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Getting organised
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People use all sorts of approaches to make medication easier to manage. Some rely on charts and reminders. Others use colour coding, storage systems or daily routines. The aim isn't to create the perfect system, but one that's practical, safe and easy to use.
There's a few stages in sorting out the medication before you start to give it!
1. Getting the medication - buying, re-ordering
2. Checking before putting it away
3. Where to store it
4. Keeping a record
5. Using the information leaflet
6. Reminders, alerts etc
Buying online, rather than from the vets, is usually cheaper but takes longer and can go wrong
1. Getting the medication
a. Buying medication
If it’s not urgent, it’s usually cheaper to buy the dogs’ medication online. Your vet practice will tell you how to do this – eg if you should get a prescription from them first then order online, or buy online and then email the order number and details to the vets who will send the prescription to the online company.
b. Re-ordering
People have different ways of clocking when medication needs to be reordered, well before it is likely to run out. Ordering online may need some extra time because prescriptions, stock problems or delivery delays can slow things down.
Possibilities include:
- reordering when the final strip or bottle is half used
- writing a reorder date on the box
- setting a recurring calendar reminder
- using a refill reminder in a medication app
- checking supplies once a week
Vet or online when re-ordering?
When reordering medication (rather than needing it urgently), you may have a choice between getting it directly from your vet or ordering online.
Buying online
Pros
- Usually cheaper, even when paying for a vet prescription
- Useful for repeat prescriptions when we’re organised ahead of time
- Can be more convenient, doing at home rather than getting to vets
Cons
- Can be a faff getting the prescription to the supplier
- Delivery delays or stock issues can happen
- Medication may arrive in a different format (e.g. capsule instead of tablet)
- Different brand names can be confusing
- The medication may only be available in a different dosage of medication eg twice the dosage so pill would need to be halved each time
Buying from your vet
Pros
- Vet ensures it’s the correct medication and dose
- Immediate access which can be especially important if medication is needed quickly
- Can discuss formats (e.g. tablets vs liquid, pill vs capsule) to best suit your dog
- Less risk of ordering errors
- Usually more expensive
- May still be delays if prescriptions need correcting or updating
If your dog is reluctant about taking medication, the format (tablet, capsule, liquid, flavouring) can be really crucial so it’s worth checking this before ordering, especially online.
2. Checking before putting it away
It is tempting to be relieved that you’ve got the medication and put it away straight away. But it’s worth taking a moment to check that the following are what you expect:
· the name of the medication
· the strength and dose
· whether it is a tablet, capsule, liquid, cream or another form
· the instructions on the label
· the expiry date
· whether it needs refrigeration or any other special storage
You may notice, for example, that the new tablets are 5 mg instead of the previous 2.5 mg tablets. This may mean your dog now needs a different number of tablets than before. It's easy to miss this kind of change if we automatically do what we did last time.
You may find it helpful to:
- add your own notes to the packaging – anything that will make it easier to give the medication correctly
- update your medication chart, calendar or reminders
- record when more medication will need to be ordered
3. Where to store it
Choosing a practical and safe place
The sorts of things to consider include:
- where medication can be given conveniently, safely and without interruption
- where your dog is fed, especially if medication is usually given with or in food
- who else uses the space (for example, children, other pets or people with memory or thinking difficulties)
- how easy it is for everyone giving the medication to find and use it correctly
An ideal place is one that's easy for the right people to use, but not for the wrong ones to reach.
Keeping pet and human medication separate
Pet and human medication can look very similar, whether in their packaging or as individual tablets, capsules, creams or liquids. This is a surprisingly common source of medication mix-ups.
If at all possible, keep pet and human medication clearly separate, for example by using:
- different shelves
- different cupboards
- separate labelled containers
- different rooms, where practical
- using a simple colour-coding system that works for your household
If we have more than one dog, it’s good to make it very clear which medication belongs to which dog.
Following the storage instructions
Some medication needs to be kept:
- in the fridge
- below a certain temperature
- away from light
- dry
- in its original packaging
Bathrooms can be damp, which may affect some medication. Cars can become extremely hot or cold, so they are usually unsuitable for storing medication for any length of time. Using an insulated container like a lunch box can help if medication needs to stay cool during a car journey.
Using suitable containers
A container can help keep medication together and reduce muddles. Depending on what you need to store, you could use any of these which are large enough for different forms of medication, including bottles, tubes, syringes and packets.
