Prescriptions & Medications

Please ensure that when travelling you carry an adequate supply of any medications your pets may require while you are away from home. If you are a regular visitor to the Geelong and Bellarine Peninsula areas, be sure to register your pet with Bellarine Veterinary Practice so that we can assist you with any medical enquiries or needs while you are here.

Unless your pet is under the regular care of our veterinarians, we are unfortunately unable to supply prescription medications without an in-person veterinary consultation due to the government regulations under which we operate. Veterinarians are highly skilled professionals who are qualified to examine animals, assess their medical history and current health status, order appropriate tests, and establish a therapeutic need for treatment before supplying or prescribing medications.

Even if your regular veterinarian sends a prescription or your pet’s medical history to Bellarine Veterinary Practice, legally only a pharmacist (not a veterinarian) may supply medicine on a prescription that has been issued by a veterinarian. The regulations are designed to ensure public health and safety, prevent misuse, and make sure medicines are used safely and appropriately in the best interests of the animal’s welfare.

Under sections 19 and 38 of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 2017, a veterinary practitioner must not issue a prescription, sell or supply Schedule 4, 8 or 9 poisons (“medicine”) unless: the prescription, sale or supply is for treatment of an animal under the veterinary practitioner’s care (and the animal is described in any prescription) the vet has taken all reasonable steps to ensure a therapeutic need exists for the medicine the animal is owned by, or is in the custody or care of, the person to whom the medicine is sold or supplied before prescribing.

Repeat Prescriptions

A repeat supply of prescription medications can be requested through any of our clinics for pets under the regular care of our Bellarine Veterinary Practice veterinarians. Your pet must have been examined by one of our veterinarians in the last 6 months, and the dispensing of appropriate quantities of repeat medication is dependent on the veterinarian’s evaluation of the patient’s condition, dose, and any prescribing guideline limitations.

When ordering more medications or a written prescription, please allow 24 hours for a veterinarian to review the request, prescribe, and organise dispensing of the prescription medication or writing of the paper prescription. You will be notified by SMS when requested medications or prescriptions are ready for collection.

Prescription fees

Veterinarians are obliged to prescribe veterinary labelled medications where they exist. Human-labelled or compounded medications can be considered when a veterinary registered medication is not available, but there are a series of criteria that need to be fulfilled for this to be permitted. If your pet is registered with Bellarine Veterinary Practice and under the care of our veterinarians, then a prescription may be written for use at an online or human pharmacy in certain situations. A fee is charged for issuing this script because it covers the time, expertise, and professional responsibility involved in legally and safely writing a prescription.

Your veterinarian must review your pet’s medical history and assess their current health and weight to determine the appropriate medication and dosage. Clinical judgement is required to ensure the medication is suitable and won’t cause adverse effects or interactions. Accurate record keeping and other administrative processes are also associated with producing the prescription, it is not simply the cost of the paper.

The fee charged is based on the complexity or number of prescriptions required, and it does not include the cost of the actual medication. The number of repeats supplied on the script is based on the veterinarian’s assessment of the patient, dosing and any restrictions based on medication specific prescribing guidelines.

Click here or call our helpful staff at Bellarine Veterinary Practice today on 03 5248 2009 to make an appointment or discuss your pet’s needs.