You broke EPA rules

I've been a Firstline reader for some time now. The articles are relevant and interesting. However, I don't agree with the recommendation in Pam Weakley's article, "Keep Costs Affordable" (April 2009), to break up packages and sell one pill of heartworm preventive or tube of topical flea or tick control at a time. This goes against Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. All medicines must be sold with the manufacturer's package insert. You can't provide this information to clients if you're breaking up prepackaged items.

Laurie Smith, RVT, head technician

Peachtree Hills Animal Hospital

Atlanta, Ga.

Pam Weakley clarifies

The EPA requires the product insert sheet be sent home with every applicable product. It's a safety issue. For example, if a child were to ingest a topical flea product, the insert has information for the parent and hospital. There are stiff fines if this rule isn't followed. What you can do—and what we do with all of our EPA-approved products—is make copies of the inserts. We keep the copies with the products so when a package is split we can staple an insert to the purchased items. This way, the client has the information we're required by law to dispense with the product.