Final answer:
A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine must establish a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship before prescribing or dispensing medication. Such a relationship ensures the veterinarian is knowledgeable about the animal's history and present condition and is based on recent examination or regular care oversight. The FDA regulates the veterinarian's capacity to prescribe to ensure public safety and drug efficacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) can prescribe or dispense medication, they must establish a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR). This relationship is fundamental to ensuring that the veterinarian has sufficient knowledge of the animal to make informed medical judgments. A VCPR is typically established when the veterinarian has recently seen and is personally acquainted with the care and keeping of the animal by virtue of examination or visits to the facility where the animal is kept. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) outlines that the veterinarian must have sufficient knowledge of the animal to initiate at least a general or preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition. This means that the DVM has seen the animal recently enough or is familiar with the care of the animal by making medically appropriate and timely visits to where the animal is kept. Moreover, veterinarians, after completing a degree in veterinary medicine, which includes comprehensive coursework in various sciences, are entitled to prescribe medications. They are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure the safety and efficacy of the medicines they are allowed to dispense.