Some issues have occurred with specialists or referral veterinary surgeons advising clients to request repeat prescriptions of drugs, if they become necessary, from their general practice veterinary surgeon (GP).
The Board advises that veterinary surgeons must not prescribe a scheduled drug for an animal unless they have examined the animal within the previous 7 days and satisfied themselves that the scheduled drug is appropriate for the treatment of the animal.
Specialists and referral veterinary surgeons need to ensure that they do not place the GP in the difficult position of having to inform an owner that they cannot provide a repeat prescription of the drug without a consultation, despite what the specialist or referral veterinary surgeon may have told them.
The Board recommends that specialists or referral veterinary surgeons inform clients that they may obtain a repeat prescription from their general practice veterinary surgeon, but if the veterinary surgeon has not recently examined the animal they may need to bring their animal to the practice for a physical examination first.
