Beloved King Cavalier Charles Spaniel Tragically Dies After Pharmacy Gives Wrong Prescription
A dog owner by the name of Miroslava Mircheva from Arlington, Virginia, is mourning the death of her beloved dog, Daisy. The King Cavalier Spaniel died after a veterinarian prescribed it one medication, and the pharmacy gave her another.
Mircheva is speaking out after what happened to warn other dog owners.
NBC Washington reports, Daisy was Mircheva’s service dog, Mircheva said. Daisy was so important to her that when the pet developed a heart condition and needed a surgery that could only be performed at a few sites worldwide, Mircheva dipped into her savings, sold her car and flew the dog to London.
After her surgery in London, Mircheva said that Daisy was doing very well.
Six months after the surgery, a check-up detected a heart irregularity. Mircheva said her vet wrote a prescription and sent it directly to her local CVS to be filled.
After the first dose, Daisy started experiencing labored breathing, lethargy and extreme thirst.
Mircheva said she was advised to take Daisy to an emergency vet clinic. Within days, she would be dead.
Daisy was supposed to receive amiodarone, which is used to treat heart arrhythmia. Instead Daisy received amlodipine, a blood pressure medication. Mircheva has filed a report with the CVS pharmacy that filled the prescription but is waiting for next steps.
Our hearts go out to Mircheva and hope she gets answers soon.
Questions To Ask Your Veterinarian When They Prescribe a Pet Medication
The American Veterinary Medical Association has a list of questions you should ask your vet when they prescribe a medication for your pet.
These include:
When and how should this drug be used?
What is the purpose of this medication?
And what should I do if I miss a dose?
You should also ask your vet what are the most common side effects with the medication, and what are dangerous side effects that mean your cat or dog should receive treatment immediately.
One of the most important tips they give is:
If you get your pet’s prescription filled at a pharmacy, do not let the pharmacy change the prescription in any way including changing the dose or the drug that was prescribed, without first consulting the veterinarian who prescribed it. Drug dosages in humans can be vastly different from what’s appropriate for a dog or cat. Likewise, there can be large differences between dog and cat prescription needs.
Keep all medications where your pet can't get into them, and never stop giving your pet their medication without first consulting with your vet.
It's also a good idea to ask your vet for an after hours number in case your beloved pet has any adverse reactions, and if you see a different name on the bottle you receive from the pharmacy, contact your veterinarian's office as soon as possible.
Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
