Capsules and tablets are meant for oral intake, so the quantity of drug in each one is limited to what should be consumed by a person of average weight. Skin creams, on the other hand, could carry hundreds of times the chemical payload and contain substances that are poisonous even to humans, if they were to take it by mouth. What if you’re prescribed one of these highly toxic drugs?
First, you need to determine the true identity of your medicine. That could be harder than you’d suppose. Each generic drug has multiple different trade names, so you will need to ask the pharmacist or examine the packaging very carefully to learn the generic names of each active ingredient. Looking back over the previous chapters of this blog will help you formulate a list of the most perilous prescriptions. Remember that any NSAID made for humans is automatically a threat to your dog or cat.
Always, always keep your supply far out of reach, perhaps even sealed in a second container. Make sure to discard the gloves you’re using, any contaminated wipes or towels, and the “empty” tube or patch device in a trash receptacle where pets can never access it. It wouldn’t hurt to double bag these items, so that you can know if the medicine itself has been disturbed in the event of a trash tip-over. Don’t allow your pet to enter the room during application of your medicine. If it’s a sloppy preparation like foam or spray, consider applying this while standing in the shower. You could then follow up with a quick rinse of all the interior surfaces to remove any spilled product. Never allow your pet to lick or otherwise come in contact with the medicated portion of your skin. Wash your bedding more frequently, and separately from anything used by your pet. It can be extremely challenging to change the bedtime routine, but you may need to sleep separately while you are undergoing treatment.
At some point, you will be tempted to contrive your own safety solution by changing the application site, adjusting the time of day that you use it, applying a wrap over the cream, or some other creative idea. You must never modify those protocols without consulting your doctor (and, perhaps, your pharmacist) first. Believe it or not, you could possibly poison yourself by straying from the exact instructions you received with your medicine. Proceed with caution any time you receive a prescription skin cream so that you and your pets can remain safe.
Dr. M.S. Regan