In December 2018, Health Canada moved all medically important antibiotics to the federal prescription drug list, helping ensure prudent use of antibiotics. This means:
- Producers can no longer buy antibiotic products from retail stores, only from veterinary offices or pharmacists, or mixed in feed from feed mills;
- Producers need a prescription from their veterinarian for all livestock and/or poultry antibiotics; and
- Veterinarians must have knowledge of the animal/herd and the farm management before writing an antibiotic prescription.
Prudent use of antibiotics ensures they remain effective for both humans and animals.
For more information, contact Dr. Wendy Wilkins, Disease Surveillance Veterinarian with the Ministry of Agriculture, at 306-798-0253 or by email.