Medication and Supplement Policy
How are medications administered?
Our Pet-Care Assistants give all the oral medications. If you bring some canned food or other similar pilling treat, we will try to just feed your pet the medication. If they will not eat the medicated treat immediately, we will "pill them." The Technician and Technician Assistants give insulin, SQ fluids or other injections.
How are medications charged for?
Each medication is charged for, each time it is given. So if your pet is on two heart medications, 3 times day- that's 6 charges each day. Yes, this can add up, but sicker animals, on multiple medications, require more attention and care. Vitamins and joint supplements are charged the same as other medications.
What are the charges for administering medications and supplements?
Injectable--$10 per injection
Oral or Other--$4.00 per dose
Why can't I just include the medication in with his food?
Medication degrades, dissolves and can be ineffective if sitting in food (even a bag of dry food.) Animals don't always eat all their food or at the time their medication is to be given. We can't tell if your pet received all its medication or when.
How should I leave instructions for medications?
* Do not pre-cut the pills. (By law, each pill has a code to help with identification.)
* Each medication needs to be in its own (preferably original) container.
* If current directions are different from the pill-vial label, let us know.
* Each medication needs to be labeled: Drug (ex: methimazole, phenobarbital), Strength (ex: 50mg; 0.4mg) and Quantity (ex: 20 pills).
* Each medication should have instructions such as: "1&1/2 tablets twice a day (5a & 5p)"--this is a much different instruction than, "3 tablets once a day at 5a." Yes, either way the pet would get 3 tablets in 24hrs, but how & when medication is given is critical too.