Many illnesses in pets can require long term administration of medication, including some very common medical conditions-
- Seizure disorders (including Epilepsy)
- Heart Disease
- Diabetes
- Thyroid Disease
- Arthritis
In most cases long term medications does not cure disease but it controls the clinical signs or has other effects to make the disease more manageable. In some cases, medications can control the signs of chronic illness so completely that pet owners sometimes mistakenly believe their pet has been cured and discontinue medication only to see the clinical signs reappear.
Long term medications are not always used to treat illness, sometimes they are given to prevent problems, for example year-round preventative medication for control of heartworm, fleas, intestinal parasites etc.
We forget that our animals are using prescription medications because they are always provided within the Veterinary Clinic without the need to visit the pharmacy. In reality your veterinarian is prescribing medication and also supplying and dispensing these. This requires each clinic to house a large pharmacy within the practice. Here at the Greensborough Veterinary Hospital, we place an order and receive delivery of medications on a daily basis. If there is a need we can order twice daily. This allows our pharmacy to be fully stocked and means that we are able to service our clients more efficiently.
When you require repeat medications, to save time, you are welcome to phone order and then medication can be approved by the Veterinarian. 2 - 3 hours notice for standard medications is normally enough with compounding prescriptions requiring 7 days.
