Narcotic discrepancy

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This is a little bit different than what you would think......

This is about my dog's medication.

He has epilepsy and takes several medications.

He can have diazepam 10mg during active seizure activity.

So yesterday, I went to the vet's, kind of late in the afternoon, to get his diazepam refilled.

Later on in the evening, I noticed on the label that it was filled with 15 but there was only 10 in the bottle.

So I called this morning and spoke with the young man that filled it, and he says, "Well I may have done that. We'll just SAY I did and I'll give you the other 5."

So I got up there and I told him, "I'm not in the habit of asking for something I didn't pay for, but if there is 15 on the label and you charged me for 15 then you owe me 5 tablets."

He gave it to me and apologized.

But if he hadn't made it right I was going to complain to the veterinarian

about it.

They have these unlicensed people up there filling these prescriptions just like a pharmacist would do, and to ME a discrepancy of 5 valium tablets could look very suspicious. If that happened on my job, with narcotics I'm responsible for, they'd hang me out to dry if I couldn't account for it.

One other time, I went to get the same med filled and got home and looked in the bottle and it wasn't even valium. I got back up there and it was a generic Elavil they filled it with. Luckily, that time I still had a few tablets for my dog to take that night, or we would have been in trouble, with his seizure activity that night.

I just wanted to vent here a little bit.

Gosh, you gotta watch even the vet's office about medication.

If I weren't a nurse and knew better, I may have given him that Elavil the other time, thinking it was just valium.

Vent over!

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

Not to nitpick, but diazepam is not a narcotic.

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Specializes in Perioperative, ACU, Hospice.

While Valium is not technically a narcotic, it does have high abuse potential, and it is a drug that is frequently diverted.

I'm sorry this happened to you and thank goodness that you noticed that the pills were different. Because this happened to you twice at the same Vet's office with the same medication, I think that it is entirely possible that someone is diverting the Valium. What concerns me here, is that someone else's pet with a seizure disorder may get Elavil instead of Valium, and if that pet's mommy isn't a nurse who recognizes the difference in the two pills, that pet may be in trouble.

I think that you should tell the Vet what is going on. If you don't want to get too involved, you could always write an anonymous letter.

Best of luck to you and your doggie. :specs:

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.
While Valium is not technically a narcotic, it does have high abuse potential, and it is a drug that is frequently diverted.

I'm aware of that, thanks.

I agree that you should mention it.

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Not to nitpick, but diazepam is not a narcotic.

My dog is also on Phenobarbital twice a day, so they have to fill that, too.

The point I was trying to make is that they have vet techs in there handling these medications that have potential for abuse.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

Phenobarbitol isn't a narcotic either.

But your point is well taken. You should count and make sure you're getting the right amount and type of medication. What's disturbing is the pet owners who don't know any different, who may not be getting the right meds and don't even know it. That's where I think you have an ethical obligation to bring up the incident. Good luck! Let us know how it turns out.

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While Valium is not technically a narcotic, it does have high abuse potential, and it is a drug that is frequently diverted.

I'm sorry this happened to you and thank goodness that you noticed that the pills were different. Because this happened to you twice at the same Vet's office with the same medication, I think that it is entirely possible that someone is diverting the Valium. What concerns me here, is that someone else's pet with a seizure disorder may get Elavil instead of Valium, and if that pet's mommy isn't a nurse who recognizes the difference in the two pills, that pet may be in trouble.

I think that you should tell the Vet what is going on. If you don't want to get too involved, you could always write an anonymous letter.

Best of luck to you and your doggie. :specs:

Thank you for your kind reply.

I'm still so undecided on what to do about, regarding talking to the vet.

We live in such a small town and I hate to think that any of those young people in there are doing anything illegal.

But I realize that's it is a good possibility something may be going on.

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Definitely talk to the Vet, A.S.A.P. best case,you save a dog from wrong medication and all that entails. The vet may see that they need to retrain or let someone else do the script fills.Worst case,someone there is definitely diverting,be it for personal use or profit,and needs either an intervention and help or some alone time in the local jail!!! Humans take the wrong med and we can verbalize any unusual side effects....animals can't! You know what it means to be a patient advocate,well your dog needs you to be their advocate!

Stop reading this and go call the vet....animals are in danger!!!!!!!:angryfire

(ok,so maybe I love my dog just a little too much.He is under my desk snoring to the high heavens as I write this...hehehe):paw:

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Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

I would most certainly tell the vet- the potential for this med being diverted is high and you weren't missing 1 but a third of the Rx. It may be nothing but he should be aware so he can keep an eye out. We have simular problems with the people pharmacy I use. (the only one approved by our script coverage). At least 30% of the time the meds are filled with the wrong amount, the wrong dose, the wrong drug, or the wrong instructions. I have learned to do a pill count before I leave the window.

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Specializes in Home Health, Geriatrics.

was the guy who filled the script a pharmacy tech? In my state we can look up the disciplinary reports and you wouldn't believe how many pharmacy technicians get in trouble for filling prescriptions wrong, giving the wrong meds, taking the meds for their own use...etc...

It's really bad when one can't trust their own pharmacy.

And YES..talk to the vet.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Infusion, peds, informatics.

i definitely think you need to talk to your vet about this.

not just the quality of care issue, but because the valium (and the phenobarb) is obtained through the vet's dea number.

in the worst-case scenario, he has a right to know if someone is diverting controlled substances that he is responsible for.

in the best-case scenario, he needs to know if his vet techs can't count to 15.

(and yes, it is very common for vet techs to act as pharmacy techs. they also shoot xrays, administer anesthesia, and in some states, do minor surgical procedures like neuters and dental extractions. )

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