U.S. flag An official website of the United States government

On Oct. 1, 2024, the FDA began implementing a reorganization impacting many parts of the agency. We are in the process of updating FDA.gov content to reflect these changes.

  1. Home
  2. Animal & Veterinary
  3. Products
  4. Animal Medical Devices
  1. Products

The key difference between an animal drug and an animal device is how the product works. If it relies on a chemical action occurring in or on the animal’s body to achieve its primary intended effects, the product is a drug, not a device. If it needs to be broken down (metabolized) by the animal’s body to work, the product is a drug, not a device.

Antibiotics, anesthetics, and insulin are examples of drugs. Needles, syringes, surgical instruments, X-ray equipment, certain diagnostic test kits, and dental appliances are examples of devices.

Recalls and Other Important Information:

The Center for Veterinary Medicine is sharing the following announcements from the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health about human medical device recalls that may potentially present significant risks to consumers or users of the product. CVM is sharing these recall announcements because these devices may be used in veterinary settings.

You can find information on any recall monitored by FDA by viewing Enforcement Reports.

For more information:

How FDA Regulates Animal Devices
Animal Drugs Marketed as Animal Devices
Reporting Problems with Animal Devices

 



Subscribe to Animal Drugs and Devices Updates

Get email updates delivered to your inbox.

Back to Top