Veterinarians Fight Against Opioid Abuse

MIDVALE, UT - SEPTEMBER 10: A pharmacy technician grabs a bottle of drugs off a shelve at the central pharmacy of Intermountain Heathcare on September 10, 2018 in Midvale, Utah. IHC along with other hospitals and philanthropies are launching a nonprofit generic drug company called 'Civica Rx' to help reduce cost and shortages of generic drugs. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)

BOSTON, MA (WBZ-AM) -- The fight against opioid abuse is now being fought by professional in the animal health care industry.

And According to veterinary pharmacists more and more people are trying to use their pets to score drugs. Pet owners describing pains that their animals are experiencing but they can't confirm through examination. 

These pet owners know a lot about pain killers and ask for them by name and they don't like it when a doctor says no.

"Owners that get get quite aggravated and frustrated with that conversation, They are raising their voice using profanity, " said April Mach, a pharmacist with Angell Animal Medical Care. 

Their pharmacy has  adopted new protocols for dispensing opioids by  limiting the supply a patient can get at a time. Veterinarians do not to not have a prescription monitoring program like in the human health care world which makes sure patients aren't going from doctor to doctor to get their fix.

WBZ NewsRadio1030's Kendall Buhl (@KBuhlWBZ) reports.


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content