The use of antimicrobials by veterinarians, particularly food animal veterinarians, is coming under increasing scrutiny. Public health regulators encourage veterinarians to avoid using, as 1st choices, antibiotics that are of major importance in treating human infections. Food safety regulators prefer that veterinarians use products licensed for the specific condition in the target species and at the dosage recommended on the label to minimize the risk of residues in meat or milk. Producers prefer the cheapest and most efficacious product that can be administered with the least amount of labor. Practicing veterinarians are expected to balance their obligation to prevent unnecessary suffering in their patients with their concern for their clients’ financial well-being, the risk of residues in meat or milk, and the potential for the creation of “superbugs.” Is it reasonable to expect veterinarians to ethically and scientifically balance these competing interests in every case they encounter?

Many veterinarians sell nonprescription pet foods along with prescription pet foods as a service to their clientele. Some pet food companies insist that if their products are sold through a veterinary clinic, then no other brand of pet food can be sold through that clinic. Does the exclusive marketing of only one brand of pet food by a veterinary clinic imply a professional endorsement of that product over all other products on the market? Are pet food companies indirectly using veterinarians’ good reputations to market their products?

When a client purchases any product or service from his or her veterinarian, he or she trusts that the veterinarian has knowledge of its efficacy and safety. Advertisements by the pet food companies and magazine and newspaper columns invariably advise pet owners to “ask their veterinarian” for correct nutritional information. The recent recalls involving Diamond Pet Foods, Medi-Cal, and other pet foods manufactured by Menu Foods has made it clear how complex the pet food industry is, and that blind faith in pet food manufacturers can be a mistake. If a veterinarian is selling pet food, he or she must accept a degree of responsibility for the products’ efficacy and safety. This is particularly true if a veterinarian is endorsing one brand of pet food exclusively at his or her practice.

In the case of specialized, therapeutic, or prescription diets, I see no issue whatsoever in veterinarians selling these in their offices. Diets exist for a variety of medical conditions, including heart disease, weight control, diarrhea, kidney failure, diabetes, food allergies, and cancer. Selling such foods is no more problematic than providing prescription drugs in one’s practice, since they are also available only by prescription. Thus, it is a service to clients to have them available in the practice. Such diets are created by a variety of companies, including Hill’s, Iams, and Purina.