Category Archives: Compounded Pet Medications

Epicur Compounded Medications at VetRxDirect

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Epicur at VetRxDirect

VetRxDirect now offers prescription compounded medications from Epicur Pharma. Epicur Pharma is a 503B compounding facility that manufactures high-quality, reliable, potent medications. Following FDA-enforced regulations, Epicur medications are verified through stability and sterility testing. Epicur is committed to drug consistency and quality and patient safety.

As an FDA-registered 503B facility, Epicur manufactures drugs with reliable quality, potency, and sterility with every batch. The regulations for 503B compounded medications reflect current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), the same regulations in place for human pharmaceuticals. Learn more.

Why are Compounded Medications Used for Dogs and Cats?

Some medications required for treating medical conditions in dogs and cats are not commercially manufactured and, therefore, must be compounded. Medication dosages for dogs and cats can vary widely depending on the condition they are prescribed for. With current commercially available medications and products, tablets or capsules may need to be split to achieve veterinary dosing, which creates non-uniform dosing. The use of compounded tablets helps to eliminate the need to split doses. Animals may not tolerate the commercially available medication due to the method of administration (oral, topical, etc), flavor, or inactive ingredients. The use of compounded medications helps provide medications that can be administered by the owner.

  • The medication needed for the treatment of a certain medical condition is not commercially available and must be compounded.
  • The medication strength needed to treat a medical condition is not available and must be compounded.
  • The animal requires a different route of administration (oral tablet, oral suspension, transdermal, flavored, unflavored, etc).
  • The animal has allergies to certain ingredients or flavorings.

VetRxDirect offers a range of prescription compounded medications from Epicur Pharma, including ophthalmic eye medications.

Epicur Budesonide at VetRxDirect

Budesonide Compounded Mini-Med for Dogs and Cats

Corticosteroid tablets used to treat inflammatory intestinal
diseases. Mini-Med tablets are scored and unflavored for easy dosing.

Cidofovir Ophthalmic at VetRxDirect

Cidofovir Compounded Ophthalmic

Antiviral eye drops used to treat viral eye infections caused by
feline herpes virus.

Cisapride Compounded Mini-Med for Cats

Tablets used to treat constipation and gastrointestinal disorders. Mini-Med tablets are scored and unflavored for easy dosing.

Cyclosporin Compounded Coconut Oil Ophthalmic

Eye drop used to treat dry eye and immune-mediated
eye conditions. The coconut oil base is non-irritating.

EDTA Opthalmic at VetRXDirect

EDTA Compounded Ophthalmic

Prescription eye drop used to treat corneal calcium
deposits.

Tacolimus Ophthalmic at VetRxDirect

Tacrolimus Compounded Ophthalmic for Dogs

Immunosuppressive eye drop used to treat immune-related
eye conditions.

Theophylline X for Dogs and cats at VetRxDirect

Theophylline X Compounded for Dogs and Cats

Extended-release tablets for asthma and certain types of
heart conditions.

About the Author

This article was co-authored by VetRxDirect pharmacy intern McKayla.

I have 3 cats, Milo (white and grey), Tripp, and Nyx (all grey). Nyx is known to stick his tongue out when relaxed, he was formerly named Salamander at the rescue shelter because of this,  and all 3 of them love to watch the birds that come to visit our bird feeder. -McKayla, B.A., PharmD Candidate 2025, University of Iowa College of Pharmacy.

This information is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease and is purely educational. Please seek advice from your pet’s veterinarian with any questions regarding your pet’s health.

Compounded TDG and Oral Suspensions for Pets

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Compounded medications for pets offer an easier alternative for pets that hate taking pills, and people that hate giving them. If you are thinking about switching your pet’s traditional medication over to a compounded one, you may be wondering how to determine the correct dosage and amount to order.

Compounded Transdermal Gels for Pets

Compounded Transdermal Gel Medications for Pets Available at VetRxDirect

Compounded Transdermal Gel Medications for Pets

Compounded Transdermal Gel is applied to the skin and absorbs into the bloodstream. Methimazole, Prednisolone, Cisapride, Amitriptyline, Atenolol, Fluoxetine and Amlodipine Besylate are some of the medications available in gel. Transdermal gels are available in a variety of dosages.

For transdermal gel the dosage or concentration is described in milligrams/milliliter “mg/mL”, which is the strength of the medication per mL of gel. Transdermals compounded by the VetRxDirect pharmacy are made in the mg/0.1mL concentration, milligram per one tenth of a milliliter, and come in 1mL syringes. Because the standard dose is 0.1mL, a 1 mL syringe contains 10 individual doses. How long a syringe will last, will depend on how many doses your pet will receive from it. For example if your pet needs 0.1mL twice daily, one syringe will last 5 days. Because of the shelf life of the medication, orders are limited to an 80 day supply to ensure the medication can be used before it expires. Example: Your pet’s prescription reads Methimazole 5mg, give 1 tablet twice daily. The corresponding transdermal gel is 5mg/0.1mL, apply 0.1mL twice daily.

