Dear Dr. Forsythe: My dog has been taking thyroid pills for over two years. “Buffy” is doing really well now, and the pills are easy to give. The trouble is that last time I was given the wrong size pills for her and I didn’t realize this until almost two weeks had gone by. When I called the hospital and returned them, I was told that they could not take the unused pills back. They gave me the correct size pills, but I was amazed that the girl behind the counter chucked the smaller pills right into the trash. Isn’t that a waste?
Hates wasting
Dear hates wasting: I agree that is does seem wasteful, but once a prescription has left a hospital, there are strict OSHA laws that prevent a veterinary hospital from taking the medication back. You would not want to worry that any medication you were giving to your pet had ever been in another person’s possession would you? From that point of view, this regulation makes perfect sense to most people.
Regarding the wrong dose of medication you were given, in my medical opinion it is very important to maintain a well controlled thyroid level. If you were giving the wrong amount of thyroid medication to your dog because the wrong size tablets were dispensed to you, I’d recommend you discuss this oversight with your veterinarian. Even though it’s not likely that such a dosing error is life-threatening, it is still a concern worth discussing and clearing up. I also agree with you that wasting medication is a shame, but I think that the real waste comes from the inefficiency of the person who made the mistake in the first place. Human error is inevitable, and that is why it is always important to check and double check the accuracy of prescriptions when they are filled. To me it is very important that any mistakes be addressed with transparency and humility. Perhaps you could suggest that in the future the hospital donate such medications to Pets Lifeline or another shelter or non-profit organization rather than disposing of them in the trash.
Dr. F
Dear Dr. Forsythe: My 16 year old cat has recently stopped jumping up on the bed at night. She just stands there and meows really loud until I pick her up. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t have arthritis because she never limps at all. Also, she doesn’t act painful when I pick up her. The only thing different is she won’t jump up on the bed (or down off the bed). What do you think would explain this behavior? Everything else about her is the same.
Puzzled cat mom.
Dear Puzzled cat mom: There are several reasons your cat might resist jumping up on to the bed. Arthritis is a very likely cause, but there are other possible causes as well. But just because she isn’t limping does not rule out arthritis. At 16 your cat is a super senior citizen, and she may well have developed arthritis in her hips or spine and even her elbows. Elderly cats (and dogs) with arthritis often stop running or jumping as the first clinical sign that something feels wrong. As you may know, pets are very stoic creatures, and cats are the most proud animals of all. Your kitty may very well have hips that are painful, but rather than pounce on the bed, she’d rather demand you pick her up—this is the most “cat like” behavior in the world: make demands clear and vocal, and let you do the work and the worrying. I’d suggest you get her in for an x-ray to see what is going on. This will show whether or not she could benefit from a medication to reduce the pain and swelling in her joints. Thanks for writing in and good luck making her more comfortable.
Dr. F.
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