Use of veterinary chemicals
It is important to maintain a record of use of veterinary chemicals including date of administration and withholding period. Pain relief products, drenches, vaccines, parasiticides, and antibiotics are classified as veterinary chemicals.
Producers must follow all label directions when using pain relief products and all other veterinary chemicals and comply with the WHP. If a producer is to use a product other than as listed on the label (‘off-label use’) they need written directions from their veterinary surgeon to do so.
The Buccalgesic® and NumOcaine® products recently changed poisons scheduling, and no longer require a veterinary prescription. However, there may be a delay getting newly labelled products into retail stores. NumOcaine® and Tri-Solfen® are S5 products, and Buccalgesic® and Butec® are S6 and will be available over the counter from your local agriculture supplier. Injectable meloxicam products are S4 veterinary medications: these must be prescribed and dispensed by a veterinarian before using them.
More information is available from the APVMA and on the department’s veterinary chemical users webpage.