When a pet requires medication from the pharmacy it can be costly. It always is good to ask your veterinarian or pharmacist if a generic pet medication or an alternative manufacturer is available.

Generic Pet Medication

A generic drug according to the FDA is a copy of a brand-name drug that is developed and made by a company other than the company that makes the brand-name drug.

Are There Generic Drugs for Dogs and Cats

When it comes to medications for animals there are generic drugs available. A generic drug has the same active ingredient, condition of use, dosage form, strength, route of administration and label of a brand-name drug but may have minor differences such as the inactive ingredients. For example, the name brand Clavamox Drops and the generic version is Amox/Clav Drops.

There is plenty of incentive in the lower cost to try generic pet meds. Generic pet meds are safe, but it’s important to always buy your pet medications from a certified pet pharmacy. And remember, giving human medications can be harmful to your pet.

Same Pet Drug, Different Product Names

You will also find that many different manufacturers produce the same active drug, but it is labeled as a different proprietary name. The FDA created the Green Book to list FDA approved animal drugs with their active ingredient and proprietary names. An example would include Revolution for Dogs and Revolt for Dogs. Both Revolution and Revolt use selamectin as the active ingredient, but they are labeled from different manufacturers with different product names.

If you have questions on your cat or dog’s prescription, give our pharmacist a call at 800.786.4751 and they would be happy to help you find an alternative more cost-effective pet medication.