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Switch vets then research lots of companies. And don't just buy everything from one. I get my vaccines from Jeffers Pet and my Frontline from PetShed. I've ordered my kennels / crates / kitty playpens from PetEdge as well as a lot of my grooming stuff. Shop around!
if you switch vets ask if they will allow you do order online after they do the health exam and
heartworm test first. I chaged vets for that very same reason since I felt they cared more about
money than the animal. This vet I have allows me to order from Dr Foster and Smith without a
problem. The Dr Foster and Smith pharmacy faxes the script and the vet approves it. It beats
not giving the pills because of cost. If you do flea protection most of than you now do not need
a script for any longer. Heartworm you do since they need to test the dog first b4 you start the
pills. I also have found where I live frontline does not control the fleas so I use comfortis which
needs a script but it works great.
You are getting lots of advice about switching vets, but rememeber, your vet is licenesed under the laws of the State they operate so before switching based on what Joe or Jane believes, know what your vet can do. if you take the time to call the vet board they can tell you what rules for prescriptions your state required vets to follow. It does not matter what your vets wants to do or what other people's vets do, it only matters what they are allowed to do. Don't jump on the vet if the laws limit what they can do.
As for buying overseas, be very careful. US rules are a bit funny but if a foreign supplier sends you medication that requires a prescription in the US and they don't affix a prescription label to it, your not protected. If you get a prescription from overseas with a prescription lable (even if their country does not require it) if anything is wrong, your protected.
First of all it is against the rules of ethics of the American veterinary Medicine Association not to give you a prescription. It is also against the law in 36 states. You can find the list and the AVMA guidelines here. [url]https://www.avma.org/Advocacy/StateAndLocal/Pages/veterinary-prescription-orders.aspx[/url]
After using Trifex for fleas a new vet, Banfield Pet Hospital refused to write a prescription but were happy to sell it to me for about 30% more. I was told that the manufacturers, Elanco which is owned by Ely Lily, aked them not to. This marketing through vets strategy and cutting off the consumer from other options is troublesome since Elanco is the 2nd largest pf pet meds in the world. for the second part of your question I us California Pet Pharmacy They have good customer service and timely shipping.
I used to get upset that I, too, could not convince the vet I used to write a prescription for securing online meds. I then, changed vets, and after doing research, find that his prices for these meds are actually cheaper factoring in shipping fees, etc. Plus, you don't have to wait for these meds. Makes one wonder though how easy it is to secure online human meds if animals have to go through so much rigamarole.
So, my dogs have a list of medications that they take daily, and then others they are prescribed when other issues arise. I have done lots of research and know which ones are cheaper at the vet, versus cheaper at a pharmacy.
And, for me, it's not only cost, it's convenience. My vet is only open to 7, but a local pharmacy is open until midnight. For something that needs recurring refills, that is likely the best solution. Also, I make use of online pharmacies (1-800PetMeds is not one of them) for other drugs.
I have a great relationship with my vet. We have open communication and ALWAYS asks, when prescribing, if I want the drugs or a written script. She knows I will make the right decision for my dogs.
I think you first need to make up your mind what is more important to you--keeping a vet who refuses to give you a script, or saving money on meds. If you are not willing to walk and find a new vet, then this discussion is moot. If you are, you can find the meds cheaper at many reputable places right here in the US. But it all depends on the type of medication.
Personally, I have never found PetMeds to be cheaper than my own vet on anything we have ever used, and certainly not on HW and flea preventative. But for various other prescription pet medication, I have always shopped around in local pharmacies AND online and am glad to have a vet who understands how expensive pet care is these days and supports my efforts. She also understands that I know what I'm doing when it comes to quality control, so no meds from China, etc.. A year or so ago around Thanksgiving, my dog needed a (cheap) antibiotic. I would have been happy to get it directly from the vet, but if I had this new Rx filled at my local grocery store pharmacy (at a price even cheaper than the vet's price), the grocery store would also pay for my turkey up to 18 lbs.. Hey, the vet wasn't going to give me a free turkey.
That being said, I support a vet practice's right to insist on their clients using the practice's own meds, but only if the client is made aware of that rule before committing to becoming a patient there. I don't think most practices today are like that. To the contrary. Business is business. If your grocery store told you they wouldn't sell you a loaf of bread unless you bought all the rest of your groceries there, what would you think? It's your money, after all...shouldn't that be YOUR decision where you spend it? Personally, I would never have a good relationship with any vet who wanted to hold my wallet hostage. I would always wonder, are they prescribing this medication because it's really the best med for my dog or because it's the closest thing to it that they have stocked in-house? But you need to do your homework and do what's right for you. Make sure you are really coming out cheaper by buying elsewhere. And like I said earlier, that depends on the medication AND how much cheaper their consultation/exam fee is. If it's just HW and flea preventative, you're probably not going to come out much cheaper. You should trust your vet and be able to communicate openly and honestly with him/her. It should not be an adversarial relationship.
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