Here’s a question.
When you purchase a “Prescription Diet” from your vet clinic or pet food store, do you legally need a prescription?
Here is the scoop.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc, (makers of Science Diet) got a patent for the name “prescription diet”. Yup, they own it. Competing pet food companies must use a different description on their label, such as “therapeutic diet” or “veterinary diet” to avoid a copyright infringement lawsuit.
Adding to the confusion is a statement made in December of 2010 by Dr. Bernadette Dunham, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicinesaying that because prescription pet food diets are marketed to cure or treat disease, they are “considered drugs under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.”
This statement prompted an outcry from veterinarians and the public demanding clarification – so much so that the FDA scrubbed the page from their website.
The facts are this:
– Veterinary Diets do not contain prescription drugs.
– Veterinary diets do not have the label “Caution: Federal law restricts this drug to sale by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.”
– You pay tax in many states when buying veterinary diets, just like regular pet food.
– Veterinary diet manufacturers do not have to complete the FDA approval process when changing ingredients, unlike prescription drugs.
So, the answer is no, you do NOT legally need a prescription to purchase a “veterinary prescription diet.” (oops, we meant “therapeutic diet.” Please don’t sue us, Hills.)
But, most veterinarians and pet food stores will not sell the so-called prescription diet without a prescription because they do not want to make any waves with the manufacturers. Even so, veterinarian involvement is a good idea because some diets can be misused and cause a worsening of certain medical conditions.
Veterinary therapeutic diets often have undesirable ingredients such as corn and by-products, but are considered a “sacred cow” with pet food critics.
Some veterinarians will recommend alternative “healthier” foods for Fido by addressing the underlying cause and nutritional needs of a medical condition, including kidney issues and even urinary crystals.
Blue Buffalo Blues.
Blue Buffalo is getting sued. Nestle Purina Corporation, makers of some of the lowest rated pet foods, is suing Blue Buffalo alleging false advertising and disparagement. Nestle claims, among other things, that independent testing revealed chicken by-product meal, and rice hulls in Blue Buffalo’s grain free diets.
While the big names are snarling and fighting in court, and in the aftermath of thousands of pet deaths from tainted pet foods, (many from Nestle Purina) we recommend playing it safe.
What you can do.
- Purchase a pet food that uses fresh, human grade ingredients and is locally sourced from the USA or Canada. Note: Made in the USA does not mean the ingredients are from the USA, and don’t be fooled by the word “certified.”
- Choose a pet food that does not contain filler ingredients such as corn, or cheap protein sources such as by-product meal.