Prescription Refills During Dr. Petroff’s Leave
Dear Clients,
As many of you know, Dr. Petroff will be taking her board examinations this fall. This is an exciting milestone, and while she is away, our team is committed to helping ensure your pet’s treatment continues as smoothly as possible.
To help you prepare, we’ve outlined some important information regarding prescription refills during her absence.
Dr. Petroff’s Availability
Dr. Petroff will be out of the office August 15 through October 13.
Prescription Refills Through Our Hospital
If your pet has been examined by Dr. Petroff within the past year and has authorized refills remaining, our team will continue to process those refills while she is away.
To help avoid any interruption in your pet’s medications, we encourage you to review your supply and request any needed refills before August 15.
Online Pharmacy Refills
If you receive your pet’s medications through our Vetcove online pharmacy, or through an outside pharmacy such as Chewy, please make sure your pet has enough authorized refills available to last until Dr. Petroff returns on October 13.
Because Dr. Petroff will not be available to review or authorize new prescription requests during her leave, any new prescription requests submitted through Vetcove, Chewy, or another pharmacy cannot be approved during this time.
If your pet exhausts their authorized refills while Dr. Petroff is away, new prescriptions should be requested through your primary care veterinarian.
Controlled Substance Medications
Some behavioral medications – including alprazolam, lorazepam, Bonqat, clonazepam, pregabalin, and diazepam – are classified as controlled substances and are subject to federal and state prescribing regulations.
These medications:
- May only be prescribed in a maximum 30-day supply.
- Cannot have refills authorized.
- Require a new prescription each time they are dispensed.
Because of these regulations, we will be unable to issue new controlled substance prescriptions while Dr. Petroff is away.
If your pet will need one of these medications during her leave, we recommend contacting your primary care veterinarian well in advance to discuss continuing the prescription. Per DEA regulations, your veterinarian must have examined your pet within the past six months and hold a current DEA registration in order to prescribe controlled substances.
If your primary care veterinarian is unable to prescribe your pet’s medication for any reason, please let us know. Our Internal Medicine service can review your pet’s medical record and work with you to help coordinate care so that every effort is made to avoid an interruption in treatment.
We’re Here to Help
If you have any questions about your pet’s medications or think you may need refills during Dr. Petroff’s leave, please reach out before August 15 so we can help you plan ahead.
Kendal will be in the office Tuesday through Friday for most of Dr. Petroff’s leave and will continue assisting clients with authorized prescription refills, answering questions, and coordinating care whenever possible.
Thank you for planning ahead with us. We know how important consistency is for pets receiving behavioral treatment, and our team is committed to supporting you and your pet while Dr. Petroff is away. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming her back on October 13, 2026.
Sincerely,
The Behavior Department at Gold Coast Center for Veterinary Care