Equine medicines

Why can’t my vet use all the medicines available to treat my horse?

Effective medicines are available for the treatment of horses – indeed this is a legal requirement under the Finnish Animal Welfare Act.

In law, horses are always classed as a production animal, even if it is not being raised for slaughter. That is why all medicines prescribed or administered by your vet must be recorded in your horse’s identification document. Using certain medicines, such as the antibiotic metronidazol, automatically renders the animal unfit for human consumption. Other medicines are subject to a six-month withdrawal period.