The Benefits of Compounding for Your Pet

We’ve all been there. Your fur baby is sick, you’re stressed out and your veterinarian prescribes a medication to help Coco get better. You create calendar appointments and alarms to remind you when to give Coco her medicine. At first you think, this will go super smoothly and Coco will be better in no time! Then the time comes to give Coco her medicine and you realize, your girl just ain’t having it. You hide it in her food but she eats around it. You hide it in a pill pocket but she spits it out. It can be frustrating when you’re just trying to do what’s best for your pet and they give you that look of utter and complete betrayal when it comes down to forcing the medication down their throat. No one likes the taste of medicine, much less your pet who usually tries to eat everything. It’s safe to say that none of us are alone in this, but the good news is that there’s a better way and it’s called compounding.

If you ask most people, they’ve never heard of compounding. Compounding is how medication used to be made before big pharma and mass production. Unlike a commercial medication such as Tylenol, a compounded medication is custom-made by a pharmacist and personalized to meet the specific needs of the patient. It is often recommended by veterinarians because pets come in all different shapes and sizes so a one size fits all approach for medication doesn’t always work. The current standard approach is cutting pills into microscopic pieces for a 4lb Yorkie which means you don’t know what dosage she is getting or giving 3 pills to a 200lb Great Dane when giving one pill isn’t hard enough. These approaches are less than ideal and cause great stress not only on you but on your pet as well.

 

So what’s a pet parent to do? That’s where Mixlab, a veterinary compounding pharmacy comes in. Compounding pharmacies specialize in creating custom medication and are able to provide a variety of solutions when standard options aren’t working. Veterinary compounding pharmacists are able to formulate medications to the right dosage specific to your pets weight. They’re also able to create it into a form easier to administer, such as a liquid or treat, and flavor it to your pet’s taste.

 

Some of the forms created at Mixlab (by popular demand) include:

 

The most popular form as it allows pet parents to squirt the medication into the pets mouth or into their food versus hiding a pill. With over 40+ flavors from chicken, beef, tuna and more, pet parents can switch up the flavors anytime to keep it fresh.

 

A fan favorite for pets who are treat motivated. With a variety of sizes depending on the dose and 40+ flavors to choose from, a Mixlab chewable can make medication time a treat. ;)

 

Although oral routes of medications are primarily recommended, pet parents rave how therapeutic this form can be and how it creates a great bonding experience during treatment by massaging the medication into the ear versus forcing a pill by mouth. Not all drugs can be administered this way, but when they can it’s a godsend.

 

It’s becoming more frequent that your veterinarian will recommend compounding if you have concerns or are experiencing difficulty in treating your pet. Some of the most common reasons that pet parents and veterinarians consider compounding are:

If your veterinarian recommends compounding or if you are interested in exploring it as an option, make sure you look for a veterinary specific compounding pharmacy. There are a variety of compounding pharmacies out there but many of them specialize in different types of care and don’t focus on animals. At Mixlab, we are specifically veterinary focused and our compounding pharmacists, some of whom are members of the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists, work directly with you and your veterinarian to deliver the best care for you and your pet.

 

Finding the right veterinary compounding pharmacy can seem difficult, but there are many veterinarians and pet parents who have gone through and understand this journey that would be more than happy to make a recommendation.

 

Mixlab launched in 2017 after the founders experienced difficulties working with other compounding pharmacies for their own pets and knew there needed to be a better way. They started with the principle idea that we all deserve personalized care without the compounding headaches that the majority of us experience with healthcare companies. By focusing on quality and outstanding customer service, their goal was to turn a stressful situation into an enjoyable process for you, your veterinarian and most importantly, your pet.

 

“Mixlab is amazing. They make it so easy to get my cat's medicine fast, brought right to my door. Their customer service is amazing - you can communicate, order refills, and ask questions all through text. Their packaging is so cute, including thorough instructions on the medications and little surprise toys for our pets... I would recommend them to anyone.” - Tal T., (pet parent)

 

Compounding has many great benefits and struggling to give your pet their medication should be the least of your worries. If you feel you and your pet could benefit from a more personalized treatment, talk to your veterinarian about compounding today and let us know if we can help!