- a medication box
- a lockable container
- a labelled basket
- a craft or stationery organiser
- separate containers for each dog
- a fridge container for refrigerated medication
Knowing what’s what
Sometimes it’s necessary, or even helpful, to take medication out of its original packaging. For example, we might use a pill organiser with compartments for different days or times of day, or prepare medication ready to give in food or by another method. The important thing is that we can still identify each medication if we need to. Keeping the original packets and information leaflets nearby can make it easy to check names, strengths and instructions.
One simple idea
If you're managing medication for more than one pet, consider colour coding charts, medication boxes, storage containers and notes. One survey respondent even used matching colours on the medication packaging and storage boxes. It doesn't have to be elaborate – the principle is simply to make it easier to see what belongs to whom.
Checking supplies and expiry dates
Some people find it helpful to put a reminder in their diary, calendar or other reminder system every few months to do things like
- check expiry dates
- remove medication that is no longer being used
- check that labels are still readable
- make sure you have enough medication until the next prescription arrives
- review whether the storage place still works for everyone
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4. Keeping a record
Recording what has been given
Recording medication can help us keep track of what needs to be given and what has already been given. This can help make sure it is:
It can be particularly useful when more than one person gives medication, when routines change, or when there are several medications, several doses a day or several dogs.
Recording medication can help us keep track of what needs to be given and what has already been given. This can help make sure it is:
- given only once, whether by ourselves or someone else
- given to the right dog
- continued for the right length of time
It can be particularly useful when more than one person gives medication, when routines change, or when there are several medications, several doses a day or several dogs.
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For a short, simple course of medication, a whiteboard may be enough. I love a whiteboard! So easy to use – and to reuse. Just make sure that kids, cats or cardigans don't accidentally wipe some of it off!
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We've made six different medication charts, with different layouts and levels of detail, so you can choose one that suits you and your dog. They're all adaptable — you can fill them in on screen, change them to suit you, or print them and fill them in by hand. Some also come with a worked example to help you get started.
The charts are available in Excel and Word, and there's also a simple Fridge Meds Chart to print out and keep somewhere handy.
They're all available to download (free!) from the Resources section.
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When more than one person gives the medication
You might have more than one person giving your dog medication – family members, dog minders or others. It’s usually best (or essential!) to have one agreed place to record it rather than relying on messages or memory.
This could be:
Making it obvious which medication is which
When medication routines are more complicated — for example, with more than one dog, medication or time of day — visual cues can reduce potential muddles. (And it’s always important to keep our dogs’ medication clearly separate from our own and from other humans’ medications.)
Ideas include:
You might have more than one person giving your dog medication – family members, dog minders or others. It’s usually best (or essential!) to have one agreed place to record it rather than relying on messages or memory.
This could be:
- one chart
- a whiteboard
- a wall calendar
- a notebook kept with the medication
- a shared phone note or app. For example, a friend's household and wider family circle use Family Hub, which includes a shared calendar, reminders and tasks that can be assigned to different family members. Although it isn't designed specifically for pet medication, features like these could help households and other pet carers coordinate who is doing what and when.
Making it obvious which medication is which
When medication routines are more complicated — for example, with more than one dog, medication or time of day — visual cues can reduce potential muddles. (And it’s always important to keep our dogs’ medication clearly separate from our own and from other humans’ medications.)
Ideas include:
- using a different colour for each dog
- putting coloured stickers on medication boxes
- highlighting names on a chart
- using separate labelled containers
- clearly marking things like: morning, evening, with food or half a tablet
- using pill organisers to separate tablet medication for different days or times
5 Using the medication label and info leaflet
The medication label
The prescribing label is usually the most important written source of information about how and when to give a medication. Unfortunately, important instructions can sometimes be hidden among names, addresses, prescription numbers and other information — sometimes in print so tiny it feels as though you need a magnifying glass.
If the instructions on the label aren’t clear when you first get the medication, ask the vet or vet nurse to go through them with you before you leave.
Some people also find it helpful to add their own notes or reminders to the packaging, particularly if there are important instructions such as "give on an empty stomach", "refrigerate" or "give half a tablet".
Labels can become damaged, smudged or difficult to read. If important information is starting to disappear, don’t rely on memory or guess. Check the instructions with your vet or pharmacy. It can also be useful to keep a photo of the label while it is still clearly readable.
The medication label
The prescribing label is usually the most important written source of information about how and when to give a medication. Unfortunately, important instructions can sometimes be hidden among names, addresses, prescription numbers and other information — sometimes in print so tiny it feels as though you need a magnifying glass.
If the instructions on the label aren’t clear when you first get the medication, ask the vet or vet nurse to go through them with you before you leave.
Some people also find it helpful to add their own notes or reminders to the packaging, particularly if there are important instructions such as "give on an empty stomach", "refrigerate" or "give half a tablet".
