Pet Meds Blog

Have you ever wondered what the most popular pet names are? It turns out that Max, Bella, and Kitty are the most popular names.

According to an Associated Press article published in the Boston Herald, in 2009 Max was the most popular name for male dogs and cats, Bella was the most popular name for female dogs, and Kitty was the most popular name for female cats.

These results, according to the article, were based on an unscientific compilation of 50,000 pets treated at a Boston animal hospital.

I’m sure my Maltese named Max is thrilled to know he’s not unique even though he acts like he is.

Due to a manufacturing issue, the manufacturer of Vetsulin has advised that the Food and Drug Administration has recommended that veterinarians consider transitioning their patients to other insulin products. There has been no recall but supplies will be limited, and it is anticipated that Vetsulin will no longer be available in 3 or 4 weeks.

Prior purchasers of Vetsulin should speak to their veterinarian about an alternative product.  For cat owners, your veterinarian can consider the use of ProZinc although some dosage adjustment may be necessary. For dog owners, there are insulin options available, but your veterinarian will need to decide the appropriate product to use.

If you have any questions, please call our pharmacy department at 1-888-738-6331.

Customers who have a pet or pets with diabetes and are using Vetsulin Insulin should be aware that the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has issued an advisory regarding Vetsulin.

There is NO recall of this product. However, pet owners are advised to monitor their pets for the following symptoms:

• hyperglycemia
• increased thirst, or urination
• weight loss
• disorientation
• signs of weakness

If the pet has any of these symptoms, pet owners are advised to call the manufacturer’s Technical Services Department at 800-224-5318. Customers should also contact their veterinarian.

Chronic diseases can be defined in different ways. One definition classifies a chronic disease as a condition lasting at least 3 months. Another definition defines chronic disease as a condition that can be controlled but not cured. Either way, a chronic disease requires a commitment to continue therapy for as long as needed, whether three months or for a lifetime.

How is a chronic disease different from an acute disease? Let’s look at a urinary tract infection as one example. The first time your pet develops a urinary tract infection (UTI), the condition is labeled as acute. However, if the pet is subject to repeated UTI’s, then the condition can be defined as chronic. Diabetes is another example of a chronic disease, as are hypothyroid disease and hyperthyroid disease.

For pets subject to UTI’s, care may not be difficult since most UTI’s can be treated and the pet cured within a relatively short period of time. The critical take way point for a UTI is to give any antibiotic that the veterinarian prescribed until it is all used up. You should never stop the antibiotic once the symptoms appear to go away. You may only have knocked the disease on it’s head, you have probably not made it go away completely.

The takeaway point for chronic diseases or illnesses such as diabetes or thyroid disorders is that your pet will require a life long commitment on your part in order for the pet’s condition to be controlled.

None of us want to see our pets fall ill. Unfortunately, just like we humans, pets do get sick. Fortunately for our pets, when they do get sick we have the resources of the veterinarian to determine what’s wrong, the assistance of the pet’s owner to ensure that the pet is treated as directed for as long as is necessary, and the availability of 1-800-PetMeds to provide the prescription medications the veterinarian has prescribed.

1-800-PetMeds can help you take care of your pets by providing you with the most common medications used in treating chronic disease. The PetMeds ^® pharmacy can fill your prescription for antibiotics for a UTI; Vetsulin, PZI Vet, or glyburide for diabetes; Soloxine for hypothyroid disease; methimazole for hyperthyroid disease; or Vetmedin, enalapril, furosemide, or digoxin for congestive heart failure; as well as many other medications for a wide range of conditions.

To further help you understand chronic diseases and to help you in the care of your pet, PetMeds^® website contains a wealth of information that you should find informative.

We are, for the most part, diet conscious people. We try to eat healthy and we know that too much sugar is not part of a healthy diet. I know I look for “sugar free” or “diet” on product labels when I purchase colas, ice cream, cake – all the things I shouldn’t be eating or drinking in the first place, but because of those terms,  I can justify their purchase to satisfy my cravings. I know that there’s no sugar in these products. Instead, these products contain artificial sweeteners.

I came across some information from an article reported in the San Diego Union-Tribune. This article pointed out that “sugar free” may not be a good thing for our dogs. One of the artificial sweeteners that can be used in “sugar-free” snacks and gum is xylitol. Xylitol poses no harm for humans, but it can be dangerous for a dog.

According to this article, a 2 year old teacup Yorkshire Terrier ate some sugarless gum containing xylitol as the artificial sweetener. The pet began vomiting and shivering due to xylitol toxicosis. The article mentioned that other symptoms can include weak and wobbly appearance, or extreme lethargy and that these symptoms can appear anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours after ingesting xylitol.

Let’s remember that dogs are curious creatures. They also like to eat whatever they find. Let’s keep our snacks, gum, and anything sugar free, especially if it contains xylitol, out of the reach of our pets. We want to keep our pets healthy.