Category Archives: Pharmacy Blog

PetMeds®: Update on Vetsulin Insulin

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Posted by Gary Koesten on December 2, 2009 – 10:28 am
Filed under Pharmacy Blog

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.

PetMeds®: National Pet Diabetes Month

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Posted by Gary Koesten on November 6, 2009 – 12:05 pm
Filed under Pharmacy Blog

November is National Pet Diabetes Month.

Diabetes is one of the most common diseases to affect dogs and cats. We treat our dogs with insulin (Vetsulin, Humulin, Lantus) and we treat our cats with either insulin (Vetsulin, PZI-Vet) or one of the oral antidiabeic medications such as glipizide.

Starting or changing insulin therapy should be done cautiously, and only under the supervision of a veterinarian. The most common adverse effect associated with insulin is hypoglycemia. This can occur suddenly. Your veterinarian can tell you the symptoms of hypoglycemia that you should be aware of, as well as what needs to be done in the event your pet becomes hypoglycemic. Hypoglycemia can be  life-threatening.

PetMeds®: Vetsulin Insulin for Diabetic Dogs and Cats

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Posted by Gary Koesten on November 3, 2009 – 5:31 pm
Filed under Pharmacy Blog

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.

PetMeds®: American Pharmacists Month

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Posted by Gary Koesten on October 5, 2009 – 12:40 pm
Filed under Pharmacy Blog

October is American Pharmacists Month.

This month-long observance is a time to recognize the significant contributions to health care and the commitment to patient care by pharmacists in ALL practice settings.

Pharmacists are actively involved in ever expanding roles which make vital contributions to health care. As medication experts, pharmacists are an integral part of the health care team, not just dispensers of medication. Knowing your medicine and knowing your pharmacist helps to ensure that drug therapy is as safe and effective as possible.

The pharmacists at 1-800-PetMeds are dedicated to the health of our “furry” family members and we are proud that you have chosen us for their prescription needs.   Please contact us if you have any questions regarding your pet’s medication. We are here to answer your questions.

PetMeds®: Chronic Diseases in Cats and Dogs

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Posted by Gary Koesten on October 1, 2009 – 11:12 am
Filed under Pharmacy Blog

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.

PetMeds®: Is Having a Pet Good for Your Health?

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Posted by Gary Koesten on September 23, 2009 – 1:50 pm
Filed under Pharmacy Blog

Four references I came across point out that pet ownership has health benefits.

  • In a study of hypertensive patients at SUNY, Buffalo, it was shown that having a pet can help lower blood pressure.
  • At the Waltham Center for Pet Nutrition in Great Britain, a study showed that walking a pet can help to reduce stress. Walking, it was noted, helps soothe nerves and offers instant relaxation.
  • A National Institutes of Health Technology Assessment Workshop found that having a pet can help to prevent heart disease by providing the pet owner with faithful companionship. It was also found that having a pet helps to lower health care costs in that people with pets actually make fewer doctor visits.
  • In the book “Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship”, the author finds that pets help to fight depression and loneliness because a pet’s affection promotes an interest in life.

Is it any wonder, then, that according to the American Pet Products Association 2009/2010 National Pet Owners Survey:

  • 71.4 million households in America (62%) own a pet.
  • 38.2 million households own 93.6 million cats (an average of 2.5 cats/household)
  • 45.6 million households own 77.5 million dogs (an average of 1.7 dogs/household)

Pets keep us healthy and 1-800-PetMeds provides a wide range of prescription and non-prescription products that help keep our pets healthy.

PetMeds®: Is “Sugar-Free” Healthy for a Dog?

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Posted by Gary Koesten on September 16, 2009 – 1:08 pm
Filed under Pharmacy Blog

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.

PetMeds®: Chronic Use Medications for Pets

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Posted by Gary Koesten on August 28, 2009 – 10:19 am
Filed under Pharmacy Blog

When a pet has a condition that either lasts for a long time, or for the life of the pet, this is called a chronic condition. Examples of life long chronic conditions include, but are not limited to diabetes, and hyper or hypothyroid. Other chronic conditions can include pets with joint problems or urinary tract infections.

