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- Online Pharmacies
- Stress in cats
- Welcome back Beth
- Welcome Abby Teuschler
- From the Desk of Einstein and Emmy
- Meet Pepper Royer
- Pet Portals reminder
- Educational videos available
What you need to know about online pharmacies
Requests for prescriptions for the purchase of medication from online pharmacies are on the increase. We do honor those requests if we have a current "veterinarian-client-patient" relationship with the pet owner requesting the prescription, and the drug is medically indicated. There are some potential problems with online medication purchases, however, which we would like you to know about.
- Veterinary clinics are covered by very strict regulations set forth by regulatory agencies such as the State Pharmacy Board, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Many online pharmacies are not monitored by any federal or state agencies.
- The products they sell may have been stored in unregulated warehouses instead of being stored under the proper climatic conditions necessary for them to continue to be effective.
- Most product manufacturers will only support their product if it was purchased from a veterinary clinic or a licensed pharmacy.
- Products purchased online will not be covered by any reimbursement guarantee.
Regulatory agencies are now taking action against some online pharmacies. One popular online pharmacy faces charges or has settled with pharmacy boards in several states including Ohio. The Pharmacy Boards in these states took issue with the company's "alternate veterinarian program". This program hires veterinarians to write prescriptions for animals they have not examined which violates laws requiring the authorizing veterinarian to have a valid doctor-client-patient relationship. In another case, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fined an online pharmacy $100,000 for selling Australian products with metric system dosages to U.S. consumers.
While there are legitimate online pharmacies, it is difficult for us as consumers to know whether or not the online pharmacy we are dealing with is legitimate. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy has a list of Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites, or VIPPS. To be VIPPS certified, a pharmacy must comply with the licensing and inspection requirements of the state in which it is located and in each state where it dispenses pharmaceuticals. The VIPPS seal is displayed on the home page of these sites.
Our goal is simply to provide the best patient care we can. It is important to us that you are aware of and instructed in the proper use of the pharmaceuticals you are purchasing. Should you decide to purchase products from an online pharmacy, we will request that you come to our office to pick up a written prescription and sign a letter stating that you understand the potential hazards of buying from an unregulated online pharmacy. You can then forward the written prescription to whichever pharmacy you choose.
Cat Stress
Approximately four million cats are euthanized annually for behavioral problems, primarily elimination problems. When a feline patient is presented to us for behavioral problems we first want to rule out any medical conditions that may be causing the symptoms. Once a complicating medical condition is ruled out, the behavioral problem needs to be addressed from the cat’s point of view. Stress is a critical factor in many behavioral problems. Stress can be defined as the mental and physiological changes that occur when a potential threat is perceived. Cats handle stress in different ways depending on their personalities. When the more extroverted cat is stressed it is often easier for the owner to recognize the behavioral changes than it is in cats that are naturally quiet and shy. The shy cats generally exhibit less obvious signs of stress yet are just as severely affected. Common manifestations of stress in cats include:
- Immobility and hiding
- Loss of appetite
- Inappropriate elimination
- Territorial marking
- Excessive vocalization
- Restlessness
- Redirected aggression
- Self mutilation and/or excessive grooming
- Nervous purring
If left untreated, stress can intensify, leading to misbehavior. We understand that it is difficult for pet owners to relate to what stresses your cat. Our daily stresses are so unlike feline concerns. Here are some situations which can cause stress in cats:
- A cat or dog enters your cat’s “territory” while your cat is looking out the window. Your cat does not have to ever leave the house for it to claim outside territory. This invasion can lead to behaviors such as redirected aggression, territorial marking, and hiding.
- Cats often don’t do well with changes in their environment. New furniture or carpeting, new litter box location, new brand or type of litter, new family members (pets or people), absence of certain family members, even little changes in the daily routine can all be triggers for stress.
- Loud or chronic noises such as home remodeling (yours or a neighbors), car alarms, noisy neighbors, thunderstorms, recurring noises within the home such as low battery warnings on smoke detectors and other electronic equipment, or an answering machine that beeps to let you know there is a message – these can all be stressful to our feline friends.
