Where do you get your pets med?

[mdetloff]

I used a site for a couple of years and now can't find it. I could order heardgard and frontline for my dog without a script for 1/4 the price of the vet. I think it came from overseas but we have never had a problem with it not working. Anyone have any they recommend? TIA!

 

[Green Tea]

I get Frontline from Costco without a prescription. The shipping is not additional. They don't have the heartguard as I guess that requires a script.

 

[Bildmouse]

A breeder told me about canadapharmacy.com. She always uses it and I've had no problems. They have people stuff too but just click on the pets link.

 

[ambgoph]

I use petcarerx.com for heartgard & frontline. They are located in the US. You can google for codes for anywhere from 10-30% off your order. I just re-ordered heartgard last month and got 25% off. They called my vet for the script.

 

[Piecey]

Rink's Vet won't verify a subscription, so I have to get them from his Vet's office.

I love his Dr. and have thought about switching (it's also a 35-40 minute drive from our house) but I really, really like him.
The Vet does farm animals, too, so he's got an after-hours emergency line open to all his clients that would save us a bundle if something bad ever happened in the middle of the night- Rink could go to this guy instead of costing us an arm and a leg at the emergency Vet hospital! It's the only reason I stay...

 

[my3sonsagn]

We've used petshed.com for years.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Some of those items can be purchased at Petco and I don't think you have to have a prescription. Someone sent me a link to a petmed plAce in AustraliA, I believe, I will look it up and post it here.

Here it is:

http://www.equine-mega-store.com/cache/searchl-ncache0public_enabledwebAND_0-0.html?cache=no

Suzanne

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

I get Heartguard and Frontline at our vet's office. Their prices are very close and he has often matched what I found online for a price.

 

[disneygirl1971]

I've used Petshed.com for years also. I get their generic version of heartguard (I believe) it's called nuheart. I've used this product for many years with our current dogs (now 5yrs. and another is 10 months) and also with our other dogs who have now passed on. I've never had any problems with it at all and heartworm is a big problem here in the midwest (IL). It's shipped out of Australia (very reasonably) where a prescription isn't required for heartworm for animals there. I did notice when I reordered a couple of months ago it said a prescription was required to ship to the US but when I called the lady said NO, it wasn't. So I went ahead and ordered enough for both dogs for a year and it came within a week with no problems whatsoever.

 

[clj1410]

I use Petcarerx. I just reordered Frontline and you do not need a Prescription.
Also if the order is over $39, there is no shipping. If you sign up you can collect pet points, ends up being money off a future order for example spend $43 get 43 points=$2.15 off next order. They are always sending me emails with different sales and extra % off.

 

[taterules]

I use valleyvet. I don't ever get coupon codes, but their prices seem lower than most to start with. They also offer free shipping on larger orders, so I buy a few boxes of whatever I need at once to take advantage of that.

 

[devilsrule2004]

i use petmedsrx.com, much cheaper than the vet, and it saves you a trip to the vet as well

 

[dpratt68]

I just went to the vet last week and they were telling me that there are a lot of websites selling fake meds. They box them the same as frontline and Heartguard but they are not. The company that makes Heartguard will back their product if bought at a vets office but not online. I told them I feel like they are pressuring me to only buy from them and they said they would still give me a script and I could order online but they wanted me to be aware of the risks.

 

[fkj2]

I just went to the vet last week and they were telling me that there are a lot of websites selling fake meds. They box them the same as frontline and Heartguard but they are not. The company that makes Heartguard will back their product if bought at a vets office but not online. I told them I feel like they are pressuring me to only buy from them and they said they would still give me a script and I could order online but they wanted me to be aware of the risks.

That's the concern I have as well with some of the sites, esp. those who so deeply discount. My vet has given me a similar warning about purchasing online.

I too have used Valleyvet.com and feel they're reliable. I'd also recommend Heartlandvetsupply.com.

Heartland Vet is headed by a veterinarian who was, at one time, a large animal vet. That is a pretty physically challenging vocation as vets age, and he began this supply company when he needed to change the focus of his practice. He buys directly from the company themselves, in bulk. Here's an important aspect: They price match. I tell them where I find a product cheaper, they verify the price and sell it to me at that price. Very pleasant to deal with. I'll be ordering equine vacs from them soon.

