Managing Medications

Use Medications to maintain the catalog of medications your organization uses for prescriptions and medical records. Medication records store dosing defaults, routes, prescription requirements, cost estimates, warnings, and active prescription links.

Viewing Medications

Open Medical, then select Medications. The page shows a searchable table of medication records.

The table includes:

• Medication: Medication name and manufacturer
• Type: Medication category
• Dosage: Default dosage and default frequency when provided
• Prescription Required: Yes or no badge
• Estimated Cost: Typical cost when provided

Use search, filters, sorting controls, the page size selector, and pagination to manage long medication lists. If no medications exist yet, PawPlacer shows an empty state with an action to add your first medication.

Adding a New Medication

1. Click Add Medication
2. Complete the form sections
3. Click Save

Basic Information

• Name (required): Medication name
• Type: Medication category
• Manufacturer: Brand or manufacturer
• Prescription Required: Whether a veterinary prescription is required
• Description: What the medication is used for or other reference notes

Dosage Information

• Available Doses: Add one or more dose options. You can enter multiple doses separated by commas.
• Default Dosage: Select from the available doses, or enter a custom default when no doses have been added
• Default Frequency: Typical schedule, such as once daily or every 12 hours
• Default Route: Default administration route

Additional Information

• Estimated Cost: Typical cost for this medication
• Warnings and Contraindications: Safety notes, handling instructions, side effects, or contraindications

When this medication is selected on a prescription form, PawPlacer can show available doses and automatically fill default dosage, frequency, and route fields.

Bulk Uploading Medications

The Medications page includes a Bulk Upload action. Use it to import medications from a CSV or Excel file.

The upload accepts:

• Required column: name
• Optional columns: type, manufacturer, description, default_dosage, dosage, default_frequency, frequency, default_route, route, doses, estimated_cost, cost, prescription_required, warning

The uploader previews parsed medications before saving them. You can also download the sample CSV from the upload dialog.

Editing a Medication

1. Click on any medication in the list
2. On the medication profile, click the edit icon
3. Update the form
4. Click Save

Deleting a Medication

1. Open the medication profile
2. Open the profile actions menu and choose Delete
3. Confirm your choice when prompted

Medications with active prescriptions cannot be deleted until those prescriptions are completed, stopped, or moved to another medication.

Understanding Medication Details

Medication profiles use the compact profile layout. A profile includes:

• A header with the medication name, description, type, manufacturer, prescription requirement, and estimated cost
• Metric cards for active prescriptions, default dosing, and estimated cost
• Details for type, prescription requirement, and estimated cost
• Manufacturer information when provided
• Warning information when provided
• An activity timeline based on recent active prescriptions
• Active prescription cards linking to related prescription profiles
• A dosing section with default dosage, frequency, route, and available doses

Medications marked as requiring a prescription display a prescription-required tag and warning-colored status badge on the profile.

How Medications Integrate with Pet Medical Records

Medications added to your database will be available when:

1. Creating prescriptions: Select a medication and reuse its default dosage, frequency, route, and warnings
2. Recording exams, vaccinations, and procedures: Add medication entries while documenting care
3. Managing pet medical histories: Keep medication names consistent across prescription tiles and medical timelines
4. Reviewing medication profiles: See active prescriptions that currently use the medication

Pet Medication Assignments

Prescriptions are the pet-specific medication assignment. A prescription tracks:

• Start and end dates for medication regimens
• Custom dosage and frequency for each pet
• Administration route and amount
• Prescribing veterinarian
• Status (Active, Completed, or Stopped)

This integration ensures consistent medication naming and complete medical histories for all your pets.

Tips for Effective Medication Management

• Use specific medication names rather than general categories (e.g., "Amoxicillin 250mg" instead of just "Antibiotic")
• Add multiple available doses for medications that come in different strengths
• Fill in default dosage information to save time when prescribing
• Include manufacturer information to distinguish between brands
• Select appropriate medication types for better organization
• Add warnings for medications with special handling requirements or side effects
• Accurately mark prescription requirements to ensure proper handling
• Include estimated costs to help budget for medical expenses
• Review your medication list periodically to remove outdated entries
• Use bulk upload when migrating a larger medication catalog

Best Practices

• Keep medication records current and accurate
• Include detailed descriptions for reference
• Use consistent naming conventions
• Regularly update the medication database as veterinarians prescribe new medications
• Complete or stop old prescriptions before deleting medications