Guidance
Placing non-medicinal veterinary products on the market - use of specific words and phrases
List of words and phrases that will cause a veterinary product to be medicinal by presentation either through use or contextual use.
This is part of a collection of guidance which should be read in association with Advertising non-medicinal veterinary products.
The following words and phrases may cause a product to be medicinal by presentation either through use or contextual use. This list is not exhaustive so should be used as a guide.
For an understanding of why a particular word or phrase may be considered medicinal please refer to the notes within this table.
| Terminology | Notes |
| Allergy | Claims to treat, cure or prevent allergies should be avoided |
| Allergen | Unless the product is for application as a binder to bedding and housing, a product presented as an allergen may be considered a medicine |
| Analgesic | Any product presented as an analgesic may be considered a medicine |
| Antacid | Any product presented as an antacid or as containing substances with that purpose or effect may be considered a medicine |
| Anthelmintic | Any product presented for effect on internal parasites may be considered a medicine |
| Anti-allergy | See “allergy” |
| Anti-bacterial | Only permitted for products used topically for hygiene purposes |
| Antibiotic | Any product presented as an antibiotic, or as having an antibiotic effect or purpose may be considered a medicine |
| Anti-coagulant | Any product presented as having an effect in modifying the clotting process may be considered a medicine |
| Anti-fungal | Only Permitted for products used topically for hygiene purposes |
| Anti-inflammatory | Any product presented as having the purpose or effect of an anti-inflammatory may be considered a medicine |
| Anti-microbial | Any product presented as an “anti-microbial” may be considered a medicine |
| Anti-protozoal | Any product presented as an “anti-protozoal” may be considered a medicine |
| Anti-pyrotic | Any product presented as “anti-pyrotic” may be considered a medicine |
| Anti-pruritic | Any product presented as an “anti-pruritic” may be considered a medicine |
| Anti-septic | Only Permitted for products used topically for hygiene purposes |
| Anti-spasmodic | Any product presented as an anti-spasmodic may be considered a medicine |
| Anti-viral | Only Permitted for products used topically for hygiene purposes |
| Bactericide | Any product presented as a bactericide may be considered a medicine |
| Bute | Reference to Bute must be further qualified by brackets stating, “This is not Phenylbutazone”. Any comparison between “Bute” and the medicinal effects of phenylbutazone or suggestion that a product may be a substitute or replacement constitutes a medicinal claim |
| Chondroprotective | Any product presented as being chondroprotective may be considered a medicine |
| Controls | Claims to treat, cure or prevent by controlling the effects of a disease or its symptoms may be considered a medicinal claim |
| Cure | Any product presented as a “cure” for a disease or its symptoms may be considered a medicine |
| Diarrhoea | Claims to treat, cure or prevent diarrhoea should be avoided |
| Debridement/Debride | Claims to treat, cure or prevent disease by debridement may be considered a medicinal claim |
| Demulcent | Any product presented as a demulcent may be considered a medicine |
| Expectorant | Any product presented as an expectorant may be considered a medicine |
| Fungicide | Any product presented as a fungicide may be considered a medicine |
| Heals | Any product presented as modifying the healing process may be considered a medicine |
| Hepatoprotective | Any product presented as being hepatoprotective may be considered a medicine |
| Hot Spots | Claims to treat, cure or prevent hot spots should be avoided |
| Improve(s) | Any product presented to improve health may be considered a medicine |
| Infections | Any product presented for the treatment or prevention of infections may be considered a medicine |
| Internal Parasites | Only authorised veterinary medicines may be presented for any effect or purpose against internal parasites |
| Laxative | Any product presented as a laxative, or as having the effect of a laxative may be considered a medicine |
| Mallenders/Sallenders | Any product presented for the treatment or prevention of mallenders or sallenders may be considered a medicine |
| Mucolytic | Any product presented as a mucolytic, or as having a mucolytic effect may be considered a medicine |
| Mud Fever (Pastern Dermatitis) | Claims to treat, cure or prevent mud fever should be avoided |
| Oxidative Damage | Claims to treat, cure or prevent oxidative damage should be avoided |
| Pesticide | Any product presented as a pesticide may be considered a medicine |
| Prevents | Any product presented as a preventative for a disease or its symptoms may be considered a medicine |
| Promotes | Any product presented to promote health may be considered a medicine |
| Protects | Any product presented to protect against disease may be considered a medicine |
| Relieve/Relief | Any product presented to offer relief from a disease may be considered a medicine |
| Sarcoids | Medicinal by Presentation. Tumours |
| Sweet Itch | Claims to treat, cure or prevent sweet itch should be avoided |
| Therapeutic / Therapy | Any product presented as a “therapy” for use in or on animals may be considered a medicine |
| Treat / Treatment | Any product presented for treating a disease, its symptoms or causes may be considered a medicine |
| Wounds | Claims for cleaning “minor wounds”, “minor cuts”, “minor abrasions”, or “superficial tissue damage” are acceptable |
| Worms / Worming / Dewormer, etc | See “anthelmintic” |
Updates to this page
Published 14 January 2026