Why its Important to Buy Only EPA Approved Pet Medications
Only Buy US EPA Approved Pet Meds
We all love our pets and as such want to provide them with quality treatments and medications when needed. Finding information and products for our pets has become much easier online, as it is a global resource readily accessible to people all over the world. However, we must take caution with the products we may find out there, and keep in mind that not all countries have regulations and standards that meet EPA guidelines here in the states. These regulations ensure quality and safety for both our pets and children. Failure to meet these guidelines may indicate that these medications pose unnecessary risks to our family, and these risks are the kind we are not willing to take.
The EPA requires that any drug on the market be rigorously tested for safety before it gains approval. Drugs that are not EPA approved have not been put through this rigorous testing process, and so their quality and safety cannot be insured. Furthermore, some EPA approved products contain pesticides and chemicals that could be harmful to you or your pet. EPA guidelines ensure that when used or applied properly, these drugs will not adversely affect your family. Lack of appropriate warning labels, safety precautions, or usage information may lead to illness for your pet or the person exposed to the medication. Some foreign made pet medications do not provide these warning labels nor do they adhere to providing information as to the appropriate use of the medications.
Let’s take flea and tick medications as an example to illustrate the importance of buying EPA approved drugs. These medications obviously use pesticides as they are treating and disposing of pests on your pet. There is a cut-off level for how high a dosage of pesticide is safe for your pets, and the EPA ensures that this level is not surpassed in drugs that have been approved. Furthermore, directions on how to apply the medications are provided, and the drugs are sealed in packages that are child-resistant. In this way, the effectiveness of the drug is maximized with minimal risk to your family. Drugs that do not meet these requirements are not approved, and buying drugs without EPA approval cannot ensure that these standards are met.
Now most of us would be quick to agree that EPA approval is obviously important as a minimum standard for medical quality. But how can you be sure you are in fact purchasing EPA approved drugs on the web? Believe it or not, a lot of online products could in fact be counterfeit – companies may attempt to slip you unapproved drugs in EPA approved packaging. Unfortunately, the counterfeit drugs are hard to distinguish from the EPA approved ones, but there are some things you can look for to spot counterfeits. An easy way to check your flea and tick medications would be to look at the applicator. The most obvious sign of a counterfeit product is that the safety warnings and instructions that come with the applicator are not in English. Also, the numbers on the applicator package and retail carton should be identical and the applicator should come in child resistant packaging. If you suspect you have purchased counterfeit drugs, make sure you dispose of them properly and contact your doctor or veterinarian if your pet or family has been exposed to these medications.
Our pets are like family to us, and we would never do anything to intentionally harm them. But intentional or not, they could be harmed by the medications and treatments we expose them to. When shopping online, be extremely cautious about where your medications are coming from and whether they are meeting EPA guidelines and regulations. Your pet will thank you for it!
