Veterinary Compounding Pharmacy

Key Takeaways

• What it is: Veterinary compounding means a licensed pharmacist prepares a pet medication in the exact strength and form your veterinarian prescribes.
• Who it helps: Pets that won’t swallow pills, very small or very large animals, picky eaters, and pets that need a dose or combination that isn’t sold commercially.
• Forms available: Transdermal gels, flavored suspensions (liquids), medicated treats, mini tabs, chew tabs and capsules.
• What we make: More than 40 standing formulas covering thyroid disease, heart disease, seizures, pain, infections, anxiety and behavior, urinary health, Cushing’s disease, diabetes supplies and more, plus custom formulas on request.
• How to get it: Every compound requires a written prescription from your veterinarian for your individual pet. Vets can fax, email or call our lab directly.
• Trust: Watkins is a PCAB accredited compounding pharmacy and has served West Michigan since 1913.

What Is Veterinary Compounding?

Veterinary compounding is the process of preparing a medication specifically for one animal. Instead of using a pill made for an average human or an average-sized dog, a pharmacist starts with pharmaceutical ingredients and makes the medicine in the strength, form and flavor that fits your pet.

Most people discover pet compounding the hard way: after a week of hiding pills in cheese, wrapping a cat in a towel, or cutting tiny tablets into quarters that never seem to split evenly. A compounding pharmacy for pets solves those problems at the source. Your veterinarian still decides what your pet needs. We make it easier to give.

Compounding is especially helpful when:

• Your pet won’t take pills. Cats in particular are famous for it. A transdermal gel or a flavored treat can replace the daily struggle.
• The dose doesn’t exist commercially. A 4 pound cat and a 120 pound dog may need the same drug at very different strengths.
• Your pet needs a liquid. Small animals, senior pets, and pets with trouble swallowing often do better with a measured oral suspension.
• A medication has been discontinued or is on backorder. We can often prepare the drug your vet needs when the commercial version is hard to get.
• Your pet has allergies or sensitivities. Compounding allows us to leave out dyes, fillers or other ingredients your pet can’t tolerate.

A quick note on regulation: compounded medications are prepared by a licensed pharmacy for an individual patient, and they are not FDA-approved products. That’s why every compound we make requires a written prescription from a veterinarian who knows your pet.

Easier Ways to Give Your Pet Medicine

The biggest reason pet owners come to us is simple: their animal won’t take its medication. We offer several dosage forms so your veterinarian can choose the one that fits your pet’s personality and needs.

Transdermal Gels (Rub-On Medication)

Transdermal medication is applied to the skin, usually the hairless inner part of a cat’s ear, and absorbed from there. No pills, no forcing the mouth open, no spit-out tablets under the couch. Our transdermal gels are dispensed in a metered applicator where 2 clicks equals 0.1 ml, so you give the same measured dose every time.

Transdermal options on our standing formulary include methimazole, gabapentin, prednisolone, fluoxetine, mirtazapine and buprenorphine.

Flavored Oral Suspensions (Liquids)

A suspension is a liquid medication measured with an oral syringe. Liquids make it easy to give small, precise doses and are ideal for tiny pets, senior animals, and pets that can’t swallow a tablet. Most of our formulary is available as a suspension. 

Medicated Treats

Some medications can be made into a treat your pet thinks is a reward. We currently offer methimazole treats and prednisolone treats, and our customers tell us medicated cat treats make giving daily meds dramatically easier.

Mini Tabs, Chew Tabs and Capsules

For pets that do take pills, a properly sized tablet or capsule can remove the guesswork of splitting. We make gabapentin, metronidazole and mirtazapine mini tabs, potassium bromide (KBRO-VET) chew tabs, and capsules in many strengths, including custom strengths your vet specifies.

How to Order Compounded Pet Medication

For Pet Owners

1. Talk to your veterinarian. Ask whether your pet’s medication can be compounded into an easier form, such as a liquid, a transdermal gel or a treat. Mention Watkins Pharmacy by name.
2. Your vet sends the prescription. All compounds require a written prescription for each individual pet. Your vet can fax or email it to us, or use our veterinary prescription forms.
3. We prepare the medication. Our compounding lab makes your pet’s medication to the prescribed strength and form.
4. Pick up or have it delivered. Pick up at our Muskegon location, or ask about local delivery and shipping.

If you have questions before talking to your vet, call us at (231) 739-7158.

For Veterinarians and Clinic Staff

Our veterinary prescription forms cover our full standing formulary across five sheets, with checkboxes for strength, quantity, refills and SIG, plus space for patient weight, species and allergies.

Ways to send a prescription:

• Fax: (231) 737-1329
• Email: watkinspharmacy@watkinspharmacy.com
• Compounding lab direct: (231) 683-1708
• Main pharmacy: (231) 739-7158

Please include the patient’s name, species, weight and any known allergies, along with the prescriber’s name, signature, DEA number (where required) and office phone. For controlled substances, contact the pharmacy directly. Hydrocodone prescriptions must be given to the pet owner in writing and cannot be called or faxed in.

Need a strength, combination or dosage form that isn’t on our forms? Call the lab. Custom formulas are welcome.

Frequently Asked Questions