08/10/2026
🐾 “Why can’t you just give me the medication?” — Understanding veterinary medicine classifications 💊
We know that sometimes it can feel like your veterinary team is being difficult or “awkward” when we ask questions, request a check-up, or say that we can’t simply dispense a particular medication.
We promise — it’s not us being awkward! ❤️
Veterinary medicines are divided into different legal categories, and each category has specific rules about who can prescribe or supply them.
Here’s a quick guide:
🔴 POM-V – Prescription Only Medicine – Veterinarian
These medicines can only be prescribed following a clinical assessment by a veterinary surgeon, and the animal must be under that vet’s care.
Examples include many commonly used prescription medications such as antibiotics, steroids, pain relief and long-term medications.
This means that, if your pet needs a POM-V medicine, your vet may need to examine them before prescribing or continuing treatment.
🟠 POM-VPS – Prescription Only Medicine – Veterinarian, Pharmacist or SQP
These medicines can be prescribed by a suitably qualified professional, such as a vet, pharmacist or appropriately qualified SQP. A clinical examination isn't necessarily required, but the person prescribing must have enough information to make sure the medicine is appropriate and can be used safely.
🟡 NFA-VPS – Non-Food Animal – Veterinarian, Pharmacist or SQP
These medicines don't require a prescription, but they can only be supplied by an appropriately qualified person who must follow specific requirements when supplying them.
🟢 AVM-GSL – General Sales List
These are the least restricted veterinary medicines and can legally be sold without the involvement of a vet, pharmacist or SQP.
📋 So why do we sometimes ask questions or need to check your pet?
Because the law requires veterinary professionals to make sure that the medicine is appropriate for that particular animal and that it can be used safely.
For prescription medicines, we may need information such as:
🐶 Your pet's species and weight
🎂 Their age
💊 Other medications they are taking
❤️ Their general health
🤰 Whether they are pregnant or lactating
📋 What the medication is being used to treat
💡 Whether you know how to administer it safely
These aren't questions we're asking to make life difficult — they're part of our legal and professional responsibilities. The Veterinary Medicines Regulations specifically require the person supplying certain medicines to be satisfied that the product is suitable and that it will be used safely.
And sometimes, unfortunately, the answer really does have to be “no”.
Even if your pet has had the same medication before, we may not legally be able to dispense it without the appropriate prescription, assessment or information.
We completely understand that this can sometimes be frustrating — especially when your pet has been taking the same medication for a long time. But these regulations exist to protect your pet, you, and the wider community, and we're legally required to follow them.
So next time we ask a few extra questions, request a check-up, or explain why we can't simply hand over a medication, please know:
❤️ We're not being awkward.
🐾 We're not trying to make things difficult.
⚖️ We're following the law and doing our job properly.
And ultimately, it's all about making sure your pet receives the right medication, at the right dose, for the right reason, as safely as possible.
