It is quite amazing how we humans like to ‘cure’ ourselves and our loved ones. Talking about ailments, genuine or perceived, is a social activity. We do it over the fence with our neighbour, we exchange therapeutic experiences and cure-all recipes with people we hardly know, and we spend hours at parties and at our workplace prattling about our real and imagined aches and pains.
Usually, the verbal exchange of symptoms with a friend is quite harmless. However, it could evolve into a real problem when our non-knowledgeable neighbour/ friend gives us ‘advice’ which is useless or, worse, dangerous. What makes you think that your friend knows more about your sickness than you do? Two symptoms which you exhibit might be the same as in the illness he had. But that does not make the ailments the same.
For example, you might have a headache accompanied by a fever and a diarrhoea (yes, these are all symptoms and not the actual sickness). This does not mean that all maladies that produce such reactions have the same origin. Consequently, the specific medication for the particular indisposition could be different for each case.
Sometimes we seek advice from the drugstore salesperson. After all, we think, such a person will know more because he/she has been dealing with medications. Well, that is a false logic. The store clerk knows very little, if anything, about curative medicine and the pharmaceuticals associated therewith. Similarly, we might approach the pharmacist for advice. Now, it is true that the pharmacist is a skilled professional, but he/she may not be trained, at any great level, in medical analysis and the many other components of medicine.
Furthermore, the average pharmacist
would have been exposed to pharmacology that is associated with human medicine and not veterinary medicine. Since the pharmacist has not been trained in the dosage rates of certain medications for dogs and cats, he/she could not (and should not) competently advise on dosage rates. For example, let’s say that the dosage of an anthelminthic (dewormer) is 5mls for a five-year-old child weighing 50 pounds.
What would be the dosage rate for a two pound, one-month old puppy? Mathe-matically, it would be one-twenty-fifth of the 5mls which is equivalent to one fifth of a millilitre (or two drops). Well, if you administered two drops of the dewormer to the puppy, the worms would be laughing, because the active ingredient of the dewormer would have absolutely no impact.
So, what would be the correct dosage? Well, the pharmacist might have a Veterinary Formulary at hand and he/she could calculate and dispense the right drug and the correct dosage.
But years of experience would have taught your vet how to manipulate and vary those guidelines (delineated in the Veterinary Formula), so that your pet will get the best treatment for the sickness. That is what you should rely on where the use of medicines is concerned, namely your vet’s knowledge and experience – not the mutterings of a quack or a salesperson who doesn’t even know more than you, not the advice of a para-professional, not the ‘wisdom’ of anyone who is not au fait with the pharmacological specifics associated with pet care.
Having said all of the above, and so as not to be misunderstood, please let it be clear that pharmacists are among those professionals which represent the greatest support doctors have, and are among the most respected of all professionals. I remember reading that a survey carried out in the United States of America revealed that the populace there had the most respect for and the most confidence in pharmacists. Veterinarians, by the way, came in second. (Interestingly enough, doctors inexplicably were way down at the bottom. Of course, I cannot vouch for the methodology used and the validity of the results emanating from such a survey.) The point I am making is that when your pet is ill, do not try to acquire advice/help from the non-knowledgeable – even if the latter category contains professionals in fields marginally associated with pet health, diagnosis and therapy. Go to your vet.
Next week, we’ll deal with the misuse of certain types of drugs, eg, painkillers.
Please implement disease preventative measures (vaccinations, routine dewormings, monthly anti-heartworm medication, etc) and adopt-a-pet from the GSPCA’s Animal Clinic and Shelter at Robb Street and Orange Walk, if you have the wherewithal to care well for the animals. Do not stray your unwanted pets, take them to the GSPCA’s Clinic and Shelter instead. If you do not wish your pet to have puppies or kittens, you may exploit the GSPCA’s free spay and neutering programme. If you see anyone being cruel to an animal, or if you need any technical information, please get in touch with the Clinic and Shelter by calling 226-4237.
