You may wonder why we require regular medication rechecks for pets on long-term medications, and why we charge prescription fees. So we thought to explain why!

Medication rechecks
There are national legal guidelines for the veterinary prescribing, authorising and dispensing of medications, along with related government legislation in regards to prescription medications which our veterinary team must adhere to. Any breach of this legislation can be deemed unprofessional conduct which can, at worst, result in the loss of a veterinarian’s licence to practice.

One such guideline states that the prescription or supply of veterinary medications can only occur within the bounds of a valid veterinarian-client relationship. This requires the vet to have recently seen and examined the pet, and have records relating to this animal.

As a result, our vets are legally bound to re-examine your pet at regular intervals in order to continue long-term prescriptions. Additionally, these re-examinations are important for your pet’s health, allowing us to check that their medical needs haven’t changed in a way that would necessitate adjusting their medication type or dosage, e.g. your pet requiring a dosage increase for a worsening in their condition, or developing another health problem which means they can no longer safely tolerate certain drugs.

Prescription fees
This fee covers the veterinarian’s time for reviewing your pet’s history (including any concurrent health conditions or medications) to prescribe the safest drug type and dosage for them.

It also covers the costs associated with replacing medications (as many unfinished medications must be discarded several days to weeks after they’re opened), plus the staff time spent ordering, unpacking, correctly storing and dispensing these drugs.

In short, the prescription fee reflects our expertise and effort in ensuring that your animal receives the safest medical treatment.

For more personalised advice on prescription pet medications, please ask our knowledgeable team.