Veterinarians and DEA officials are warning doctors about people who are desperate for drugs that injure their own pets to get narcotics from their vets, and people who are injured by their own pets after getting the narcotic from them. Veterinarians report that people struggling with opioid addiction abuse their pets and then take their pets’ medication to the vet before they are prescribed a painkiller or taken to the vet on prescription. Vets are being warned by a DEA official about the dangers of prescription drug abuse in the pet care industry, as well as the potential for serious harm.
If you are told to be vigilant, tell your veterinarian to tell you if your pet is a patient and confirm if they are getting medication they have forgotten in another animal’s practice before replenishing their supplies to avoid suspicion, “USA Today reported. Dr. Robert Lee, the DEA’s special agent in charge of animal abuse, said vets should check pet owners before the animals are patients and before they have access to a prescription. He said they should also check on the pet owner while the pet owner is shopping, or while he is in the hospital or practice, in case the dog or cat is injured by the drug, or if he gets out after surgery and forgets the medication in other animals to stock up and avoid suspicions, according to USA Today.
At Peachtree Hills Animal Hospital, Jones said they had no reason to believe anyone was abusing animals just to get drugs. They are trained to look for signs of abuse, such as repeated injuries or lack of food or water, and they do not want to believe that someone would intentionally hurt a pet. But after watching abuse, they look for what is being done to turn drug addicts into painkillers they cannot get easily. Veterinarians need to be aware of this and take action to stop people from using veterinary medicines, but the veterinarian also wants to believe that pet owners love their precious animals.
The FDA also strongly encourages veterinarians to read labeling information on human opioids and undergo related training. Veterinarians should have a safety plan if they get into a situation where a customer is seeking opioids under the guise of treating his pet. When an animal owner requests an opioid prescription by name, it is a sign that a veterinary clinic employee or a close person should investigate it to determine whether opioid abuse is possible. Veterinarians should also have safety plans in advance in case they experience or come across situations where customers seek opioids under any guise, whether they are being treated by them or their pets.
While pet owners may be reluctant to talk about illegal drugs, veterinarians should talk to their owners about poisoning prevention and talk to them about such things as preventing access to illegal substances, keeping pets away from parties, and muzzling police dogs. The group also plans to educate veterinarians about signs of drug abuse, including owners who look for medications without proof of their pet’s needs, refuse to take their pets to an examination, or try to top up a prescription early. While pet owners are reluctant to talk about an illegal drug, veterinarians and nurses need to talk to their owners about preventing poisoning. Although pet parents may be reluctant to talk to their owners about the prohibited drug abuse prevention and prevention (DAPG), the veterinarian should also talk about poison prevention. Owners who seek medication without having evidence that their pet needs drugs and refuse to take their dog or pet for testing or try to top up a prescription early plan to educate veterinarians about signs of drug abuse.
The ability to detect possible signs of abuse allows veterinarians to better care for their patients and customers. The task of the veterinarian is not to decide whether cruelty to animals has taken place, but rather to report suspected cases of abuse. Diagnosing animal abuse can be a challenge and it is a challenge even for the most experienced vet and his staff.
If an animal owner refuses to allow the hospital to inspect previous records and provide a list of medications they are actively seeking on behalf of the same, this can set off alarm bells if he or she refuses.
In addition to the problem, at least 15 US states require veterinarians to review pet owners’ prescriptions to ensure they are not taking the same medications as their pets, such as painkillers. Addicts are so desperate for painkillers that vet Lisa Ciucci has put some of them on her pet’s prescriptions as a last resort. This not only takes away medicines from pets who need them, but can also lead to pet owners taking away their pets’ medications and replenishing them, according to the Humane Society of the United States. The vet says that some addicts even steal painkillers from their own pets without the owner reporting them. Some owners deliberately hurt their pets to get the prescriptions, she says. If you know someone who struggling with substance abuse, and loves their pet, have them seek help. There are rehabs that allow pets so patients can have their animal with them during treatment.