Important Changes to the regulations on prescribing medication
From September 2023, all veterinary surgeons must have done a clinical exam before dispensing any Prescription Only Medication. There are some instances where that exam does not mean a physical exam but there are cases where an exam MUST take place. The rules are new and the sector as a whole are still trying to understand how to best implement them but at Bright Side Vets we are implementing the following:
- For all controlled (e.g. Gabapentin), anti-biotic, anti-viral or anti-fungal drugs you must have a physical exam before medication is prescribed. The vet is now ONLY ALLOWED to dispense 30 days of medication at a time. Pets will have to be seen back when more is required.
- For parasiticides (flea and worm treatment), pets must have a physical exam every 12 months (minimum) in order for the veterinary surgeon to prescribe for the whole year. If there is a reaction to the initial medication dispensed you may need to be seen again before further medication can be dispensed. Please note that a visit with the vet is chargeable unless you are a member of our VIPets Premium plan.
If we have never seen your pet before, you will be invited to a Welcome to Bright Side consult. This includes a full nose to tail health check by one of our veterinary surgeons. This will enable us to prescribe parasiticides and any other medication that he or she has been routinely prescribed in the past.
If you wish to learn more about the changes, please refer to our governing body and the information provided on their website.