Prescription meds for cats

[Iamthemoom]

I have four much loved, healthy cats who use prescription flea treatment Prinovox. I just contacted the vet to ask for a repeat prescription.

The vet refused for two of my cats without seeing them. They are super healthy and their weights haven't changed. I don't want to put them through the unnecessary stress of vets visits just for this. She suggested a £120 home visit instead! Obviously this is a huge amount of money for an unnecessary visit.

I asked for clarification and got the following. Is this true? Can anyone shed light on why cats would need stressful vet appointments every 6 months for a flea treatment?

"On January 11th 2024 New legislation was issued by the royal veterinary board that med reviews are mandatory for written prescriptions every 6 months.
Therefore it is requested by law for all vets to do a 6 month health check for any medication that is prescription."

I understand it stressful for the cats, I completely agree, however I'm sure how anyone on here can answer when you quoted the actual legislation there. It's mandatory and I guess that's that.

I was quoting what the vets told me. I haven't read or heard this anywhere else so I wondered what other peoples experiences were with their vets.

It’s true. They can’t prescribe without seeing your pet.

Also I have looked online and cannot find this change in guidance anywhere. Of course it makes sense for serious conditions and meds but I'm surprised this would be the law for flea meds. My vets want you to charge me £120 per cat home visit, £17 prescription fee, £48 meds every six months x 4 cats. I'm struggling to believe it's 'law'.

Of course the first time but every six months? Just for flea treatment? And that's now law? It seems excessive and financially exploitative plus putting cats through unnecessary stress.

Yes it has changed. I agree with stressful for the cats and owners. I’m not sure what prompted the change in the law.

The guidance was meant to come in last September. It was then delayed till January. We in the veterinary world are just as frustrated but we have to follow legal requirements. Although we will see animals annually for flea checks if they don't come in for a vaccine each year.

What a ridiculously counter-productive law. Surely the main effect will be that people who are just about coping with increasing pet costs will not get their cats flea treated at all, or just for half a year after a check-up, or use potentially dangerous non-prescription options. I‘m so glad I‘m not in the UK!

Thank you for clarifying - my vets are lovely and we love the home visit service but they are always trying to sell us additional services, special food, pet plans etc so I was a bit dubious! They're saying every 6 months which seems crazy. It's also eating up appointments genuinely sick pets need.

I think so too. I've just worked out that for our four cats this would be almost £750 a year!!!

In fact scrap that - it's £750 every 6 months!!! So £1500 a year!