There are 3 very basic classes of medications in horses that I want to describe today to help horse owners understand what they are and why there is a price difference.

Legend drugs – are the original product protected by patents and are sold under a famous marketed name. The FDA approves these to meet strict standards.

Generic drugs – are almost exact copies of legend drugs but without the fancy and well-known name. The FDA also approves these to meet strict standards.

Compounded drugs – are mixed ingredients that are similar but not the same as the legend drugs. They are NOT controlled by the strict standards of the FDA.

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