The Safe Way to Dispose of Expired or Unused Veterinary Medications

Letting old prescriptions pile up is unsafe. Read this veterinarian's guide on the importance of proper medication disposal for animal drugs - including take-back tips and FDA guidelines.

Have you taken a look inside your medicine cabinet lately? If it's anything like most peoples, it's probably stuffed full of leftover pills, creams, and medications that are no longer needed. While it's easy to shove these unwanted medicines out of sight and out of mind, having unused or expired prescription drugs lying around the house is risky.

Let's look at why correctly done drug disposal is so critical and provide steps pet parents can take to responsibly get rid of unneeded medicines.

Dangers of Accumulating Old Medications

Letting unused prescriptions pile up in your home is extremely unsafe, both for your family and the environment. Here are some of the biggest risks:

1. Accidental poisoning

Pets getting into old medicine is a scary thought for any pet owner. According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, prescription human medications were the number one cause of pet poisonings in 2021. Just one outdated pill has the potential to make your pet extremely sick.

2. Misuse and abuse

Prescription drug misuse and abuse is another huge concern. Having addictive opioids like Tramadol or sedatives like Acepromazine lying around makes them tempting targets for misuse, especially among teenagers and young adults. The majority of people abusing prescription medications get them from friends and family. Proper disposal removes easy access to these drugs.

3. Overdose

Taking expired prescription drugs or mixing medications can also lead to accidental overdose. Drugs become more concentrated and potent as they break down over time. Old drugs could also potentially cause life-threatening consequences if taken with other medications.

4. Negative environmental impact

Flushing unwanted meds down the toilet or drain releases drug residues into waterways — which can lead to harming fish and wildlife. In addition, they can contaminate the ecosystem and flow back into our own drinking water. In short, it impacts everybody and everything if disposed in this way.

FDA Guidelines for Safe Disposal

The FDA recommends these best practices for medication disposal:

Take advantage of take-back programs

The FDA encourages using drug take-back programs as the best disposal method. Otherwise, unwanted meds can be thrown away at home by following specific steps.

Don't flush medicines

The FDA warns against flushing most medicines down the toilet or drain unless instructed to do so. If you flush drugs, it carries the residues into septic systems and water sources.

Mix drugs with unpalatable substances

If throwing drugs away at home, the FDA recommends mixing them with used coffee grounds, kitty litter, or another unappealing substance before putting them in the trash. This prevents children or animals from consuming contents.

Use opaque containers

Place the drug/undesirable mixture into a sealed plastic bag or opaque container like an empty yogurt tub. Doing this one small step conceals and contains the contents.

Remove personal information

Scratch out identifying info on the prescription label to protect confidentiality and identity.

The FDA provides a full explanation of these recommendations on their website - https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines

Disposal Options for Veterinary Medications

Safe disposal of veterinary drugs requires the same precautions as human medications. However, pet parents often have additional questions about getting rid of their animal's old medicines. Here are some disposal tips tailored for common veterinary medications:

Prescription medications

Follow the FDA recommendations above for any leftover prescription pet meds like heartworm prevention, antibiotics, steroids, pain relievers, anti-seizure drugs, etc. Do not save or reuse old prescriptions once the course of treatment is finished.

Flea/tick and parasite control products

Topical flea and tick preventatives, dewormers, heartworm meds, and other parasite controls should also be disposed of through take-back programs or by mixing with coffee grounds or kitty litter before placing in the household trash.

Medicated shampoos or sprays

For leftover pet shampoos, ear cleaners, mange treatments, or sprays, try to use up the entire bottle as directed. If some remains after completing treatment, mix any liquid product with an absorbent material like dirt or cat litter before putting it in the trash.

Compounded medications

Any compounded formulations or chemotherapeutics should be saved and disposed of at designated take-back locations to keep these specialized drugs out of landfills.

Ask us or the pharmacy how to dispose of these medications properly, we're happy to advise you on the safest methods.

At-Home Disposal Tips and Precautions

If no drug take-back programs are readily available in your area, disposal at home is the next safest option. Here are some important tips to follow:

• Obscure identifying information - Scratch out your pet's name, your name and address, and name of the prescribing veterinarian. This protects privacy.

• Avoid disposal in household trash - It's best not to dispose of potent medications, injectables, chemotherapeutics, or hormones in household trash. Take these to a dedicated collection site.

• Double bag - Any trash thrown out at home should be double-bagged to prevent content leakage.

• Hide in opaque containers - Use a sharpie to black out clear prescription bottles then place them inside an opaque container like a jar or tub before putting in the trash bag.

• Mix with unappealing substances - Coffee grounds, dirt, cat litter, or cooking oil can deter consumption of disposed medications.

• Avoid burning - Do not burn or incinerate medications, as toxic substances may be released into the air.

Ask us for disposal guidance specific to your pet's medications.

Options for Proper Disposal

With dangerous risks associated with improperly discarded drugs, what disposal options allow for safe medication removal? Here are some recommended methods:

1. Pharmacy take-back programs

Many pharmacy chains now have medication disposal bins on site, making this a quick and easy way to get rid of old prescriptions. Look for take-back receptacles at pharmacies close to your home.

2. Police department take-back

Local police stations often have designated prescription drug drop-off sites as well. Call your city police department to ask if they host community take-back events or have a permanent collection receptacle.

3. Mail-back programs

If other options aren't readily available, some pharmacies offer prepaid medication return packages. You package up your unused drugs and mail them back for disposal.

4. Household hazardous waste collection

Check with your city or county waste management program - some collect medications at scheduled residential hazardous waste drop-off events.

5. DEA authorized collectors

The DEA has an online search tool to locate registered collection sites near you. These DEA-authorized collectors safely dispose of medications.

The important thing is to act - don't let unused or expired medications accumulate. Talk to your veterinarian and consult FDA and DEA resources to utilize recommended disposal programs. Responsibly getting rid of old prescriptions protects your pets, family, community, and the environment.

The Bottom Line

Safe disposal of pet and human medications will protect you, your children, your pets, and the environment. As a veterinarian, Dr. Bhatt strongly encourages clients to promptly and properly dispose of any lingering or expired prescriptions. We also encourage you to raise awareness and share safety information with others, so we are all taking care of one another.