Sure, you could buy pet meds without a prescription online, but does it make sense for you and your pet? By now you’ve probably already seen the bold-faced claims. For example, one online pet pharmacy, boasting that its services are “As Seen on NBC,” tries to reel in unsuspecting visitors with these alluring statements:
“Tired of your Vet controlling where you can buy your pet medications cheaper? Wouldn’t it be easier to buy your pet, animal, veterinary and livestock supplies and medications no prescription required? No Vet needed and save 70% off at the same time.”
There are quite a few online pharmacies that dispense pet medicine and other discount pet medical supplies online, and they’ll often even offer free shipping, but buyer beware. The petmed you get might not arrive as advertised. The FDA, in fact, is extremely worried about the “dangerous practice” of buying pet meds without a prescription, saying this:
“Companies that sell unapproved pet drugs and counterfeit pet products make fraudulent claims, dispense prescription drugs without requiring a prescription, and sell expired drugs…. Pet owners who purchase drugs from these companies may think they are saving money…but in reality, they may be short-changing their pet’s health and putting its life at risk.”
Is your dog’s health worth risking? Is your cat’s? Think about it.
The FDA says it is especially concerned about people who buy NSAIDs for pets and heartworm pet meds without a prescription online. “Both drugs can be dangerous if there is no professional involvement,” the agency said in a statement regarding pet med info.
Find a reputable, licensed veterinary pharmacy that dispenses only FDA-approved pet medications, rather than some some “fly-by-night” operation. Good examples include 1-800-PetMeds and Doctors Foster and Smith. According to Dr. Race Foster, while some outfits “merely fill and ship orders,” his own pharmacy realizes “that behind every prescription is a special companion animal who deserves the best.” Meanwhile, 1-800-PetMeds says that it will not allow you to buy pet meds without a prescrition: You “must have an authorization before they are dispensed.”
More Pet Med Tips
To simplify things, sometimes you can just have the pharmacy call your vet directly. And for certain flea control products such as Frontline Plus, K9 Advantix, Advantage or Bio Spot, prescriptions are not likely required. But if you want prescription pet medications like Revolution or Sentinel, your best bet is to take your pet to the veterinarian for a full checkup, and then fill your vet’s prescription at a reputable online pets pharmacy.
Buy pet meds without a prescription? Don’t do it.
Photo: Wonderlane/Flickr
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8 Comments So Far - Where Is Yours?
Just like with humans, it’s important to order drugs for your dog online only from a legitimate online pharmacy.
Check out any online pharmacy through the websites that allow consumer complaints to be listed. This goes for drugs for humans as well.
I guess it’s ok if you buy pet meds without a prescription as long as you trust the pet pharmacy.
All this drug stuff is such a racket. I need heartworm pills for my dog, not opiates for myself. I’m finding it impossible to order online now. Ridiculous.
Yeah, you could buy stuff like oxycontin on line without a prescription, but I cant even get proin for my dogs incontinence. When I go to the vet I will end up with at least a 150 bill and an argument over me paying more money to fill the prescription through them. Everytime I take my dog to the vet I feel like Ive been robbed!!
I have a 14 year old Springer that has had recurring ear infections her whole life. We know how to spot them and how to treat them. Last time I stopped at the vet to get her ear ointment the refused to sell it too me because they needed to see her. A vet visit is extremely anxiety provoking to her and I think it is totally unfair to say she has to go through that just for ear ointment. I am not even complaining about the vet bill though it doesn’t help the budget at all. I just don’t want to have to drag the pool girl in there. Someone tell me why this makes sense at all.
Because it is the law: no medications can be dispensed unless the vet has seen the animal within the last year. What if your animal was sick and the medication was going to make it worse? If the vet gave it to you and your dog got sick, you’d be blaming the vet in a heartbeat.
People would not be forced to do this if vets weren’t so expensive.
Vets are experts at releaving clients of their money.
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