Can anyone help me

[Lovemydoggies]

Hi,
Can anyone help me, my Mothers terrier past away recently, he was using "Xalatan" of which I have one opened bottle and one UN opened bottle, I know that this is very expensive, and as I have kept the un opened bottle in the fridge, I was hoping someone could make use of it, I am not looking for payment, just want it to go to a good cause. I have come to this site as I know there are some very knowledgable people here. thank you for your help.

[carmalee]

what about a local animal charity if you can't find a private taker?. The bigger ones maybe not cos they usually have a strict policy on taking medicines but a smaller one may be glad of it as long as they have the expertise to use it correctly. imo it's unlikely a vet will take back even the unopened bottle anyway just in case it hasn't been stored correctly. pity though cos you could have donated any money you got to charity.

[lankeela]

Xalatan eye drops are prescribed in cases of Lens Luxation, and as you say it is very expensive, with dogs needing two insertions every day. My breed (Lancashire Heelers) suffer from this and I do know several people whose dogs are on it. If you let me know which area you live in I can put you in touch with someone who would appreciate it.

[Lovemydoggies]

Thank you for your answer, you seem to be the only person who has come up with a solution, could I not just wrap it in foil and bubble plastic and send it to you, so you could give it to someone who needs it, it would stay cold as i would send it first class. I am sure someone else would also appreciate your help.

[lankeela]

Ok, my email address is [email protected] if you email me I will send you my address. I have a friend here in Norfolk whose dog is on it, and as her husband has been made redundant recently it would be greatly appreciated. I am sure she would refund your postage if you enclose an address. Many thanks. For anyone who is worried about medication being used for an animal it is not prescribed for, Xalatan is also used for humans and most people I know buy it from ;human' suppliers as its much cheaper.

[Lovemydoggies]

Hi Lankeela,
Just to let you know, I asked a friend of mine who is vets nurse, what was the best way to send it to you, well she got really angry with me and explained that it is actually illegal to give a prescription drug to someone else, I am very sorry, but as I am only a normal pet owner I did not know this, so I have as she suggested handed it into a chemists for safe deposal.

[Vagrant]

// it is actually illegal to give a prescription drug to someone else //

I very much doubt this is true - especially for veterinary drugs - anyone with legal expertise care to comment?

Shame it's been disposed of when it could have benefited someone.

[boxtops]

I don't think it's illegal - after all the customer has paid for it, it's theirs. For humans we are cautioned against taking other people's prescription drugs because we might not have the same conditions or be on other drugs - I guess it could be the same for pets, but I would have thought that eye drops would be safe to pass on. My cat's on meds for his kidneys, I pay for them, if anything happens to him I would gladly pass the stock of tablets to someone else whose cat's on the same medication.

[Vagrant]

If it were illegal, wouldn't all pharmacists be locked up?

[boxtops]

My view is that it is illegal to sell prescription drugs on for humans (e.g. temazepam which you've been prescribed) as it could be injected as an illegal drug. I can't see that it applies to pet medication, I think the nurse is misinformed. IMO.

[Lovemydoggies]

Oh dear, here I was just trying to help, I thought the best thing to do was to get proper advice,this is a letter from Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, so we will all know some facts not just be guessing, this the letter:There are strict legal requirements and controls with regard to the prescribing and supplying of veterinary medicines.These are contained in the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMRs).Prescribing is considered to be the action of deciding, instructing and recording which treatment should be administered to an animal. This can only be carried out by a veterinary surgeon, pharmacist or Suitably Qualified Person (SQP), according to the distribution category of the veterinary medicinal product concerned.For example:POM-V medicines may be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon, who must first carry out a clinical assessment* of the animal, and the animal must be under the prescribing veterinary surgeon’s care.POM-VPS medicines may be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon, pharmacist or SQP, as a responsible supply function. A pharmacist or SQP may only prescribe POM-VPS medicines for administration in accordance with the medicine authorisation. The final sentance I think is the most appropriate in this instance and it is as follows:If you have concerns that a LAY person has been prescribing or supplying veterinary medicines, then this would be something to raise with the police and/or trading standards.After reading this I realised that thru my honest innocents I could have broken the law, my friend informed me of this before I did and I disposed of the drug in a correct manner. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.