Pet Poisoning and Medication Safety Tips
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Thought Leadership Series: Pet poisoning and medication safety tips By Justine A. Lee, DVM, DACVECC Associate Director of Veterinary Services Pet Poison Helpline, a division of SafetyCall International and By Renee Lupo, R.Ph., FACA, FACVP Technical-Services Pharmacist Wedgewood Pharmacy ©2011 Wedgewood Pharmacy Contents About the authors...............................................................................................................................................................3 About Pet Poison Helpline..................................................................................................................................................4 About Wedgewood Pharmacy.............................................................................................................................................4 Human medications toxic to dogs and cats.......................................................................................................................5 Top 10 human medications involved in pet poisonings..........................................................................5 Additional tips for medication safety........................................................................................................7 Pet poison first aid kit.........................................................................................................................................................8 2 Safety tips regarding handling and administering pet medications............................................................................10 Read the label...........................................................................................................................................10 Follow the instructions..............................................................................................................................10 Additional safety tips for handling pet medications...............................................................................11 8 Questions veterinarians should ask before treating poisoned patients.......................................................................12 Guide to history taking for the potentially poisoned pet................................................................................................14 Pet Information........................................................................................................................................14 Medication................................................................................................................................................15 Plant.........................................................................................................................................................15 Household or garden chemical...............................................................................................................15 Rodenticides.............................................................................................................................................16 Scenario: What exactly has transpired?...................................................................................................16 Inducing vomiting.............................................................................................................................................................17 Effective emetics and how to use them............................................................................................................................18 Dogs..........................................................................................................................................................18 Cats...........................................................................................................................................................19 Alternative decontamination methods...................................................................................................19 Harmful emetic agents............................................................................................................................20 Other considerations................................................................................................................................20 Customer Care Specialists and pharmacists are available: Pet Poison Helpline Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Available 24/7/365 Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern 800.213.6680 PetPoisonHelpline.com 800.331.8272 WedgewoodPetRx.com 2 Justine A. Lee, DVM, DACVECC Renee Lupo, R.Ph., FACA, FACVP Associate Director of Veterinary Services Technical-Services Pharmacist Pet Poison Helpline, a division of Wedgewood Pharmacy SafetyCall International Renee Lupo, R.Ph, F.A.C.A., F.A.C.V.P., technical- Dr. Justine Lee is a board-certified emergency Services Pharmacist for Wedgewood Pharmacy, is critical care veterinary specialist, and is currently the company’s lead technical/clinical pharmacist, the Associate Director of Veterinary Services for Pet working with prescribers and their staff to develop Poison Helpline. For the previous five years, she custom formulations. She also manages all was on faculty as an Assistant Clinical Professor at technical training for the company’s pharmacy the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary professionals and is a member of the Formula- Medicine. Change Control Committee and Quality Review Board of the company. She has been in the Dr. Lee graduated from Virginia Tech with a BS in pharmacy profession since 1977 and has worked at Animal Sciences, and then obtained her veterinary degree at Cornell Wedgewood since 1994. University. She pursued her internship at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital, which is affiliated with the Massachusetts Society for the Lupo is experienced in all aspects of the compounding pharmacy Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA). In addition, she has also specialty and has developed unique expertise in sterile compounding completed an emergency fellowship and residency at the University of and compounding formulations. Her focus on veterinary Pennsylvania. Currently, she is 1 of approximately 450 board-certified compounding includes specialization in veterinary medications veterinary specialists world wide in emergency and critical care, and and veterinary ophthalmology. She has attained certifications is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and in Pharmaceutical Care and Compounds for Veterinary Patients; Critical Care (DACVECC). Advanced Canine and Advanced Feline Therapeutics; and Avian and Exotic Pet Pharmacotherapy. Previously, she was pharmacist-in-charge Dr. Lee has been published in numerous veterinary journals, for an independent pharmacy. including the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association, the Journal of Veterinary Emergency Critical Care, and the Journal Lupo is a member of the International Academy of Compounding of Veterinary Internal Medicine. She is also the author of two Pharmacists; the New Jersey Academy of Compounding Pharmacists; humorous pet reference books entitled “It’s a Dog’s Life... but It’s Your and is a Fellow in the American College of Apothecaries; and the Carpet” and “It’s a Cat’s World... You Just Live In It.” Dr. Lee lectures American College of Veterinary Pharmacists. throughout the world on emergency and critical care, and recently was honored with the North American Veterinary Conference Small Lupo holds a B.S. degree in Pharmacy from the Philadelphia College Animal Speaker of the Year award for 2011. of Pharmacy at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Customer Care Specialists and pharmacists are available: Pet Poison Helpline Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Available 24/7/365 Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern 800.213.6680 PetPoisonHelpline.com 800.331.8272 WedgewoodPetRx.com 3 Pet poisoning and medication safety tips By Justine A. Lee, DVM, DACVECC, Associate Director of Veterinary Services at Pet Poison Helpline, a division of SafetyCall International and Renee Lupo, R.Ph., F.A.C.A., A.C.V.P., Technical-Services Pharmacist at Wedgewood Pharmacy About Pet Poison Helpline Pet Poison Helpline, a division of SafetyCall International, is an animal poison control service based out of Minneapolis available 24 hours, seven days a week for pet owners and veterinary professionals who require assistance treating a potentially poisoned pet. As the most cost-effective option for animal poison control care, Pet Poison Helpline’s fee of $35 per incident includes unlimited follow-up consultations. Pet Poison Helpline is available in North America by calling 800-213-6680. Additional information can be found online at PetPoisonHelpline.com. About Wedgewood Pharmacy Wedgewood Pharmacy is committed to serving both the human health and animal health markets. With veterinary experience including more than 10,000 preparations for companion animals like dogs, cats, birds, pocket pets, horses and even some less common animals like amphibians, hippopotamus and reptiles, Wedgewood Pharmacy additionally compounds for veterinary specialities including ophthalmology, performance horses, reproduction and oncology. Learn more about Wedgewood Pharmacy and compounded preparations at WedgewoodPetRx.com. Customer Care Specialists and pharmacists are available: Pet Poison Helpline Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Available 24/7/365 Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern 800.213.6680 PetPoisonHelpline.com 800.331.8272