Labels can become damaged, smudged or difficult to read. If important information is starting to disappear, don’t rely on memory or guess. Check the instructions with your vet or pharmacy. It can also be useful to keep a photo of the label while it is still clearly readable.
The information leaflet
In addition to the information and advice given on the label and by the vet, there are valuable details in the information leaflet which comes with new boxes of medication, such as about:
Sometimes medication is dispensed without the box or leaflet, but you can ask your vet practice for the information, and it may also be available online.
It's very hard to remember everything the vet says, and even if you take notes they may not cover all the details. It's worth keeping the leaflet somewhere safe and referring to it if you're unsure about anything to do with the medication.
However! The leaflets can feel cluttered with information which presumably has to be provided for legal reasons. This can make them overwhelming and make it harder to find the information that's most useful to us. For example, Skippy's Cyclavance leaflet is a total of 44 inches long – and Skippy is only 16 inches long!
In addition to the information and advice given on the label and by the vet, there are valuable details in the information leaflet which comes with new boxes of medication, such as about:
- what the medicine is for
- how to use it
- missed/extra/incorrect doses
- side effects
- storage
- warnings.
Sometimes medication is dispensed without the box or leaflet, but you can ask your vet practice for the information, and it may also be available online.
It's very hard to remember everything the vet says, and even if you take notes they may not cover all the details. It's worth keeping the leaflet somewhere safe and referring to it if you're unsure about anything to do with the medication.
However! The leaflets can feel cluttered with information which presumably has to be provided for legal reasons. This can make them overwhelming and make it harder to find the information that's most useful to us. For example, Skippy's Cyclavance leaflet is a total of 44 inches long – and Skippy is only 16 inches long!
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But there is useful information in there, and we can focus on finding what we need. Some medication leaflets are wonderfully clear and easy to use, with things like a contents list, clear headings, readable print and helpful illustrations. Even with a really clear leaflet, highlighting the bits that matter to you, adding your own notes or keeping a photo of a useful section can make information easier to find again and to remember.
Other leaflets can be harder to navigate. The graphic below looks at some common challenges – and things that might help.
Other leaflets can be harder to navigate. The graphic below looks at some common challenges – and things that might help.
6. Reminders, alerts etc
Making it part of a routine and easier to notice
Medication can be easier to remember if we link it to something that already happens regularly, such as:
The routine we choose needs to fit with any instructions about timing of the medication or whether it should be given with food or on an empty stomach. Things like that.
It also helps if the medication is visible at the right time or kept with other things used then.
For example, it might be kept near where the dog is fed, or somewhere else that acts as a useful prompt.
Wherever it is kept, it still needs to be easy for the right people to access but safely out of reach of children, pets and anyone else who shouldn’t get hold of it.
Setting up reminders rather than relying on our memory!
There are lots of ways to set up reminders, depending on what needs remembering. For example, an alarm can help with a dose that must be given at a particular time, while a calendar reminder may be better for ordering more medication. Sometimes more than one reminder can help, especially when life is particularly busy or the medication routine is complicated.
Options include:
Making it part of a routine and easier to notice
Medication can be easier to remember if we link it to something that already happens regularly, such as:
- feeding our dog
- having breakfast or making a cup of tea
- cleaning our teeth
- a particular walk
- going to bed
The routine we choose needs to fit with any instructions about timing of the medication or whether it should be given with food or on an empty stomach. Things like that.
It also helps if the medication is visible at the right time or kept with other things used then.
For example, it might be kept near where the dog is fed, or somewhere else that acts as a useful prompt.
Wherever it is kept, it still needs to be easy for the right people to access but safely out of reach of children, pets and anyone else who shouldn’t get hold of it.
Setting up reminders rather than relying on our memory!
There are lots of ways to set up reminders, depending on what needs remembering. For example, an alarm can help with a dose that must be given at a particular time, while a calendar reminder may be better for ordering more medication. Sometimes more than one reminder can help, especially when life is particularly busy or the medication routine is complicated.
Options include:
- wall calendars or diaries
- sticky notes
- a note written on the medication box, such as WITH FOOD
- kitchen timers or pill alarms
- alarms or labelled reminders on a phone or watch
- calendar alerts
- smart speakers such as Alexa
- medication products. There are all sorts of contraptions designed to help people remember their own medication which may also be useful for our dogs. Some include pill containers and others are simply timers or alarms. For example:
No need to rely on our memories! Phones, calendars, smart speakers, kitchen timers, pill alarms, post-it notes are just some of the ways to help give pills on time.