Pets are more than animals that live in the home; they are valued members of the family. When your pet becomes ill, you want to do everything in your power to ensure he or she gets the medical attention required to recover from the illness.

Veterinarians often prescribe medications that are designed to treat an animal's illness. Unfortunately, getting your pet to take these medications can be a real challenge.

Compounding pharmacies that specialize in mixing medications for animals can be a great resource when you need to ensure your pet is getting the medications needed to make a full recovery.

1. What Does a Compounding Pharmacy Do?

A compounding pharmacy has the ability to alter a drug in order to make it more suitable for the intended patient.

Drug alterations can come in many forms. The compounding pharmacist may create an oral suspension from a crushed tablet. Since many pets refuse to willingly take a pill, compounding a tablet medication into an oral suspension can make the administration of your pet's medication a lot easier.

Compounding pharmacies can also add flavoring to a medication to make it more palatable or formulate a skin-penetrating gel that will deliver medications that are normally administered in a pill or injection.

By making alterations to traditional pet medications, a compounding pharmacist can enhance the quality of your beloved pet's medical care.

2. Are Compounded Medications Safe?

You may be wondering if it's safe to give your pet a medication that has been altered in some way. You can rest assured knowing that compounded medications can be just as safe as their traditional counterparts.

Federal law requires compounding pharmacies to work only with medications that have been approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration. This means that all of the ingredients in your pet's compounded medication have been reviewed by a government agency and deemed safe for use, even if the compounded medication itself isn't FDA-approved.

Compounding pharmacies cannot legally sell anything that contains ingredients that have not been explicitly approved by the FDA for human or animal use.

This knowledge allows you to rest easy, knowing that the medication from a compounding pharmacy should be safe for your pet.

3. Are Compounded Medications Effective?

Altering an FDA-approved medication does have the potential to change the way the drug works. This means that you can't expect a compounded medication to provide the same results as a drug administered in its original form.

Your veterinarian understands this and will only prescribe a compounded medication when your pet's situation dictates the use of these medications. Many pet owners find that a compounded medication can actually be more effective because it is formulated for a specific animal.

Catering to a pet's individual tastes, unique medical needs, and specific dosage requirements with a compounded medication allows the drug to be administered more effectively. A pet that struggles to accept traditional medications will not receive the benefits these drugs can offer.

Only through compounded medications can a picky pet gain access to the drugs needed to begin making a full recovery.

Compounding pharmacies can typically mix medications for both humans and pets. Some veterinarians employ a compounding pharmacist to provide medications for their patients.

If your vet's office doesn't compound medications on-site, you can check with your state board of pharmacy to identify a licensed compounding pharmacy in your area.

Only accredited and licensed pharmacists should be entrusted with compounding your pet's medications if you want to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of each dose.

Work with your veterinarian to determine if a compounded medication can provide greater relief than a traditional prescription for your pet.

To learn more, contact an animal compounding pharmacist.