What are Veterinary Specials?

Designing the optimal treatment plan for an individual patient can be a challenge. A veterinary special is a veterinary medicine that can be prescribed when there is no suitable authorised product available to meet a patient’s clinical needs. These important medicines help Veterinary Surgeons fill otherwise unmet treatment needs in patients under their care.

The prescribing cascade facilitates Veterinary Surgeons with a decision making framework when there is no suitable authorised product available to meet their patient’s clinical needs.

Veterinary Surgeons must also comply with the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct.

When might a veterinary special be required?

Using the cascade framework, vets are empowered to use their clinical judgement to treat animals under their care.

With the vast range of species and individual patient requirements that Veterinary Surgeons navigate on a daily basis, the cascade acts as risk-based decision tree when no suitable authorised product is available, or indeed exists, for the clinical condition in the species being treated.

The following are some scenarios where the cascade facilitates veterinary surgeons to make decisions to safe guard patient welfare:

Product availability

Where no authorised product exists or when an authorised product cannot be obtained in a timely manner to satisfy an immediate clinical need.

Individual patient characteristics

A patient may have allergies or intolerances which make an authorised product unsuitable.

There may be elements of the patient’s general or clinical condition which present a risk which renders the authorised product unsuitable.

A condition in an individual patient may persist, despite treatment with the authorised product, necessitating the consideration of alternative options.

Dosage form or strength

If the authorised product needs to be modified in such a way as to risk affecting efficacy, present a risk to owner safety or increase the difficulty of administration, alternatives could be considered on a case by case basis.

Considerations for the responsible use of antibiotics

More information from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate can be found here: The cascade: prescribing unauthorised medicines - GOV.UK

Animal owner considerations

The ability of the owner to safely administer the medicine prescribed should be factored into the plan for treatment.

In the interest of treatment compliance, where the animal owner would have difficulty administering the authorised product, or where the animal will not take the authorised product, Veterinary Surgeons are permitted to use the cascade.

The order of a veterinary special should be in response to a clinical need in a specific patient, and should be placed directly with the manufacturer. While they can be held in stock at the veterinary practice, quantities should be justified by immediate clinical needs under the cascade.

Veterinary specials are not available via wholesalers and pet owners cannot obtain them via online pharmacies, even with a written prescription.