Storing Pet Medication

At PF, Inc. ("Pet Flavors Inc.") our job as a palatant enhancing company is to develop ways to improve the taste (or palatability) of animal medications and supplements. We pride ourselves in putting the "treat" in treatment. In other words, pet medicine and supplements end up tasting like a treat for the animal and they will readily consume them. Which is why pet parents need to properly store pet medicines and supplements in order to protect their pets from accidental overdoses or adverse reactions including vomiting, diarrhea or even death.

Reasons Behind Proper Storage of Pet Medicine

Every year the FDA receives reports of accidental overdoses in dogs and cats. Sometimes pets get into their own medicine, sometimes they get into other pet’s medicine and sometimes they even get into people medicine. Medicine that is flavored to smell or taste good is wonderful when you want your animal to take their medicine easily but can also have serious consequences when they accidently get into medicine on their own and consume too much medicine or the wrong kind of medicine.

Recommendations For The Storage of Pet Medicine

There are several ways to pet proof all medication:

• Make sure to store pet medicine in their original labelled containers. Make sure the name of the animal and instructions are clearly printed on the label.


• Lock up pet medicine. Remember that animals have an incredible sense of smell and are extremely resourceful. They can get into purses or bags, jump or climb on shelves and will eat through containers to get at the medicine especially if it is flavored. Child proof caps are not necessarily pet proof caps.


• In order to prevent any mix-ups, make sure that pet medicines and people medicines are stored separately. In the event that you accidently take your pet’s medicine, call your physician or the poison control hotline. In the event that you accidently give your medicine to your pet, call your veterinarian or the animal poison control hotline.


• Keep all pet medicine away from children. Children can mistake pet medicine for candy especially if it is flavored and smells good. This is prevalent with liquid medicine or chewable tablets.


• If you have other pets in the house or on your property like rabbits or horses, make sure to store individual pet medicines separately. Not all medicines are the same for all animals.


• Dispose of all expired, unused and unwanted medicine. Unwanted or unused medicine many be donated to your local animal shelter. Unless recommended, don’t flush any medication down the toilet or down the sink. Don’t put any medicine in your trash can. Animals have been known to dig through the trash for food. When in doubt follow the guidelines that are set out by your county. Many communities have drug "take back" programs for human medicines and will usually take pet medicines as well.

PF, LLC works with product developers and manufacturers. We do not sell our products directly. If you are a pet owner and need help with your pet taking medications, please contact your veterinarian.