The Dos and Don'ts of Pet Medications

When it comes to managing your pet’s health, handling their at-home medications can be one of the most challenging aspects. Whether it’s keeping track of dosages, remembering refills, or coaxing your beloved animal into actually taking their pills, it can be overwhelming to stay on top of it all.

Fortunately, there are many ways to make managing these medications easier for both you and your pet. The Pharmacy team at Angell has shared their dos and don’ts for administering, storing, refilling, and disposing of your pet’s medications, so you can make the experience as safe and stress-free as possible.

In addition to offering their expert insight below, Angell’s team of licensed pharmacy professionals are always eager to help. Operating out of our Boston and Waltham locations, our pet-specific, compounding pharmacy works directly alongside our medical teams to ensure seamless continued care for all of our patients. For more information about the Pharmacy at Angell and its services — including custom medication flavorings, online refill requests, and delivery — please visit the Pharmacy page on our website.

• Don’t crush, dissolve, or open the capsule of any medication without specific permission or instruction from your veterinarian. Doing so can alter how a medication works — and it can make a medication taste worse for your pet.
• Do see if a pharmacy can accommodate your pet’s personal preferences. Compounding, pet-specific pharmacies — like the Pharmacy at Angell — can work with you to provide alternate, more easily administered forms of a medication, including chewable tablets or transdermal gels. You can also request flavored formulations of medications, which make them more palatable for your pet.
• Do continue to administer your pet’s medication, unless otherwise instructed by your veterinarian. There are a number of medications that pose serious or even fatal risks, if they’re prematurely or abruptly discontinued, including antibiotics, steroids, and medications used to manage chronic conditions. Even if your pet’s condition has appeared to improve, you should always consult their veterinarian before stopping any medication or reducing their dosage.
• Don’t give one of your pet’s medications to another pet without first consulting your veterinarian. Even if your pets are diagnosed with the same condition, the dosage of a medication — or the medication in itself — may vary in safety and efficacy, depending on differences in weight, species, medical history, or comorbidities.

When storing your pet’s medication:

• Do keep each medication in its original packaging and with its label intact, so you can easily identify it and reference any information or instructions you may need.
• Do store medications completely out of reach of any pets or children. Pets can be experts at jumping up on countertops, scaling shelves, and nudging open cabinets, so be sure to keep medications properly secured at all times.
• Do store medications in a cool, dry place. Avoid areas that are exposed to moisture or heat — such as a bathroom medicine cabinet or car — as they could cause your pet’s medication to degrade and decrease in efficacy.
• Do check if a medication needs to be refrigerated. Certain medications, such as insulin, must be refrigerated in order to work properly. When storing any medication in the refrigerator, be sure it’s not pushed too far back to prevent it from freezing.

• Don’t throw any medications in the trash, or flush them down the toilet or sink. Improper disposal of medications poses a number of risks, including accidental ingestion by pets, other animals, and humans, as well as environmental harm.
• Do consider returning unopened medications. Angell’s Pharmacy is able to issue refunds for returned medications that are still sealed within their original manufacturer packaging. Unfortunately, to ensure that all medications are safe and still effective, we cannot accept returns for medications that are opened or stored within bottles that are not tamper-resistant, or that require refrigeration.

When refilling your pet’s medication:

• Do put a refill reminder in your calendar. By being proactive and setting a reminder to request a refill a few days prior to your pet’s medication running out, you can be sure to have it on time and prevent a lapse in treatment.
• Do take advantage of online refill requests. Rather than calling and waiting to speak to a pharmacist, Angell’s Pharmacy allows you to save time by submitting refill requests via our website.
• Do look into having your pet’s medications delivered, so you can skip the in-person pharmacy trip and wait in line. The Pharmacy at Angell offers shipping for a delivery fee, saving you time and effort. Competitive pricing and free delivery are also available for certain preventative and maintenance medications, so ask our team to see if your pet’s medications qualify.
• Do ask your pharmacist about filling all of your pet’s approved refills at once. With the exception of controlled substances, you can purchase any refills available on your pet’s medications up front, completely avoiding the need to submit multiple refill requests or make repeat trips to the pharmacy.