The dangers of giving your pet expired treatment

Many of us probably have an assortment of old and expired pet medication still close at hand, many years after our pet’s illness or procedure.

Many of us think that the medication might be useful in the future, or we may be unsure how to responsibly dispose of medication that is past its expiry date.

It makes sense that with the rising cost of living, we try to be conscious of not wasting any excess medication.

However, using expired medication could not only be ineffective or less effective, it could also cause an adverse event in your pet.

Expiry dates are there for a reason. Manufacturers study and test their products to be effective and tolerated well by pets for the duration of the shelf life.

“After the expiry date has passed, the predictability of how the medication will work is severely impacted due to the unpredictability of the medication after expiry, it is not advisable for pet owners to administer expired treatments to their pets,” said Alet Joubert, veterinary nurse at Boehringer Ingelheim.

Dangers of giving your pet expired treatment
It can be hard to pinpoint the dangers due to every pet reacting differently to medication, as well as the unpredictability of expired medication.

“Common side effects could be gastro-intestinal such as upset tummies and vomiting. However, the danger that is overlooked is that expired medication can be less effective or even ineffective. This leaves our pets vulnerable to fatal diseases,” Joubert added.

There could also be long-term health complications. If your pet is on chronic medication, their disease won’t be properly managed, and this could result in progression of the chronic ailment reducing your pet’s quality of life.

Mismanagement of any chronic illness could lead to a reduced lifespan.
“If we treat a pet that gets sick or injured suddenly with expired medication, it is a gamble on whether we are improving the situation or causing more harm.

“Having expired medication in the home also increases the risk of accidental ingestion. Keep all medication, expired or not, out of reach of pets.

The difference between the shelf life and expiry date
When we look at the shelf life of a product, it indicates the time between manufacture and use that the medication is known to be effective and well tolerated. Medication has been studied and proven to be stable and approved for sale and use during this time.

In other words the shelf life is the time between manufacture and expiry.

The expiry date is a warning that the medication or product could start to undergo chemical and physical changes after that date.
If pet owners have administered expired treatment to their pet, it is important that they take them to a vet.

“The vet would most likely draw blood to ensure the organs are functioning optimally, and they might even encourage your pet to vomit to get rid of the expired medication in their system if they are symptomatic. Depending on their findings, the vet will recommend the appropriate treatment to restore your pet’s health,” explained Joubert.

“Once we have established that administering expired medication should be avoided we need to know how to dispose of it. The most responsible way to dispose your pet’s expired medication would be to take it to a dispensing institution such as a pharmacy, where they have the resources to correctly dispose of these medicines.

“Treatments are meant to help our pets, but they can do more harm than good if administered incorrectly or expired. It is imperative to develop a habit of checking expiration dates periodically and dispose of any medication past their prime often.

“One should think of the cost comparison of topping up a valid prescription medication, versus the bill of treating the consequences that come with giving your pet expired medication,” Joubert concluded.

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