How to Store Your Pet’s Medication: Liquids, Tablets, and Chews

Where should your pet’s medication live between doses? It’s a question that comes up a lot, and it tends to come up most in summer and winter, when heat and cold make people second-guess the kitchen cabinet.

The answer depends on what kind of medication you have. A liquid, a tablet, and a chew don’t all get stored the same way, and two liquids can need completely different spots in your house.

The short answer

Your pet’s label, or the directions your pharmacist gave you, is always the final word. As a general guide:

• Oil-based liquids: room temperature, out of direct sunlight
• Water-based liquids (aqueous suspensions): in the refrigerator, shaken vigorously before every dose
• Tablets, capsules, and chews: room temperature, unless the label says to refrigerate

First, figure out which kind of liquid you have

Liquid medications generally come in two types, and they’re stored differently.

Oil-based liquids

Some liquid medications are made with an oil base instead of water. You may hear a pharmacist call these anhydrous, which just means “without water.” Oil-based liquids are generally kept at room temperature.

The spot you pick still matters. A cupboard or a closet shelf that stays at a steady temperature is a good choice. What you want to avoid is anywhere the bottle can warm up, like a windowsill that gets afternoon sun.

Water-based liquids

Other liquids use water as the base. When the medication is spread throughout the water instead of fully dissolved in it, it’s called an aqueous suspension. Water-based suspensions are typically kept in the refrigerator.

Not sure which one you have?

You don’t need to work out the chemistry yourself. Look at the storage line on the label. It will usually say something like “refrigerate” or “store at room temperature.” If the label doesn’t say, or you can’t read it, call the pharmacy that filled the prescription. It’s a quick call.

Why a water-based suspension usually needs shaking

A suspension doesn’t stay evenly mixed on its own. As it sits in the fridge, the medication slowly settles toward the bottom of the bottle.

If you draw up a dose without shaking first, you could end up giving your pet a lot of liquid and very little medication. And whatever you skipped at the top is still sitting at the bottom. Either way, your pet isn’t getting the dose your veterinarian prescribed.

Your label is the final word on this. Where it tells you to shake, a few habits make it easy:

• Shake hard. A gentle swirl won’t do it. Shake the bottle vigorously right before you measure.
• Shake before every dose. Not just the first time you open the bottle, unless your label says otherwise.
• Check the bottom. If you can still see medication stuck to the bottom after shaking, keep going. If it won’t mix back in, call your pharmacy before giving it.
• Measure with the right tool. Use the syringe or measuring device that came with the prescription, not a kitchen spoon.

If an oil-based liquid is also labeled “shake well,” shake that one too. When in doubt, go with the label.

Tablets, capsules, and chews

Solid medications are more straightforward. Unless the package says to refrigerate, or your pharmacist told you directly to keep them cold, store them at room temperature in a dry spot away from heat and sunlight.

Keep them in their original container so the label, with your pet’s name, the dose, the directions, and the beyond-use date, stays with the medication.

Where not to keep your pet’s medication

Some of the most convenient spots in the house are also the ones to avoid.

• The bathroom. Hot showers bring heat and humidity, and a medicine cabinet over the sink gets both.
• The car. A parked car heats up fast in summer and gets very cold in winter. Bring medication inside as soon as you get home.
• Near heat sources. That includes the stove, the dishwasher, the top of the refrigerator, and sunny windowsills.
• The refrigerator door. If your medication needs refrigeration, keep it on a shelf in the main compartment, since the door warms up every time it’s opened. Keep it out of the freezer, too.
• Anywhere your pet can reach. Compounded medications are often flavored so pets will take them more willingly. That same flavor can make a bottle of chews look a lot like a treat. Keep medication in a closed cabinet or up high, and store it separately from pet food and treats. If your pet gets into their medication, or another pet’s, call your veterinarian or a pet poison control line right away.

Pay attention to the beyond-use date

Compounded medications are labeled with a beyond-use date, and that date assumes the medication has been stored the way the label directs. Once the date passes, don’t use what’s left, even if there’s still some in the bottle. Ask your pharmacy how to dispose of it.

A note on shipping in summer and winter

If a water-based liquid is being shipped to you, it should travel cold, packed with ice or cold packs. When it arrives, the bottle shouldn’t feel hot. If it does, don’t give a dose. Call the pharmacy that filled it.

For a step-by-step list, see what to check when your pet’s medication arrives.

When to call your pharmacy

Call the pharmacy that filled the prescription if:

• The label is missing, hard to read, or doesn’t include storage instructions
• A suspension won’t mix back together after a vigorous shake
• The medication looks, smells, or feels different from the last time you gave it
• A refrigerated medication was left out, or any medication was left in a hot car
• A shipment arrived hot or frozen

Frequently asked questions

Does my dog’s liquid medication need to be refrigerated?

It depends on the base. Water-based suspensions are typically refrigerated, while oil-based liquids are generally kept at room temperature. The same goes for cats. Your pet’s label is the final word for their specific prescription.

What counts as room temperature for medication?

For medication storage, room temperature generally means about 68 to 77F. Refrigerated storage generally means 36 to 46F.

My pet’s refrigerated medication was left out overnight. Can I still use it?

Don’t guess. Call the pharmacy that filled it, tell them roughly how long it was out and how warm the room was, and follow their guidance.

Why does my pet’s liquid medication say “shake well”?

In a suspension, the medication settles to the bottom over time. Shaking spreads it evenly through the liquid again before you measure a dose.

Should I refrigerate tablets and chews just to be safe?

Only if the label or your pharmacist says to. Otherwise, stick with the room temperature storage on the label rather than adding refrigeration on your own.

Where is the best place to keep pet medication at home?

A closed cabinet or high shelf that stays at a steady room temperature, away from sunlight, humidity, and heat, and out of your pet’s reach. Medications that need refrigeration go on a shelf in the main compartment of the fridge.