Buying pet meds via internet

[smokey the elder]

For the person with Autumn: Advantage is sold over-the-counter now. I've seen it at Petsmart for a few months now.

AdvanTAGE can be split for cats (same concentration of active in the drug product.) AdvanTIX has some extra stuff that's toxic to cats. In fact, on the commercial for the OTC products by Petsmart they particularly point out not to use Advantix for cats.

[Catlady711]

Being in the veterinary field, I am not for buying medications online. No, not because I am not getting paid, but because every time you are prescribed a medication, your pet should have an exam and blood work done. Some medications animals are on need to have the levels checked, to check and see if the medication is indeed doing what it's supposed to be doing. People can purchase medications online thinking they know what their pet needs, when indeed they don't.

Like you guys have said, you have a prescription from your veterinarian faxed/mailed to the online pharmacy, to then be filled and shipped to you. That is different. It's the people who just think they need this, and buy it. I personally think that online pet pharmacy's should require blood work from the veterinarian prescribing, but that's just me.

Agreed!

I've seen faxes come in at the hospital for heartworm meds in the wrong size, or other meds in the wrong strength. Makes me wonder what these people are thinking?

Most of the time the faxes come in for people who's pets we've not seen in 5 years or sometimes never seen at all! That is in violation of the patient/doctor relationship needed to prescribe meds, it would be illegal to ok a prescription in that case. Many times it's people just trying to get out of the yearly heartworm check up or follow up lab work, but all those faxes get sent back as 'denied, exam/lab work required'.

Also those online places sell so cheap because many times their products are gotten illegally, or could even be counterfeits. In a struggling economy who would you rather support: a) the huge multimillion dollar corporation that doesn't give jack about your pet, only your money or b) your local vet who takes care of your critters in addition to providing legal, and safe meds for your pet? I know that many times those online places hire a 'vet' on staff just to sign prescriptions for an animal they have never, nor will ever, see. That is illegal to dispense medications that way.

Just remember if your vet isn't getting money from their expensive inventory of meds they have to keep in stock for your convienence, they will raise their fees on other things to maintain an income level needed to survive in this economy. Otherwise they will quickly go out of business and you'll be on the search for a new vet. JMHO

[*LabLoverKEB*]

Catlady, thanks! I think we both see eye to eye as we are both working in the veterinary field!