What do you do when you ask an expert for help and they do not have the answers? Where do you turn?
Yesterday, while attempting to take my daily pills (aka "the fourth meal"), the smallest of the bunch got away and dropped to the floor. I saw it hit and roll out of sight underneath the stove.
Of course the sound of something hitting the floor got the attention of my dog and she came to investigate. My immediate reaction was to lead her out the back door since I wasn’t sure which pill was on the run and didn’t know if it rolled out the other side or not.
After sliding the butcher block away from the stove and using a yard stick to slide into areas out of my reach, my only discovery was that I really needed to clean under there! Pulling out the bottom drawer only confirmed there was a family of dust bunnies sharing my domain.
Since my reach is severely limited due to arthritis and I could not see the missing pill, I used the sweeper attachment with the hope of finding it. No luck. The only thing in the compartment was the remains of what once harbored under my stove.
I attempted to move the stove with my legs, but it didn’t go very far, so I turned on all the lights and began to scan the entire floor. Nothing!
Being concerned that my dog would find the pill and not knowing the effects it would have, I called the vet. I explained the situation, identified the pill as being my arthritis medicine and asked if it would harm a dog. The vet said, “Since that is a drug for humans, you will have to call your pharmacist. I am not familiar with it.”
So I called the pharmacist. Again, I explained what happened, identified the pill and asked the same question. The pharmacist said, “Since that drug is for humans, I am not sure about the effects it would have on an animal. You will have to call your vet.”
When I told the pharmacist I’d already done that, he said, “Then I don’t know what to tell you.” After an awkward silence, we hung up.
I then called Poison Control. While the lady was very nice and seemed to be genuinely concerned, she advised me to call my vet and pharmacist. When I told her she was my third call, she researched the drug and told me the side effects it has on humans (which I already knew – hence my reason for being concerned). She then gave me the number for Animal Poison Control.
Once again, I repeated the events and shared my concerns. This woman said, “I’m not familiar with that drug, but will be happy to research it for you if you are willing to pay a small [large] fee.”
We discussed the fee and what I would get for my money then I declined. Knowing my dog had not yet found the pill and she was not in immediate danger, I opted to search some more, rather than take out a second mortgage on my house. After all, it’s arthritis medicine. How bad could the effects be on an animal weighing a fraction of my weight?
I was surprised the vet and pharmacist were unable to address my concerns. Aren’t household pets (dogs and cats) at risk when it comes to medications? Am I the only person who fumbles with pills, occasionally dropping them?
Who would you call if this happened to you? Do you think pharmaceutical companies should provide information on this matter to vets and pharmacies? Or is that asking too much?
FYI: The story has a happy ending and my dog is safe. After another thorough search, my husband found the tiny pill resting in a corner under the stove, out of my reach and the sweeper attachment.
