I was recently asked if a popular dewormer for humans can be used on animals. Apparently someone had written in a public blog that it can be used.
Of course being not a vet, I did not know the answer, so I asked our vet.
This evening, he showed me the book of drugs for animals from the British Small Animals Veterinary Association. Based on the main ingredient in this popular dewormer, it can be used on animals, but it has to be administered in low dosage over a period of 5-10 days and not given at one go (as in the case with humans). Despite that, there are still contraindications which suggest that this dewormer might not be very suitable for animals. Like it or not, humans and animals are biologically different, hence, our medicines should not be shared.
I have also heard animal rescuers advising other rescuers what medication to self-administer on sick pets.
There are risks in self-prescribing when we are not vets. We might not know the correct dosage and proper way of administering these drugs. Sometimes the presence of just one ingredient could make a whole world of difference to the overall effect of the drug.
A case in point was this lady who had administered Ivermectin on her kittens, but had used a disastrously high dosage. Her kittens died.
Please do not self-prescribe medicine to the animals under your care unless you are a vet or have informed pharmaceutical knowledge on the medication.
Always consult your vet for a proper diagnosis and proper medication. That’s what they are there for!
Comments
One response to “The risks in self-prescribing medicine to animals”
I heard that this woman had absentmindedly mistook the bottle of Ivermectin (highly toxic to cats and must be given accuratedly in the correct dosage according to body weight) for deworming medication and as a result had given the Ivermectin according to deworming dosages with very tragic and fatal results.
Very early in the morning at another outpatient vet clinic, I remember seeing her sobbing and crying her eyes out and desperately dialing and dialing to call her regular vet who did not pick up the phone that sad fateful morning, crying on and on, "Oh God, I have killed my kittens! I have killed my kittens! They were jumping all over the place so full of life before this and now I have killed them all ….."
Upon probbing, she told me that she had been administering Ivermectin successfully from the bottle for a very long time.
But the point I want to stress here is that mistakes do happen when we start to relax and take things for granted (being less careful and less focused especially when tired, exhausted mentally and physically – which rescuer isn't?) even though it is something we have done successfully before and even many times before.
Always follow "standard operating procedures", check the label and check again to make sure you are using the correct substance for the ailment and according to the correct dosage as per body weight and age. Especially when handling poisons … no relaxing and no shortcuts!
If you cannot be self-disciplined enough or understand enough, just do not take on the responsibility and leave such things to the trained professionals (vets) but if you can make the effort and learn the simple things well, it does save you a lot of time and money for you to stretch yourself more to help the numerous strays that you have such sincere compassion in your heart for, and that so many others simply do not have. There is an ocean of them out there … the strays, I mean … but then there is also an ocean of mean and cruel people out there too!
To this kind hearted and well-meaning lady, please do not punish yourself too much, rather, find the strength in your heart to put the sad mistake behind you and move on. I hope that you will continue your charitable efforts because there are many, many more out there that are suffering and dying, kay?
I also heard that you cannot bear to go to PJ Old Town wet market anymore because it pains your heart so very much to see so many suffering and dying tiny kittens that you are unable to save but I hope that you can still yourself and find the strength in your heart to continue to do so because 1 tiny kitten saved is 1 precious life saved. You cannot save the whole world which takes a combined effort of many, but 1 pair of hands less is 1 very, very precious pair of helping hands lost, my dear friend. Don't give up, Kak, don't give up ….
Thanks, KY, sorry for the long winded early morning chatter. May God bless you and AnimalCare, and all of us too.
Love and warm thoughts always,
Mas Ayu