Drug risk for dogs

as posted here

CONCERNED dog owner Pat Styles has called for the banning of photosensitive drugs for animals being dispensed by vets in transparent containers.

Ms Styles has organised a petition with 100 signatures that was presented to State Parliament last week by Gosnells MLA Chris Tallentire.

She said some tablets deteriorated or changed when exposed to light.

“A veterinarian prescribed some tablets for my dog with directions to give half to one tablet once daily only as required,” Ms Styles said.

She expected the tablets would be available for use over a period of several weeks should they be needed.

“Because of this I asked about the expiry date of those tablets I had been sold and was very surprised to be told that vets are not required by law to provide this information,” she said.

Ms Styles contacted the drug’s manufacturer and was told that photosensitive tablets would have been adversely affected just from exposure to light while driving home from her appointment with the vet.

“He specifically inquired as to whether they were individually foil wrapped,” she said.

“When I told him they were loose in a transparent plastic container, the same as vets use to dispense all tablets, he sounded alarmed and told me to get rid of them.”

Ms Styles said the tablets cost $4.50 each.

“I cannot safely give them to my dog and I cannot get a refund because no law was broken by the veterinarian’s method of dispensing.”

Mr Tallentire said photosensitive drugs for humans were dispensed in opaque containers.

“Why should pets or companion animals be exposed to such a danger,” he said.


as posted here