Can my vet refuse to refill my dog's Epiphen without blood tests?

Question

Can a vet refuse to give you a prescription? My dog is on epiphen, which states on the bottle is NOT to be stopped abruptly. However, when I phoned for a repeat prescription today, was told it would not be issued until samples were taken from my dog! I have no problem with this but requested it to be delayed for a month as I don't have the finances for both right now and was told no!! Surely at the very least thus is unethical??? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

Yes, veterinarians can refuse to refill prescriptions. I realize that this can be frustrating, but some medications can have side effects or cause organ damage, requiring regular monitoring, often in the form of blood tests. Epiphen (phenobarbital), for example, can greatly impact the liver and the levels of medication within the bloodstream must be monitored to assure that the medication stays at a safe and effective therapeutic level. In the US, we also must have examined a pet within the past 12 months in order to legally prescribe any medication - including some flea and tick preventions. I don't know what regulations may exist in the UK. It may be worth another call to your vet to determine the reasons behind the refusal to refill the medication. I hope this helps to clarify the situation and that everything gets worked out for Buckley!

Can my vet refuse to refill my dog's Epiphen without blood tests?

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