Topic: Pharmacists (Read 6285 times)

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #20 on:** July 05, 2007, 20:55:24 PM »

That is actually quite scary, if you had been able to get the meds, and hadn't had somewhere like here to talk about it, I do dread to think what the outcome could have been.

Mark · « **Reply #19 on:** July 05, 2007, 20:05:43 PM »

I'm sure a vet has to learn more than a GP and even they only know so much about each disease, thats why they are called GP's - they have to refer to a specialist for certain things.

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #18 on:** July 05, 2007, 18:38:15 PM »

Quote from: Pinkbear on July 05, 2007, 11:43:33 AM

Not that I would ever go against a vet... but i do think they need questioning now and again.

Couldn't agree more

They can't know everything about everything (and more to the point, can't always instantly recall everything they've ever learnt) so it is necessary to work in partnership with them, questioning what they say sometimes rather than accepting everything at face value. Some are more knowledgeable about and interested in cats than others.

I still remember a routine vaccination visit with my boys about 4-5 years ago. The vet I saw had just got 2 indoor cats and was obviously new to the whole cat thing. He spent the entire consultation going on about how wonderful cats were and how he had never realised that before. The boys got the most thorough going over they've ever had as he took his time checking everything talking about them!

Pinkbear (Julie) · « **Reply #17 on:** July 05, 2007, 11:43:33 AM »

I'm always a wee bit sceptical about certain aspects of vets' advice. When you think about it, once qualified a vet can make life and death decisions and prescribe over species as far apart as giraffes and hamsters. They can't be 100% expert in all of them. Indeed, some aren't 100% expert in any of them!

A vet once told me that a cat I'd picked up as a stray was just 'portly' and 'tired' when in fact it had end stage liver cancer.

Not that I would ever go against a vet... but i do think they need questioning now and again.

The asprin thing made sense as it's a common prescription for blood clot risk. But I hadn't though about the dosage....

Millys Mum · « **Reply #16 on:** July 05, 2007, 11:33:32 AM »

thank god you queried it, aspirin is not something you wanna be messing with. Phew.

Pinkbear (Julie) · « **Reply #15 on:** July 04, 2007, 21:59:49 PM »

Indeed he did....

Thanks to everyone for highlighting this to me.

The good news is that he thinks the other medication is probably enough now as I don't need to give him any at all.

Jx

Bazsmum · « **Reply #14 on:** July 04, 2007, 19:56:38 PM »

Did the vet give wrong dosage? x

Pinkbear (Julie) · « **Reply #13 on:** June 30, 2007, 10:41:35 AM »

Quote from: Susanne (urbantigers) on June 30, 2007, 10:14:10 AM

If you live in a village with one chemist, can you get your vet to speak to the pharmacist on the phone to explain what doseage he's recommending and confirm that he is "prescribing" the aspirin?

Well, my vet isn't in the village at all. He's 10miles away. We do have a vet here, but he only really deals with horses and sheep and things like that. He will see cats, but if it's anything that a dose of antibiotics can't fix, he sends them on up the road...

I've spoken to my vet surgery. My usual vet isn't back in until Monday. The nurse says that there isn't anything about asprin written in Jumpy's notes, even though I spoke to the vet concerned over the phone yesterday and he gave me this instruction. So I'm not giving Jumpy anything on that score until I nail the vet down on Monday.

Things were better in London. I used to have David Grant as my vet.

He spent half his time at our surgery and half at Battersea Dogs home.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #12 on:** June 30, 2007, 10:35:15 AM »

I would have thought they would need a prescrption of sorts to be able to prescribe it.

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #11 on:** June 30, 2007, 10:14:10 AM »

If you live in a village with one chemist, can you get your vet to speak to the pharmacist on the phone to explain what doseage he's recommending and confirm that he is "prescribing" the aspirin?

Lesley Frankie · « **Reply #10 on:** June 30, 2007, 06:49:25 AM »

Several years ago after a bit of a health scare, my vet said it would be ok to give my cat a quarter of a junior asprin, which I did. Otherwise, I would never give my cat a regular asprin.

Bazsmum · « **Reply #9 on:** June 29, 2007, 20:23:03 PM »

OMG!! cant believe i put 36 hrs! Yes meant 72hours....3 days!!!

