----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Safely Storing Your Pet’s MedicationIf your dog or cat has recently been given a prescription for medication, you’ve probably made sure that she gets the proper dose of medicine at the right time, and that you are administering the medication in a way that is safe and effective. While these things are crucial to your pet’s health, the way you store your pet’s medicine is also an important safety issue.
Many of us don’t give much thought to medication storage. Often prescription bottles wind up sitting on the kitchen table with the afternoon mail. Careless handling of medication can put both your pet and your family at risk. By following a few simple guidelines, you can insure that your pet’s medicine stays fresh and never gets into the wrong hands.
Canine or Feline prescriptions should always be stored in their original packaging. While the identity of each pill may seem obvious to you, medicines in unmarked containers can cause confusion and the risk of misuse as time goes on. Your veterinarian may give you specific advice to your keep medication from spoiling. Some prescriptions even require refrigeration. When instructions are absent, it is safe to assume that the medicine should be stored in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight or temperature extremes.
Pets can be curious about new things, so be sure to keep pet prescriptions safely out of their reach. If you have children at home, even more care may be required. Kids seem to get into things in ways we could have never imagined. For babies and the youngest crawling children, a high, closed cabinet or drawer, well out of reach may be adequate. If your child has reached the climbing and exploring stage, you will need to install a child-safe lock. Cabinet locks are readily available and inexpensive.
If your pet’s medication needs to be kept in the refrigerator alongside your family’s food, consider purchasing a small locking box to your keep little ones out. Children learn to open the refrigerator early, and they don’t hesitate to help themselves to anything that might look like a tasty snack. As an added safeguard, always ask your veterinarian for childproof medication bottles.
Once your pet has completed her time on medication, ask your veterinarian if any leftover medicine should be safely stored for possible future use. In most cases, unused medications are best quickly disposed of. Never throw pills in the garbage where pets or children could find them. To insure that discarded medications are never misused, deposit remaining pills in the toilet and flush.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
Username:
robangel
Profile:
Mozaics by this user:
|
|
