Medication Guide

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» Helpful Tips & Guidelines for Administering Eye Medication
» Printable Medication Schedules
» Prescription Refills
» Refunds

Helpful Tips and Guidelines

Patients will often need several eye medications administered multiple times daily to treat some common conditions we see in our office. Here are some guidelines to help you make the best of your pet’s treatment regimen.

Give solutions (drops) first, then ointments, then lubricants. Wait at least 5 minutes between each medication.
Administering eye medication in this order prevents ointments from blocking the absorption of solutions. Oily drops such as Cyclosporine Solution will need a longer wait time (10-15 minutes) before the next medication. Lubricants such as GenTeal Gel and i-Drop Vet should be given last.
Administering topical eye medications:
- Securing your pet
  To keep your pet from backing away from you, it helps to have a wall behind him while you hold him still. Smaller pets can be elevated to a table or countertop for easier administration. Cats, small dogs, and birds can be wrapped in a towel with their heads peeking out to keep them calm and secure.
- Administering Drops
  Use one hand to elevate the nose and tip it up, then use your fingers to pull down the lower lid. With the heel of your other hand, push up on the skin above the eye to lift the upper lid. Use this hand to administer the medication, making sure the drop makes contact with the eyeball.
- Applying Ointments
  You will only need a small amount of ointment per dosage – a string about 1/8 of an inch long. Using the same eye-opening technique described above, apply ointments to the inside of either lid at the center of the lid. Once applied, gently open and close the eyelid to be sure the ointment coats the eyeball.
- A Step-by-Step Guide to giving drops from Doctors Foster & Smith
Always ask your doctor before changing or discontinuing prescribed eye medications.
Continue giving medications the morning of your follow-up appointments unless otherwise directed, and please bring all of your medications with you for appointments and surgeries.
Download and print our Medicating Tips & Guidelines (PDF)

Medication Schedules

We know juggling multiple medications given several times a day can be quite an undertaking. We have a helpful fill-in schedule that can show you at-a-glance when and where to administer medications.

Download and print our blank Medication Schedule (PDF)
Filled-out Example Schedule (PDF)

Prescription Refills

When medications begin to run low, please contact our office for a refill. Some medication prescriptions can be called in to a human pharmacy near you. Other veterinary-specific or compounded medications can be mailed out to you from our office after payment arrangements are made. Mailed medications usually arrive within 2-3 business days and will include a shipping & handling fee.

We have several convenient options for refill requests. If you would like them called in to a pharmacy, please leave the number of the pharmacy you prefer. If you would like them mailed, please provide your method of payment.

By email: Send your information to refills@vostn•com (refills@vostn•com) . We will send confirmation when your request has been handled.
Online: Fill out our Medication Refill Request Form
By phone: Call our office at (615) 690-9399 and press 5 to leave a message in our Refills Mailbox.

Medications can also be picked up at our office during regular business hours or at our satellite locations on days we are there. Please call ahead so we can have your medications ready when you arrive.

IMPORTANT: We have changed the way we dispense compounded medications. Please read this post carefully if your pet is prescribed Amlodipine, Cidofovir, Cyclosporine, Demecarium Bromide, Dexamethasone 0.1% Ointment, Dichlorphenamide (Generic Daranide), EDTA 1% Solution, Methazolamide 12.5mg capsules, or Tacrolimus.

Note about Online Pharmacies
Due to quality concerns, we do not recommend using online pharmacies to refill medications. We cannot guarantee that the drugs you receive will be properly formulated, which can hinder or complicate the treatment of your pet’s eyes. However, we can fax prescriptions to the pharmacy you choose at your request.
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Refunds

We are able to refund medications that are unopened and still sealed by the manufacturer. We are not able to refund medications that are opened or lack a manufacturer’s seal, such as compounded medications and individual tablets or capsules. These include (but are not limited to):

Tacrolimus Solutions and Ointments	Demecarium Bromide Solutions
Cyclosporine Solutions and Ointment	Dexamethasone Ointment
EDTA Solution	Most oral medications

Please contact our office if you have questions concerning refunds.