Compounded Oral Suspension for Pets

Compounded Oral Suspensions for Pets Available at VetRxDirect

Compounded Oral Suspensions for Pets

Compounded oral suspension comes in a variety of flavors including fish, chicken, and beef to help make them more appealing to your pet. Prednisolone, Methimazole, Cisapride, Metronidazole, Prednisone, Metoclopramide, Mitotane, Fluoxetine, Enalapril Maleate, Atenolol, Amlodipine Besylate, Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), Potassium Bromide, Trilostane, Fluconazole, and Tylosin are some of the medications available in a suspension. Oral Suspensions come in a variety of strengths.  For compounded suspensions the strength is also described in milligrams/milliliter, but is concentrated per 1 mL unlike the gels. Bottles of the liquid can come in set quantities like 15mL or 30mL, or be priced per mL. How long a bottle will last depends on how many doses your pet needs. For example: if your pet needs 1.5 mL twice daily, a 90 mL bottle would last 30 days. Because of the shelf life of the medication, orders are limited to an 80 day supply to ensure the medication can be used before it expires

If your pet has a prescription that includes giving  half or quarter tablets, you can also determine the dosage. For example: your pet takes Prednisolone 5mg, ½ tablet twice daily. A 2.5mg/mL suspension you would administer 1 mL of liquid twice a day. A 5mg/mL suspension you would  administer 0.5 mL twice a day. Before switching over to a compounded medication, double check with your pet’s veterinarian about the correct dosage.

VetRxDirect is a PCAB Accredited Compounding Pet Pharmacy

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VetRxDirect’s compounding pharmacy is proud to hold the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board’s Seal of Accreditation.

Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board's Seal of Accreditation

VetRxDirect is an Accredited Pet Pharmacy

While all compounding pharmacies are required to meet the requirements set by their respective state boards of pharmacy, PCAB Accredited™ denotes a more stringent and comprehensive standard which serves as an assurance that our compounding pharmacy has been tested against the profession’s most rigorous standards.

PCAB Accreditation requires a pharmacy:

  • Agree to the PCAB rules and terms of accreditation.
  • Abide by the PCAB Principles of Compounding.
  • Meet or exceed all PCAB quality standards.
  • Pass an extensive on-site inspection.
  • Use only high quality chemicals and equipment.
  • Ensure that compounding pharmacists and technicians receive continuing education and training in compounding.
  • Employ a system of continuous quality improvement.

PCAB criteria was established by a Standards Committee of compounding pharmacists and nationally-recognized experts in the compounding pharmacy profession.

To earn our designation as a  PCAB Accredited™ compounding pharmacy, VetRxDirect completed an extensive application and submission process, documenting our education, training, licensures, policies and procedures. Our documentation was reviewed by PCAB. Next, we had to pass an extensive on-site inspection. Only when this stringent evaluation was completed and we were judged to have met all criteria, did the PCAB officially grant us the PCAB Seal of Accreditation.

VetRxDirect is honored to receive the PCAB Seal of Accreditation. We feel it confirms our commitment to providing safe, personalized solutions that meet the medical needs of the pets we serve.

You can find more information on specific drugs by visiting VetRxDirect, or by reading our blog posts on Cisapride or Urinary Incontinence which includes information on DES.

VetRxDirect looks forward to helping you obtain needed medications for your pet, whatever the form.

Thank you,

Wes

How to Treat Cat Constipation with Cisapride

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They lick their fur. They can be finicky about food and don’t tend to drink much water. And they’re touchy about litter box conditions. It’s no wonder that cat constipation is a common problem in veterinary medicine.

How do you know if your cat is constipated? Look for these symptoms:

  •  Straining in the litter box
  •  No feces in the litter box or only hard, dry, small droppings
  •  Loss of appetite
  •  Sluggishness
  •  Vomiting

If your cat shows signs of constipation, talk to your veterinarian right away. She’ll examine your cat and can suggest dietary modifications to help in the long run.  Your veterinarian may also prescribe a medicine such as compounded Cisapride for felines to ease chronic constipation. Veterinary Cisapride works in the gastrointestinal system and accelerates gastric emptying, or the process that moves food through the stomach.

Here at VetRxDirect, we’re fully stocked up on Cisapride. To help pet owners make it easier to administer this effective medicine to their cats, our expert compounding pharmacists and technicians have carefully mixed Cisapride for cats into three different formulas.

Cisapride Transdermal Gel – Cisapride transdermal gel is the easiest way to administer this medicine to your cat. Simply rub the prescribed dose of gel into your cat’s skin 15 minutes before a meal. This special formulation releases the medicine into the blood stream through the skin. Transdermal gels are popular because they’re easy to use and because pet owners can be confident their pet gets the right dose of medicine and doesn’t spit it out or throw it up.

Compounded Cisapride for Constipation in Cats Available at VetRxDirect

Compounded Cisapride for cats is available in three forms.

Cisapride Suspension – Another simple dosing option is Cisapride suspension, a liquid form of compouded Cisapride for veterinary use.  Mix the prescribed dose into a treat your cat really enjoys like tuna or wet cat food. Then give your cat a regular meal about 15-30 minutes later.

Cisapride Capsules – We also offer the standard form of Cisapride in pill form. The small capsule can be tucked into a pill pocket or a small treat to make it easy for your cat to swallow.

If you would like more information on compounded Cisapride, check out From Under the Bridge, A Houston Chronicle Blog’s write up on Cisapride.

Have you treated your cat with Cisapride? Or have you tried our Cisapride Suspension? Tell us what you think by sharing your experience in the comments section below.

Regards,

Wes