Statistics on Veterinary Medicines

Wholesalers

In 2025, 8 wholesalers sold veterinary medicines to veterinarians, to general and veterinary pharmacies and to other institutions. Four major wholesalers covered 98% of the total veterinary medicinal products market: Zoovetvaru OÜ (53%), Magnum Veterinaaria AS (30%), Optimer OÜ (9%) and Dimedium AS (6%). The total veterinary market share of the other wholesalers remained under 2%.

Veterinary medicinal products market

The veterinary medicinal products market is expressed in wholesale prices, which includes the price of the manufacturer and wholesaler’s mark-up and does not include the VAT. In 2025, the veterinary medicinal products market increased 4%, reaching to 20.8 million euros.

Sales to the veterinarians or to the agricultural companies represented by veterinary doctor covered 92% (19 million euros) of the total veterinary medicinal products market, in 2025. The sales to the general and veterinary pharmacies were 8% (1.7 million euros) and the sales to the other institutions remained under 1%.

Veterinary medicinal products market share between ATCvet groups 

In 2025, based on ATCvet classification three largest ATCvet groups covered 65% of total veterinary medicinal products market: antiparasitic products (QP) 25% (5.2 million euros), immunologicals (QI) 23% (4.8 million euros) and antiinfectives (QJ) 17% (3.4 million euros), followed by musculo-sceletal system (QM) and nervous system medicines (QN).

Antiparasitic products

The turnover of antiparasitic products had the highest turnover with 5.2 million euros, in 2025. From antiparasitic products, ectoparasiticides, insecticides and repellents (QP53) had the highest turnover, reaching to 2.3 million euros (44% of the turnover of antiparasitic products). The turnover of endectocides (QP54) was 1.6 million euros (31%). Both, the turnover of anthelmintics (QP52) and the turnover of anti-protozoal substances (QP51) were 0.6 million euros, accounting for 12%, respectively.

Immunologicals

In 2021–2025, the turnover of immunologicals (vaccines) increased from 3.3 million euros to 4.8 million euros. From all sold vaccines, 42% were immunologicals for bovidae, reaching 2 million euros, following by immunologicals for suidae (29%) and for canidae (15%), in 2025.

Antiifectives for systemic use

Turnover of antiinfectives

The turnover of antiinfectives was 3.4-3.6 million euros, in 2021–2025. The most sold antibacterials for systemic use by turnover were 3rd-generation cephalosporins (QJ01DD), tetracyclines (QJ01AA), combinations of penicillins (QJ01CR), penicillins with extended spectrum (QJ01CA) and fluoroquinolones (QJ01MA).

 The amount of sold antiinfectives by active ingredient

The amount of active ingredients sold in 2025 decreased by 8% compared to the previous year, reaching to 4.8 tons. The most sold antimicrobial classes were penicillins, tetracyclines and pleuromutilins, and their use decreased by 8%, 12% and 23%, respectively.

Most commonly used antibiotics in veterinary medicine

More than fifty different active ingredients of antibiotics are used for veterinary purposes in Estonia. The most sold active ingredients were doxycycline, amoxicillin and tiamulin.

Table 1. The most sold active ingredients (antibiotics) in 2021–2025 (sold in kilograms)

Use of antibiotics in animals according to the AMEG classification

The AMEG classification divides antibiotics into four groups: category A (avoid), category B (restrict), category C (caution), category D (prudence). In Estonia, the proportion of category D antibiotics has gradually increased over the last five years (69% in 2025). The proportion of category B antibiotics critically important in human medicine has remained at the same level (3%).

The European Union's target is to reduce the amount of antibiotics used in animals by 50% by 2030 compared to 2018. This goal still needs to be achieved. Today, we can say that Estonia has achieved a 50% reduction by 2025 compared to 2014.

Human medicines for veterinary use

In the absence of authorised veterinary medicine, veterinarian can use authorised human medicine if necessary. In 2025, the most sold human medicines for veterinary use were drugs for nervous system, alimentary tract and metabolism, sensory organs, blood and blood forming organs.