Pet Sitting & Medication Delivery Education

In loving memory of “Lincoln.” This month has been a terribly sad month for Poochy Doos, LLC.  We lost a very old and dear friend, “Mr. Lincoln” to problems associated with NSAID usage. His owners were treating Lincoln as instructed by their veterinarian and had apparently not been informed of the dangers of NSAIDS, including the signs of acute toxicity.

Our hearts go out to Mr. Lincoln’s family in their time of grief! Lincoln was a great dog and we all loved him very much! As a professional pet sitting company we are confronted daily with medication delivery, instructions from clients that often seem confused, and information that doesn’t necessarily comport with the knowledge we’ve acquired over the course of providing care for years.

Pet Sitting and Client Education

So all of us, at one time or another, may be confronted with having to treat our four legged friends for pain or inflammation. In canines, this is probably most commonly done in order to treat Arthritis, a very common ailment. While there are supplements and wholistic treatments as well, controlling inflammation and pain management remains an important part in any treatment regimen.

There are various NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) drugs on the market. Generally speaking, they work by suppressing the enzyme prostaglandin. The problem is, when prostaglandin is inhibited, it can adversely affect blood circulation in the kidneys and the production of blood platelets.

As a professional pet sitting and dog walking company, we can’t tell you how many times our professional pet care team has discovered veterinarians have purportedly not reviewed the potential risks with medications. Needless to say, your veterinarian should always discuss potential side-effects with you prior to administering any drug. With NSAIDs in particular, during the first 24-72 hours, it is important to keep a close eye on your dog to observe any adverse reactions.

We are not veterinarians. For more information on the dangers of NSAIDS, please see your veterinarian or inquire at the CSU Veterinarian Teaching Hospital.  Animals should not have to lose their lives over things that are preventable.