These chronic conditions require continued use of medication in order to keep the underlying condition under control. If the medication is stopped, for whatever reason, the condition will worsen.

A study just released by CVS Caremark found that 50% of adults under the age of 45 who are prescribed a medication to treat high cholesterol are not taking their medication as prescribed. Troyen A. Brennan, EVP and chief medical officer for CVS Caremark stated, “This data illustrates that younger adults with high cholesterol are not taking their medication as prescribed, putting them at increased risk for developing heart disease, worsening their long term clinical outcomes and ultimately increasing the cost of their care”.

While the this study pertains to human medications, let’s keep in mind that this same issue can also pertain to our pets with chronic diseases. For example, a dog with diabetes that is not properly treated can develop cataracts, weight loss, muscle wasting, and kidney disease. What do I mean by not properly treated? I mean skipping doses of insulin, not having the pet’s glucose levels monitored regularly to make sure the dose of insulin is correct, or perish the thought, not treating the pet at all.

These are tough economic times and we all look for ways to cut our expenses. However, not giving ourselves, or our pets, the dose of medication when it’s due is only going to make things worse. This may result in our spending more money, not less.

To help our customers stay compliant with giving their pet the medication when it’s due, 1-800-PetMeds has an “Easy Refill” email reminder program that our customers can enroll in. This program will notify the customer when the next refill of medication is due. This program helps ensure that the pet has enough medication on hand to be treated with.

PetMeds®: Tax Deduction for pet meds?

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Posted by Gary Koesten on August 19, 2009 – 9:14 am
Filed under Pharmacy Blog

Here’s an interesting tidbit for all of us pet owners. Congress has legislation (H.R. 3501) that was introduced to the House of Representatives by Rep. McCotter, that is titled the “Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act“.

The purpose of the bill, as I understand it, is to create a deduction for allowable pet care expenses in any taxable year not to exceed $3,500 for qualified pets under the act.

The large question is what would be an “allowable pet care expense”? According to language in the bill it means “amounts paid in connection with providing care (including veterinary care) for a qualified pet other than any expense in connection with the acquisition of the qualified pet”.

This bill was introduced to the House of Representatives on July 31, 2009.

Anyone have any thoughts?

PetMeds®: Vaccinating Puppies and Dogs

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Posted by Gary Koesten on August 12, 2009 – 1:09 pm
Filed under Pharmacy Blog

Recently, a customer contacted 1-800-PetMeds because he could not find information on vaccinating his 6 month old puppy. I would refer you to PetHealth101 which has some excellent articles on the topic of vaccines. I thought this would be a great venue for discussing dog vaccines and what a recommended schedule should be. I’ll discuss cat vaccines in another post.

Set of three puppies Lets begin by understanding what diseases we are trying to prevent.

  • Dogs must be vaccinated against: Rabies (Core vaccine)
  • Most dogs should be vaccinated against: Adenovirus, Distemper, and Parvo (Core vaccines)
  • Some dogs should be vaccinated against: Bordetella, Corona, Leptospirosis, Lyme disease, and Parainfluenza (non-core vaccines)

Your veterinarian is the best source of information in determining which vaccines to use and within what schedule. However, a possible schedule could be:

5 weeks: Parvovirus

6 weeks & 9 weeks: “5-Way” combination. Coronavirus if in a high risk environment such as a kennel, or breeding facility.

12 weeks or older: Rabies (local law dictates age at vaccination)

12 weeks & 15 weeks: “5 way” combination or “7 way” combination (includes Leptospirosis and Coronavirus if these are a concern). Lyme vaccine if this is a concern.

Adult boosters: You should discuss the need for boosters with your veterinarian. Factors such as the potential for exposure to disease as well as the breed, age, and health of the pet are factors that need to be considered. Dogs at low risk of disease exposure may not need annual boosters.