Nightmare scenarios of pet medical emergencies due to a simple medication mix-up are becoming more common. Do you store your pet’s medications in the same place as yours?
The new semaglutide weight loss drugs, including brand names Wegovy and Ozempic, have become wildly popular among people struggling with weight loss. So, how does this relate to our pet dogs and cats?
The Dangerous Mix-Up:
Pet Insulin vs. Human Weight Loss Drugs
Since these drugs came on the market, there have been several case reports of diabetic pets accidentally injected with their owner’s semaglutide instead of the pet’s prescribed insulin.
At first glance, this would seem impossible. However, people often keep their pet’s insulin and weight loss medications in the same refrigerator. Without careful inspection, a person can grab the wrong medication by mistake.
Real Cases:
When Pets Received Semaglutide
This has happened to both dogs and cats. One case involved a Husky given multiple doses of Ozempic over several days by a pet sitter. The owner came home and found their dog listless and vomiting. The dog was immediately hospitalized, suffering from very low blood sugar. Thankfully, she made a full recovery after two days of supportive care.
Another case involved a diabetic cat given Ozempic by a caretaker while his owner was on vacation. When the owner returned home, their cat was in a coma and needed emergency veterinary care. Like the Husky, this cat had very low blood sugar. Fortunately, he also fully recovered.
Other Risks:
When Pets Find the Medication Themselves
And because dogs will be dogs, there have also been cases of dogs chewing up their owners’ Ozempic auto-injector pens and orally ingesting the medication. These dogs also needed emergency veterinary care.
Keeping Your Pets Safe
The moral of the story is to be very careful with human and pet medications. Pet sitters who are not familiar with the pet need specific instructions on how to administer pet medications to avoid accidental mistakes. Human medications should never be given to animals unless prescribed by a veterinarian. As the saying goes… an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
