veterinary medicine legislation

[The Original Kao]

I'm having a discussion with some random stranger (as you do ) on facebook and he's telling me it's illegal to treat my dog with human medicines.
His words: If you give any animal any human medicine without checking with your vet first you would be breaking the law. You might also find that it has to be actually prescribed by a vet before you can use it, even though it is the same as the human one prescribed by your doctor.

Now I always thought for the likes of kennel cough I could just go out and get benelyin for kids to give the dog if they seemed well enough or give them half an aspirin if they seem sore but not bad enough to see the vet for example but by the sounds of that and what the evidence I've read it seems not but TBH my heads pickled

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/2297/part/2/made

No 7 part 4. ^
Or does that part just cover the pharmicist?

 

[Skippys Mum]

Aha! that will be why my local chemist pretended not to hear me when I went for eye drops for the dog!!

 

[EAST KENT]

NEVER say it is for an animal..be inventive!

 

[paulineh]

have always asked my vet first when I am at the surgery so that in the future I can use it.

 

[The Original Kao]

Glad to know they were talking out of their bums.

 

[Benlot]

This is because of the licensing laws, ie; a product has to be tested and licensed for use on specific species. If an adverse reaction occured you would have no comeback whatsoever on the drug manufacturers.

 

[SusieT]

But there are human dogs that dogs and cats cannot have so be careful! Aspirin being a very good example for cats!

 

[Pendlehog]

I'm an AMTRA SQP so we have to know all this tosh...

Effectively you can no longer prescribe or use human medication for a dog UNLESS specifically prescribed by a vet under CASCADE. This can only be done if there is no licensed alternative available for the animal in question OR for another animal species.
In the past vets were able to prescribe the human equivalent where availabe, as it was often cheaper for the owner. A lot of veterinary formulations are no different to the human version.

Regarding things like benilyn or eye drops, these cannot be prescribed for animals but providing they are used under veterinary advise you would not be prosecuted (there is really no benefit in doing so unless you substitute them for proper veterinary attention or otherwise cause suffering through their use/misuse.)

In terms of getting them from the chemist, just say it's for you/your kids
(That doesn't constitute professional advice )

 

[The Original Kao]

Thanks very much Pendlehog, clears a lot up