The 2021 Korea Pet Show bustles with visitors at an exhibition center in Seoul on Nov. 26, 2021. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 4 (Korea Bizwire) — A growing number of pet owners are turning to online communities for help as many of them lack sufficient information on how to administer medication for their pets.
The College of Pharmacy at the Catholic University of Korea conducted a survey of 111 animal enthusiasts, in which 61 of them visited veterinary clinics only to buy medication.
Among the respondents, 34 visited both veterinary clinics and ordinary pharmacies, and 11 visited ordinary pharmacies only.
When purchasing medication at an ordinary pharmacy, 57 people said the pharmacist provided detailed instructions on the medicine’s usage, while 13 people said otherwise.
Another 29 people were provided with a thorough explanation of potential side effects, while 43 others were not.
Online communities were a last resort for help for 45 respondents, who sought information that the pharmacists failed to provide, while 37 people asked veterinary clinics.
As for the type of medication, 91 people bought heartworm drugs, followed by external parasite drugs (52 people), intestinal parasite drugs (47 people), anti-inflammatory drugs for ears (40 people), ointment for the skin (36 people) and vaccines (23 people).
Except for heartworm drugs and skin ointment, many people did not know the name of the medication they used.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