75mg is the dose for a human with clotting probs not a cat....please check back with your vet and query this with him....sometime's even our own doctors can make dosage mistakes etc.....i often have to correct mine

Millys Mum · « **Reply #8 on:** June 29, 2007, 19:42:01 PM »

Tesco and Savers sell aspirin but i would also query the dose.

I worked in a chemist and they often supplied drugs to people for their pets, as they could do it cheaper than the vet, this was about 2 years ago so unless the laws have changed you can buy from a chemist.

Mark · « **Reply #7 on:** June 29, 2007, 19:34:56 PM »

The article seems quite well informed. I would get a 2nd opinion before giving it to any of mine - sounds quite scary

Pinkbear (Julie) · « **Reply #6 on:** June 29, 2007, 19:31:55 PM »

What the vet told me to do was cut a standard asprin tablet into quarters - but have you ever tried to do that?

He told me to give Jumpy one quarter a day. Or, get the 75mg low dose ones instead. Problem is, we live in a village and there is one chemist. The next town is 8 miles away.

I shall call the vet and ask him to reconfirm the dose...

Mark · « **Reply #5 on:** June 29, 2007, 19:29:06 PM »

I saw this article - 10mg per kg bodyweight every 72 hours

Aspirin. Yes, you can give aspirin to a cat but ONLY once every 72 hours. The cat is missing a liver enzyme that helps break down aspirin. This causes aspirin, and many other drugs, to be slowly broken down and thus the effects of aspirin lasts for 72 hours in the feline patient. So, if you gave aspirin three to four times a day to a cat you would certainly have a dead cat by the second or third day. Cat aspirin dose is 10mg/kg once every 72 hours. Aspirin should be given with food. NEVER give aspirin if the cat is also on a glucocorticoid (prednisone) or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDS). This is almost always the rule with other species as well. A baby aspirin is 81mg, and a regular aspirin is 324 mg.

This is my own bit. NSAIDS must not be given to cats on fortekor or similar

Bazsmum · « **Reply #4 on:** June 29, 2007, 19:00:41 PM »

I am prescribed 75mg per day.....surely this is too high a dose for cats??? I really think its only 10mg! Please if anyone with more knowledge could step in

blackcat · « **Reply #3 on:** June 29, 2007, 18:57:00 PM »

aspirin is an anticoagulant which is why the vet has prescribed them. However the pharmacist is also right in thinking it is dangerous to give it to cats (he just has his dosages muddled, being more accustomed to human needs). I would think your vet could write you a letter on letterhead explaining to the pharmacist what is going on. Nice to know he cares about cats, even if a little mis-informed. In NZ you can buy low-dose aspirin in the supermarket - very handy.

Bazsmum · « **Reply #2 on:** June 29, 2007, 18:56:21 PM »

I thought cats were only allowed 10mg of Asprin for any 36hr period.....it is really harmfull to them at any higher dose (or that's what i thought!)

Chemist's can sell you non prescription such as frontline, drontal etc........but me thinks they would definately need a script for this!!!

Please do not give your cat any meds unless by prescription by your vet as this could seriously harm/kill your cat

Pinkbear (Julie) · « **Reply #1 on:** June 29, 2007, 18:49:22 PM »

Hi, all.

Is anyone up to scratch with the high street pharmacy regs? Only, I've just had an exchange of views with my local chemist. He refused to sell me asprin in 75mg tabs. As you may or may not know, low dose asprin is often given to people or animals at risk of blood clots - like my Jumpy. The trouble started when the chemist offered me dissolveable tablets, which are no good because I didn't want them to start bubbling on his tongue. When I told the chemist they were for a cat, he suddenly went nuts. "Who told you to give asprin to a cat?", he said. "The vet", I said. "Well, let the vet supply them because I'm not!" He yelled at me. "My vet doesn't sell asprin - do I really have to ask him for a prescription?"

He claims that asprin are poisonous to cats, even though the vet has prescribed them. I trust the vet's more than his judgement. But the chemist also claimed that it was illegal for a high street chemist to supply animal medicines and if he did he would be at risk of loosing his license.

Does anyone know the facts?

Author Topic: Pharmacists (Read 6285 times)