A cat that is chronically stressed can experience health problems as a result of their physiological response to stress. Chronic stress-related changes in their biochemical structure can even be fatal. In the coming months we will address feline elimination problems, steps to take to ease your cat’s stress, and we’ll talk about getting your kitten started out on the right foot.
Welcome Back Beth
In last month’s newsletter we said goodbye to one of our technicians, Beth Watercutter, who had accepted a position at the Bradford School teaching future veterinary technicians. The position did not work out for Beth and she has returned to our veterinary clinic. We are all happy to have her back.
Welcome Abby Teuschler
We are happy to introduce another new member of our team here at East Hilliard Veterinary Services. Abby Teuschler is a first year veterinary student at Ohio State. She comes from Green Hills, Ohio (Cincinnati area) and is a 2005 graduate of Otterbein College in Westerville where she participated on their Equestrian Team. Since this is her first of four years in veterinary school she hasn’t yet decided which field of veterinary medicine she will go into after graduation, but is currently considering small animal practice or equine orthopedic surgery. Abby is active in the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Veterinary Business Management Association, the Equine Club, and the Canine Club. She is also a big fan of Ohio State’s football Buckeyes and of course, the Cincinnati Bengals. She lives in Columbus with her Beagle-Corgi cross nicknamed Boo. She is working evenings and Saturday mornings, and over the summer will be working during the weekdays as well.
From the Desk of Einstein and Emmy
We thought we’d update everyone on the goings on of the staff here. Everyone has been busy attending veterinary conferences. So far this year Courtney, Rita, and Kathy attended the North American Veterinary Conference in Orlando, Florida, Jennifer, Melissa, Kay, and all three doctors attended the Midwest Veterinary Conference here in Columbus, and Jamie and Kim went to Long Beach, California for the American Animal Hospital Association’s annual meeting.
Dr. Tom has run two marathons so far this year. He did the Boston Marathon and three weeks later, he ran the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. He runs with his friend and colleague from OSU, Dr. Rich Bednarski, and we’re happy to report that they finished both marathons and are still alive to tell about it!
The staff regularly has in-clinic training sessions. So far this year there have been two. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration has many rules and regulations to ensure the safety of the workplace. In February a representative from Total Compliance Systems came to update the staff training to keep us in compliance with OSHA guidelines. Then in May, Lieutenant Eric Manske of the Norwich Township Fire Department taught the staff about fire safety including, as you can see, a chance to actually use a fire extinguisher and put out a fire.
Meet Pepper Royer
(This article was written by Pepper’s mom and one of our receptionists, Jennifer Royer.)
Pepper is a 3 year old black cat with big yellow eyes. I adopted him from the Stark County Humane Society when he was 8 weeks old. He is a little skittish around new people but is very loving once he gets to know you and learns he can trust you. He definitely is a mama’s boy, following me everywhere I go. He loves attention, and loves having his chin and the top of his head scratched. Pepper is a very talkative little guy, always telling me when he wants something. He loves to snuggle on the couch or in bed while purring himself to sleep. He can often be found batting and chasing things around the house, among his favorites are bottle caps, pens, and lighters. A very extensive collection of miscellaneous ‘toys’ can almost always be found under the couch, which is where they always end up. Pepper loves to lay on the floor and stretch, twist, and turn. He gets himself into very unusual positions to where it looks like he is doing yoga. I think he is stretching to prepare for his nightly marathon of jumping from my bed to my dresser to the floor, darting back and forth across the living room a few times and then back to the bedroom for more jumping. He is a very energetic and entertaining little guy.
Pet Portals
If you haven’t signed up for Pet Portals yet, give it a try. Go to our home page and click on the Pet Portal’s link. You’ll receive a password by e-mail. Once you’re on the e-mail list, you can receive your pet’s reminders, request an appointment, request medication refills, and lots more. And rest assured that your e-mail address will not be sold or given to any other organization.
Educational Videos for Cat Owners Available
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine has educational videos available to watch online. They include “Giving Your Cat a Capsule/Pill”, “Giving your Cat Liquid Medications”, “Trimming your Cat’s Claws”, “Taking your Cat’s Temperature”, and “Brushing your Cat’s Teeth”. Go to http://www.felinevideos.vet.cornell.edu/.
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