Ryan Robbins wrote:


Hairball remedy is made for cats. Over-the-counter medicine for people is
not. I don't care if an over-the-counter medicine for people is recommended
in a book; books aren't inherently accurate.


Did you know that most pet medications are based from people
medications? The last time I got antibiotics for Maynard, it was
bubblegum flavored. And that was handed to me at the vet's office.

Also, two different vets, on 3 different occasions told me to buy over
the counter antacids to give with the antibiotics. When Maynard was
having liver failure, I was told to get Milk Thistle and another people
medication. When my mom's collie had severe arthritis, she was told to
buy generic glucosamine since it is much cheaper than buyer the "pet"
version. My first dog was prescribed half a children's chewable aspiren
back before glucosamine became common. And Neosporin (the kind
*without* pain reliever)
was recommended to my sister when treating an abcess. And just last
week, I was told to give Kira Chlortrimeton (over the counter people
medicine) for allergies.

All of these are people medications, available over the counter, and
recommended by a real vet. Why? Because they know it works, and it is
cheaper than buying the same thing listed as a pet medication.

I'm sure that many vets recommonded pepto bismal back when it was good,
and I suspect a few recommended it even after it changed since it would
have taken a while for vets to realize the ingredients had changed.

You may not believe the books (even when they are written by vets), but
real vets recommend people medications all the time. If you have pets
long enough, you will find this out. And then you won't judge people
for using the things they have been told to use, especially people
medications.

Oh, and most people medications were tested on animals, whether you
agree with it or not, so often, they know the results in animals. Also,
because the approval process is easier, many of them become official
medications in animals first.


How many people would expect the ingredients to change? The stuff has
worked for years. Why would the company change it? And to change in a
way that would make it dangerous to cats?

Because it wasn't made for cats.

You didn't answer the questions. You just repeated why you believe it
should never have been used. So, years ago, when it was fine, you would
rather go to the vet and pay 3-4 times the price for the same
ingredients in a bottle labeled for cats. Good for you. Do you go to
the vet to buy rubbing alcohol with a cat on it, or do you just use the
kind from the grocery store?

Honestly, it sounds like you are very judgemental about something that
was used for years by many cat owners, and recommended for years by
vets.