Therapeutic pet food requires no veterinarian prescription, pharmacy board rules

Columbus, Ohio - 5/20/08 - Prescriptions and veterinarian-client-patient relationships are not needed for consumers to purchase therapeutic pet food.

The ruling comes from the Ohio Board of Pharmacy, which issued an update to veterinarians stating that Ohio law does not consider therapeutic food a "dangerous drug," and, therefore, requires no prescription oversight.

Pharmacy board Executive Director Bill Winsley likens such products to Tylenol, which is sold over-the-counter. In addition, federal regulations do not restrict the sale of therapeutic pet foods to veterinary practices, he says.