• Vets in Indiana can provide medicine for your pets.medication image by palms from Fotolia.com
  
  Indiana's pet-prescription laws have to do with the veterinarian and how she prescribes the medication and shares the information. Laws 25-38.1-4-5.5 deal with writing prescriptions and maintenance of those records. The veterinarians in Indiana must keep their client records for three years. All states have differences in their laws.
  
  

Who prescribes pet medicines?

• Regarding the prescribing of drugs for pets, vets in Indiana must have licenses. These vets provide prescription drugs and receive the same respect as medical doctors. To issue medicine, though, a valid relationship between doctor and pet owner must exist. Pet owners cannot legally share their pet's medicine with others in Indiana. By request, a client may receive a prescription from a veterinarian.
  
  

Medical records

• Sec. 5.5.of the prescription laws in Indiana deals with how and where to keep the records. These vary from state to state as overseen by the veterinary medical board. In Indiana, medical records refer to: written, photographic, video and lab reports, along with any descriptive information obtained from the client; information obtained from others as to the need for the vet visit; other related papers that authorize or waive treatments or medication. The client may receive a copy of the pet's medical records though he may need to pay a fee assigned by the veterinarian. Make a written request for records for faster service. All pet records are confidential in Indiana and not shared with any other person except for medical personnel.
  
  

Who can get medical records?

• Only under extreme situations can a state or federal employee, judge with a subpoena accompanied with a note to the owner, or a scientist for research or statistics in an investigation request to see a pet's medical records. The prescribing vet can provide the medical records to others for rabies verification, if a threat to the public needs investigation, in cases involving animal cruelty or abuse, as part of a criminal investigation, to the School of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University, or a state agency or commission.
  
  

Warnings against online pharmacies

• Online pet pharmacies look safe on the outside but could distribute pet drugs illegally and cause further sickness or death to your pet. When using online pharmacies, make sure they have accreditation. Also, ask your doctor about a medicine before ordering it and discuss price with her. Many will match the internet price. Reputable sites have a vet or pharmacist available to answer questions concerning your pet's medications.