Why Pet Owners & Veterinarians Are Requesting Compounded Medications for Animals

Sarasota Specialty Pharmacy and Wellness Center

Trying to get pets to take medications can sometimes be challenging, but there are also other reasons that traditional, off-the-shelf, and over-the-counter drugs are not the best choice. Before we get into those issues, let’s detail more information on compounded medications.

Compounding Drugs
Compounding combines an ageless art with the latest medical knowledge and state-of-the-art technology, allowing specially trained professionals to prepare customized medications to meet each patient’s specific needs. Compounding is fundamental to the profession of pharmacy and was a standard means of providing prescription medications before drugs began to be produced in mass quantities by pharmaceutical manufacturers. The demand for professional compounding has increased as healthcare professionals, patients, and pet parents realize that the limited number of strengths and dosage forms that are commercially available are unable to meet the unique needs of many patients. These patients may have a better response to a customized dosage form that is “just what the doctor ordered.”

Why Compound Drugs for Pets?

Taste
Customizing drugs is essential to humans and pets, but for pets, one primary reason is due to the difficulty that pet owners have administering the medications. Animals are smart—They often eat the food or treat around the pill and leave the pill behind. If you’ve ever tasted a bitter or metallic drug, you’d agree that you’d rather not chew and taste drugs. Compounding pharmacists can flavor and change the texture of any drug. Many flavors, nclude, tuna oil, beef, chicken, and fruit, and they can create soft chewable treats, harder cookies, transdermal gels, injectables, and much more to suit your pet’s needs. Transdermal gels can be rubbed into the animals skin, such as the ear.

Adverse Reactions/Allergies
Another issue is that many pets are allergic or have adverse reactions to certain fillers that are commonly used in prescription medications. Compounding pharmacists can create pure drugs that do not contain any additives, dyes, or fillers.

Unique Dosages
Some animals are more sensitive to the standard dose of medications. If you have an issue with the dose being too large or too small, a compounding pharmacist can create any dose that a veterinarian recommends for your pet. Many times sensitive pets will become lethargic or have GI issues if traditional medications are not appropriate for them.

Combining Drugs
Compounding pharmacists can also create unique combinations and/or adjust the dosages of those drugs. For example, if your pet has diabetes, they might also suffer from hypertension, and a pill can be combined with both or more meds for optimal results.

Creating hard to find or Discontinued Drugs
If you are having trouble finding a new drug that is flying off of the veterinarian’s pharmaceutical manufacturers shelves, or if a drug has been discontinued that your pet needs, a compounding pharmacist can create those for your pet.

Customizing Medications for People and Their Pets
Sarasota Specialty Pharmacy and Wellness Center specializes in human and animal health. They work directly with your physician or your pet’s veterinarian to create personalized medications that are custom-tailored for each patient’s needs.

Sarasota Specialty Pharmacy:
More Than Just a Pharmacy
Sarasota Specialty Pharmacy and Wellness Center is an independent, family owned pharmacy that has served the Sarasota community for over 40 years. They specialize in meeting patient’s needs through innovative compounding. Their compounding pharmacists work with physicians, veterinarians, dentists and other health care practitioners to prepare patient specific medications. Their compounding services allow them to create formulations in unique strengths and dosage forms.

Your Options with Sarasota Specialty Pharmacy are numerous! Stop by and see them today!

Call 941.366.0880 or visit sarasotarx.com
2075 Seista Drive, Sarasota, FL 34239

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