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Exposure to veterinary drugs most common in younger children
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Children younger than five years of age appear to be at the greatest risk for exposure to veterinary pharmaceutical products, although most do not result in a serious medical issue, according to findings published in Pediatrics.
“Although previous veterinary pharmaceutical studies have focused on occupational hazards among veterinary health professionals, none have examined pediatric exposure,” the researchers wrote. “With nearly 63% of all U.S. households, or 74.1 million, owning at least one pet and one-half of households with a child ≤ 19 years of age, the risk for exposure to pet medication is high.”
Suzanne Tomasi, DVM, MPH, of the Center for Injury Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Ohio State University, and colleagues performed a retrospective analysis of children (classified as individuals 19 years of age or less) exposed to veterinary pharmaceutical products from 1999 to 2013. Data was collected from exposures reported to a regional poison control center.
The researchers examined case narratives and coded them in regard to the circumstances surrounding the exposure and the species that was supposed to receive the medication. Descriptive statistics were then generated.
During the study period, the Central Ohio Poison Center received 1,431 calls about a child’s exposure to a veterinary pharmaceutical product. The majority of these calls (87.6%) were in regard to children 5 years of age and younger.
Exploratory behavior, such as finding the veterinary medication by climbing on the counter or searching through a bag, was the most common situation that led to an exposure (61.4%). Ingestion was the most frequently reported route of exposure, occurring in 93% of cases. Children were most often exposed to several types of medications, including veterinary drugs without a comparable human agent (17.3%), antimicrobial agents (14.8%) and antiparasitics (14.6%).
Most exposures (96.9%) were not anticipated to cause long-term or lasting health concerns and were handled at home (94.1%), based on the type of substance, and the amount, that children were exposed to. Some exposures (n = 80; 5.6%) resulted in referral to a health care facility, although only two had a moderate health impact.
“To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe the epidemiologic characteristics of veterinary pharmaceutical products among children ≤ 5 years of age,” the researchers wrote. “Despite current pharmaceutical prevention efforts and packing regulations, parents and caregivers may not recognize the potential risk for veterinary pharmaceutical product exposures in their home. Prevention and education efforts should focus on appropriate product dispensing, home storage practices and proper medication delivery to help reduce the risk.” – by Julia Ernst, MS
Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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