The Cheaper route is NOT the better route!

[Oona]

It really chaps my hide when someone brings in a sick animal and we find out the reason the animal is so ill is because the owners tried to treat the illness or injury themselves with over-the-counter human medication. Not only do they often make the pet's health worse than the initial illness or injury, but sometimes even end up killing their pet. It breaks my heart. You should Never give a pet human medication without consulting your Veterinarian FIRST! You cannot base dosages on weight as if the pet were human, because their system processes medications differently than we do!

[bigdog]

Hi,
yes what you say is very true.
Too many owners give asprin or paracetamol (for example) to their animals, not being aware that even one paracetamol can kill a cat, as their metabolism is very different to that of a person!


Here are some details about poisoning in cats, especially with regard to paracetamol (acetaminophen) from the amazing FAB website.

here

and here

[wobble]

the owners tried to treat the illness or injury themselves with over-the-counter human medication.

really? I didn't know that people would do this?!

[Oona]

Originally Posted by wobble

really? I didn't know that people would do this?!

Amazingly enough they do it all the time. When I posted this message it was right after someone had brought his dying dog in, informing us he had been giving the dog Deramaxx and Baby Asprin, which you should NEVER combine. Basically the kidneys were shot and there was nothing else we could do but euthanize the animal.

Today my dog exploded diarreah all over our tiny new apartment (I actually put him out on the patio, and he forced his way back into the house to poo on the carpet AGAIN!) and I knew there was some over the counter medication I could use to help the situation, so I called my boss (who IS a veterinarian) and he advised me not to feed or give anymore water until tonight and that I could use pepto tablets and how much to give based on my dog's weight, but I made sure to ASK first.