The other thing I'll mention is that SOME of the meds our pets need can be purchased, with a script of course, from Sam's Club. I recently filled the hydroxyzine my dog takes (along with Tramadol) at Sam's and spent about one-half of what I was paying to purchase from the vet clinic. I understand the need to mark up product to cover overhead expenses but if Sam's can make a profit on their selling price, the clinic is really making a profit.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

The other thing I'll mention is that SOME of the meds our pets need can be purchased, with a script of course, from Sam's Club. I recently filled the hydroxyzine my dog takes (along with Tramadol) at Sam's and spent about one-half of what I was paying to purchase from the vet clinic. I understand the need to mark up product to cover overhead expenses but if Sam's can make a profit on their selling price, the clinic is really making a profit.

I work at an animal hospital and we truly can't match the prices at places like Sam's- they order huge volumes at discount from the manufacturer and our clinic orders 1 or 2 bottles- guess who gets the best price?

 

[boettj]

Summary

• Some Vetenarians have cautioned about online pet meds. Many of the websites are selling fake meds, and just repackaged.
• Vet's cannot compete with large box stores because of bulk ordering.
• Websites people use:
  • petmedsrx.com
  • Valleyvet.com
  • Heartlandvetsupply.com
  • Petcarerx.com - no percription required.
  • Petshed.com - Shipped from Australia
  • petcarerx.com - Call to verify percription (I know this is twice, but it was submitted by two different people.)
  • canadapharmacy.com - Click on Pet's.
  • Cosco and Sams

Problem I have is whether or not the vet's are accurate with their claims of fake meds. If that is the case, then how do you verify that the above sites are not selling fake meds/generic meds?


Great thread by the way.

 

[Maybelle]

I always order from 1-800-petmeds online. I order through Sunshine Rewards, so I get a percentage of my puchase back in cash on the site. I think they are usually free shipping too over $35, so it's a great deal!

 

[Order66]

I work at a veterinary hosptial, so I get heartworm and flea meds for free as well as meds at lower cost, but.....

We get a lot of prescriptions from 1-800-petmeds and petcarerx. Often to help save clients money the Dr.s will write a script and recommend they take it to a human pharmacy that offers $4 generics like Target etc... they will fill them for pets at the same price. Kmart even has a specific pet RX discount program and can provide medications that are not also for humans.

Regarding the inability to guarantee Heartgard purchased from any source other than your veterinary clinic..... Merial, the pharmacutical company that makes Heartgard guarantees their product to be affective, but only when purchased from your veterinarian and it's given according to his/her instructions. So if you dog is infected with heartworm while following the prescription, Merial will pay for the treatment. However, they will not if you purchased it through any other sources like petmeds or petcarerx. It doesn't mean it's "fake" but because they cannot guarantee the product didn't go directly from their hands to your vet and is genuine and/or not relabled generic products, they will not. It's in all likelyhood exactly the same product but I guess you can understand that they cannot control who distributes it or handles it so they won't guarantee it. Some clinics like to go a little overboard on giving you this warning but we just make it clear it's only guaranteed if you buy it from us. Otherwise, we're just happy they put their dogs on heartworm preventative at all. (I work in a low income area).

BTW, there is nothing wrong with generic heartgard either. Iverhart has been around for a while. Any drug with the active ingredient ivermectin will prevent heartworm. Generic ivermectin is available without a prescription, but it's best you know what you are doing to dose correctly before trying that.

Frontline is different. It's a non-prescription medication. You can shop online for the best price from any source. I have seen it on sale a lot at drugstore.com for a better price than we sell it for. I also trust the companies Revival Animal and KV Vet. I have ordered lots of products including vaccines from those 2 companies. Both of these companies also sell to veterinary clinics, but anyone can order non-prescription products from them, as well as provide a signed Rx for anything that requires one. Vaccines are restricted (or not) according to your specific state laws.

regards

 

[fkj2]

I work at an animal hospital and we truly can't match the prices at places like Sam's- they order huge volumes at discount from the manufacturer and our clinic orders 1 or 2 bottles- guess who gets the best price?

Well, I appreciate that not all meds can be price matched by a clinic as related to a company like Sam's. But, I don't think some vet's mark-up is appropriate. I understand a certain mark-up is needed to off-set the costs of maintaining an office and staff.

Allow me to provide an example: My vet charged me about $24 for 100 hydroxyzine. Sam's charged me $11+ change. Another local vet clinic--aligned with a mail-order service--is charging $48 for 100 hydroxyzine + shipping and handling. That particular clinic's clients live primarily in Appalachia.

I appreciate my vet's availability, but I can't afford to fund his personal expenses--or bad business decisions. Making a decent living is one thing, price gouging is another.

There's no doubt that smaller clinics struggle over pricing and operating margins, and I would guess yours probably does the best it can. My reference is really toward those clinics that aren't No or low value practices.

 

[TheFlame]

So glad I found this thread! Thanks for all the information!