Category: verterinary

When you visit your doctor for treatment of an ailment, you expect to receive a prescription or two that will ease your symptoms and improve your overall health. You trek to the pharmacy, pull out your insurance card, pay your deductible and you’re on your way. But what if it isn’t you, but your beloved companion pet that needs a visit to the veterinarian? Depending upon the problem involved, your pet may need a veterinary medication.

No insurance card to pull out here; the medication is included in your total bill. You expect to pay for yearly vaccinations and a physical exam, but if your pet is seriously ill or injured, only the skill of your vet and the necessary veterinary medications could save its life and ease its suffering.

Animals are just as susceptible to accidents, injuries and illnesses as we are. Plus, they have some unique veterinary medication needs like heartworm preventative, flea and tick control, and de-worming medications. Some animals, dogs in particular, are fond of swallowing things never intended by nature, and veterinary medication might be needed to help the dog pass the offending object. Cats get hairballs and feline leukemia, horses and farm animals need special vaccinations the list is long. In a recent article, Dog Fancy magazine estimated the yearly cost of having one dog and providing it with good food, toys, a crate, a warm place to sleep, and veterinary care and medications to be over $1,000.

Veterinary Medications vs. “People” Medications

While veterinary medications have not been approved by the FDA for use by people, the opposite is sometimes true with animals. For example, some veterinary mediations commonly used with dogs and cats include Prednisone (a steroid), Valium, Carafate (a stomach soother), syrup of ipecac to induce vomiting, Robaxin (a muscle relaxer), Pepto-Bismol (dogs only), buffered aspirin (dogs only), acetaminophen (dogs only), antihistamines, milk of magnesia and petroleum jelly for cats with hairballs.

In the past few years, the antidepressant Prozac has been very successfully used as a veterinary medication for dogs and cats that experience severe separation anxiety in the absence of their “human,” and also with older dogs that are otherwise healthy but have a touch of senile dementia and confusion.

Veterinary medications for pain relief among companion animals have come a long way. After spaying or neutering and other post-surgical types of pain, the medication Rimadyl is a specific for pain and swelling. Seriously injured animals may receive a narcotic injection every few hours. Acepromazine is a tranquilizing medication that acts as a sedative, especially with companion animals with separation anxiety and phobias to the loud noises of thunder and firecrackers.

Veterinary medications are not inexpensive. However, if you care for your pet’s health the same as you care for your own and the “human” members of your family, they can greatly increase the quality of life for your beloved companions.

Animal shelters that operate in various communities provide a very beneficial and much needed service. This service not only enhances the quality of life in the communities in which they serve, but those animals that are cared for by the shelter.

Often, these animal shelters are not for profit organizations and as such depend upon the support of the community they operate within. There are many ways that concerned animal lovers can support animal shelters. One important contribution to the support of the shelter and the care of the animals is by donating supplies. One specific category of supplies is veterinary medical supplies.

Also, before supporting any not for profit organization, it is important to be familiar with their services and their needs. Therefore, it is key to know what an animal shelter provides, the veterinary medical supplies that are needed and how to provide those veterinary medical supplies to the shelter.

What An Animal Shelter Provides

An animal shelter basically provides a haven for animals. These animals found in an animal shelter can represent stray, abandoned or lost pets. In addition, some animal shelters have a policy that owners who no longer wish to care for or who cannot care for their pet may bring that particular animal to the shelter.

Often a quality animal shelter will endeavor to find the owner of a lost or stray pet. This can be done by utilizing information on attached identification tags. Most shelters also have a holding a policy for animals that are sheltered in the facility. Generally, the operating procedures allow for the shelter to hold the lost pet for a certain period of time. Upon completion of that time frame, and if the owner does not claim the lost pet, the pet is then available for adoption into another family.

Often an animal is sheltered for a significant period of time. The only exceptions to this policy may be due to a lack of space or if the animal becomes sick or unmanageable. Euthanasia is only considered as a last resort.

Types Of Medical Supplies

When considering supporting animal shelters there are various ways that this can be accomplished. This support can be through monetary donations, volunteering or the providing of supplies. Some of those supplies that are often needed by an animal shelter include blankets, pet food and veterinary medical supplies.

When wishing to donate veterinary medical supplies it is important to contact the shelter to see what items are needed. This plan of action will ensure that your donation is needed and will be put to good use. Often needed veterinary medical supplies include mineral oil, peroxide, antibiotic ointment, rubbing alcohol and digital thermometers.

Suggested Methods Of Donating Veterinary Medical Supplies

There are many ways that an individual can secure veterinary medical supplies. One way is to donate money to the animal shelter and specify that your donation be used to purchase veterinary medical supplies.

Another way to secure needed supplies is to conduct a veterinary medical supply drive within your community. Not only can you approach the veterinarians, but you can also approach veterinarian associations as well as individual community members.