’s stress
- Yummy flavors like peanut butter, banana bread, chicken, bacon or grilled tuna
- Concentrated liquids to give a dose with smaller volume
- Continued availability of medications when they are in short supply or no longer manufactured
In recent years the availability of high-quality veterinary compounded medications has increased. At the IVG Veterinary Compounding Pharmacy, your pet’s compounded drug will be created from the highest quality ingredients. Our pharmacists are trained to work with your veterinarian to find the safest, most effective and simple ways to medicate your pet.
Your pet is our specialty. Please call us with any questions! Learn more about our veterinary compounding pharmacy here.