‘Frustrating’: Veterinarians urge regulatory changes as medicine shortages mount

Canadian veterinarians are sounding the alarm about their loss of access to about 40 per cent of medications they once were able to use and they are blaming Health Canada.

Canadian veterinarians no longer have to access to 40 per cent of medications they once were able to use, a figure the head of the national association says is concerning.

Tracy Fisher, president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, says drugs for animals, from cats and dogs to sheep and cattle , are becoming increasingly unavailable.

She says Canadian regulations discourage drug manufacturers from going through the process to get their medications approved for distribution, even though the medicines are available in other countries.

Animal welfare issues arise when veterinarians have fewer drugs at their disposal, she adds.

“If you have an animal suffering from a disease and you can’t treat it, but your colleagues across the border or everywhere else can, that’s incredibly frustrating,” Fisher said in a recent interview.

A lack of medications can also affect the food system, she said. For example, a new drug to treat dairy cows may not be available in Canada, resulting in veterinarians using an older, less effective medication.

“(The cow) may not be able to be part of the milk supply system during that time,” Fisher said.

“Worst-case scenario, the farmer loses that cow. That impacts his bottom line. And every time that happens, things become more expensive for producers.  That has to be passed to us,” Fisher added.