Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / August 2004

Whoa. You need to know that veterinarians are regulated by law in regards to
prescribing medication. They have to have a valid doctor/patient/client
relationship in order to prescribe, which includes examining the patient
within a set period of time (may vary state to state - here it's 6 months to
a year depending on the medication and the records must show in some
instances that the doctor can prove by examination that the medication is
required for that particular illness). They are monitored and audited by not
only the state but also any institution of accreditation they belong to.

Prescribing outside of these guidelines can get these vets in trouble and
may even lose them their license. My husband is the practice owner. If he
were to lose his license he would have to shut down the practice putting ten
people out of work and causing them to lose their health insurance etc. This
is not an area of "the vet just wants the exam fee money." It's about their
ability to legally practice veterinary medicine.

-Sharon

-> On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 19:01:59 GMT, Suzie-Q <sme617x@earthlink.net>
-> wrote:
->
-> >-> Sorry if I posted this before but I do not remember if I posted this
-> >-> to the cat group or here.
-> >->
-> >->
-> >-> I feed and care some strays and some of them look sickly and I asked
-> >-> my vet that I take my indoor furbabies to about getting some clavamox
-> >-> or amoxi-tabs for them but after all the money I spend there she will
-> >-> not unless she sees them in her office and there is no way these
-> >-> strays are going to let me get them in a carrier!!
-> >->
-> >-> I have treated them with OTC tape worm and round worm meds in their
-> >-> food and have managed to get Frontline on most of them while they are
-> >-> busy eating.  Some of them let me touch and pet them while they are
-> >-> eating but once done or if I try to pick them up - OUCH !!!  :-(
-> >->
-> >-> Most of them have put on weight and improved since I have been caring
-> >-> for them and I have tamed 2 enough to find homes for them.
-> >->
-> >-> Appreciate any suggestions.
-> >->
-> >-> TIA
-> >
-> >You might find a website that will sell them to you.
-> >
-> >Looking sickly doesn't mean they need antibiotics. And you probably
-> >know that improper use of antibiotics can cause resistant strains of
-> >whatever bacteria you're trying to obliterate. So how can you be sure
-> >if the cats haven't seen a vet?
->
-> First off I tried catching them but no luck.

With a baited havahart trap?

-> Second there is a "cat virus" or Panleukopenia that is spreading and
-> according to the director of the Saginaw County animal shelter has
-> killed at least 800 strays in the county and the shelter had to
-> destroy all the cats at the shelter recently because they took in a
-> stray that infected the other cats there.  Wayne County and Lapeer
-> County in Michigan contacted Saginaw County shelter for info on it
-> because they believe it has spread there.  There has been a couple
-> articles in the Saginaw News (MI) the last few days on this.
->
-> When I can see them going downhill what is the problem with giving
-> them antibiotics that may help them ???  By the time they are sick
-> enough where I can get them and take them to the vet it is too late !!
-> I know - the vets want the extra money they get from the office
-> visit !!!  The hell with helping the cats !!!

Vets have a legal obligation to have an ongoing "relationship" with an
animal before prescribing Rx medications.

-> I tried websites and no luck.  I did not really ask for where I could
-> buy prescription stuff !!!  I thought maybe someone might suggest some
-> OTC med that might help them.  Or are you a vet and that is why you
-> are pushing taking them to a vets (Which I would if I could catch them
-> - which I have tried) !!!

I'm not a vet. I'm an animal lover with 5 dogs and 4 cats of my own. And
I do claim to have my fair share of common sense, in addition to reading
a lot.

First of all, viruses don't respond to antibiotics. Second, if you give the
wrong one for whatever the cats have, the disease will not be cured but
anything else they have that does respond MIGHT be or, for the same reason
as the next thing I'm going to say, could become resistant instead. Third,
if you give the wrong amount or don't monitor each cat carefully enough to
be certain you have eliminated the disease, the disease will become
resistant and then NOBODY will be able to help the next cat that catches it
and it will die or be sick for life. That's how antibiotics work.
--Katrina

There was an article In the Saginaw News that there has been reports
that the above cat virus has spread to parts of Ohio.

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