Why Do I Need an Exam to Pick up Meds?

Time moves a lot faster then most of us realize, this is often quite evident when we have our clients phone in and want to pick up medication for their pets. We then check the files to see if this is appropriate and okay.

It is at this time we sometimes find that some pets have not been in to see us in quite a while – time moves fast. If this is the case, we will be asking that an exam is booked to see one of our doctors.

There are good reasons for this. We are required by the CVO (College of Veterinarians of Ontario) to have an appropriate rapport with the pets. What this means is that we have seen them within a reasonable time (maybe different for different drugs and issues), that we are comfortable giving the medication based upon the pet’s health and that it makes sense. In most cases, and for many drugs, this is within a year of the last visit (but again, maybe less if there are issues).

The reason for this visit with us is to make sure that the drug is right and safe for your pet. We need to make sure that there are no obvious underlying issues, we need to make sure that your pet hasn’t changed dramatically in weight (as this may affect the usefulness of the medications), there are no current issues (such as a new heart murmur), and in general to make sure that the medication is truly the right one for your pet’s issues. It is in your pet’s best interest that we keep on top of these things so that you can have your pet for as long as possible as part of your family.

Written by Manitou Animal Hospital