If a pet is on a vet-prescribed diet for a medical condition, or a specific long-term medication, don't assume the exact same brand or formulation will be easy to find in Germany. Major prescription-diet brands sold through veterinary clinics and larger pet-store chains like Fressnapf are generally available, but a specific product line or flavour can vary by market, so it's worth checking with a German vet clinic in advance for anything longer than a short trip.

Bringing enough of a pet's existing food or medication to cover the whole trip, rather than planning to restock locally, is the lower-risk approach for anything where a substitution could cause a problem. If a refill is needed while in Germany, a copy of the original prescription or a letter from the home vet makes the process at a German vet clinic considerably smoother.

For medication specifically, German pharmacies and vet practices operate under rules set by the national medicines framework, and most veterinary medicines beyond basic tick and flea prevention require a prescription from a vet, whether that's a German vet or a valid prescription carried from the owner's home country — a German vet can typically assess and reissue a prescription from an existing diagnosis if needed.