Hyderabad: Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) issued show cause notices to 42 veterinary clinics, pet clinics and medical shops during raids in Hyderabad on Monday.
“The raids were carried out in the GHMC area. Veterinary prescription drugs were sold without valid prescriptions and documentation. Bills were not maintained,” said DCA director general, Shahnawaz Qasim.
In several cases, prescriptions for veterinary medicines were issued in the absence of a registered pharmacist. Some clinics failed to produce proper record registers and did not maintain copies of sales and purchase bills for veterinary drugs. Expired stock was also found, with veterinary medicines stored alongside human medicines.
Overuse and indiscriminate use of antibiotics in food-producing animals — including livestock such as cows, buffalo, sheep, and goats, as well as in poultry and fish farming — is a significant contributor to the growing threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
DCA strongly advises that antibiotics shall not be used for ‘growth promotion’ in animals. Their use must be strictly restricted to therapeutic needs under the professional supervision of a qualified veterinarian, and following regulatory guidelines, to safeguard both animal and public health.
