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Make sure your pet gets the correct medications while you are away

Great tip for every day, too

By Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM, About.com

Doctor holding pill box - Getty Images / Janet Kimber

Doctor holding pill box

© Getty Images / Janet Kimber
I recently attended seminar presented by Pfizer Animal Health, and their research shows that people forget to take their own medications just as often as they forget to give their pet's their medications. (Or they assume that someone else administered the pet's medications.) What about when you are away? Will your pet caretakers remember to give your pet their medications? Here is a quick tip to keep everyone in sync with your pet's medication administration schedule.

I started using a 7-day pill box (that I picked up from my local pharmacy) to help my petsitter keep track of when and how much food to add to my fish tanks while I was away.

This is a great "everyday" tool, too. Especially for busy households where more than one human is capable of giving the pet medications. Easy to remember to give medications and avoid dosing confusion with a daily pill box reminder. The daily arthritis medications, vitamins and even small treats can be stored in these boxes to ensure that your pet receives the correct medications on the correct day.

In special "one time" usages, such as a course of antibiotics, these pill boxes make a great visual reminder to give the antibiotics each day and finish them as directed by your veterinarian.

I have also noticed that "dollar stores" carry many variations on the 7-day pill box -- multiple days, with multiple drawers for morning, evening and so on. Check out the variety and see what works best for your pet's needs.

I wrote this tip as a travel tip, but really... this is a great tip for every day use, too!

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