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Pet Meds - alternative to the Vets

DaisyBumblerootDaisyBumbleroot Posts: 24,763
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in Pets #1
Is it possible to buy pet meds off the internet or do you HAVE to get them from the vets you are registered with?

Like, I am under no obligation to buy specs and contacts from the optician that tested my eyes, I can get my prescription for my eyes and buy them off the internet much cheaper.

Its just that Rens meds have gone up from £60 to £75 and rising (including a £4.95 dispensing fee). We are not insured for her, and while the cost is manageable at the moment, its getting silly and we were wondering if it is possible to buy from a different vet or from the internet and if so, has anyone got any reccomendations please?

Plus another guy at work buys his dogs insulin from the chemist at a fractio of the cost of the vets. Though Ren is on heart meds - vetmedin and fortekor, so I know that might not be feasible.

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    molliepopsmolliepops Posts: 26,828
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    #2
    I occasionally get things off the internet using a vets prescription, but usually the prescription charge means the saving is negligible really. And at least if you get it from the vet if anything goes wrong he knows what he is dealing with.
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    MuzeMuze Posts: 2,225
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    #3
    Providing you get a prescription from the vet, it's not a problem.
    Some vets are catching on though and charging a lot for the prescription service making savings minimal.

    It's not an alternative to a vet though, your pet will still need monitoring.
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    molliepopsmolliepops Posts: 26,828
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    #4
    Yes and if you get them off the internet your vet may well insist on check ups more often. We found when we were getting steroids for Duncan he needed a check up and new prescription every 3 months using the internet and only every 6 months getting them from the vet. So any saving was eaten up in vets fees for the check ups.
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    DaisyBumblerootDaisyBumbleroot Posts: 24,763
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    #5
    Ren (and the other two) are on a Gold Plan with the vet which means we pay roughly a tenner a month and that includes two free checkups a year, all jabs inc kennel cough, flea and worm treatment. Ren needs 4 checkups a year now, since going on the meds (every three months), two of which we pay for.

    So really, its a much of a muchness, and it might actually be more hassle than its worth r-sing on going to a different vets or ordering online for meds every time we get close to running out. There is always the possibility they may be fakes as well off the internet too.

    Thanks for the replies though.

    And after all the trauma and hassle with RenDiddley we have insurance for the newbies ;)
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    jammoon1jammoon1 Posts: 476
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    #6
    One of my dogs is epileptic and if it wasn't for the internet I don't know what we would do. Our vet wanted to charge £200 a month for his meds (this was a medicine change as his other meds weren't working any more and we were told these were cheap as chips) and as our dog is no longer covered for his epilepsy and we are near retirement there is no way we would be able to afford that. I get it online for a quarter of the price - including vet prescription. I'd like to know how much our vets pay for their chips!
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    mrsgrumpy49mrsgrumpy49 Posts: 10,061
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    #7
    There are a lot of reputable online suppliers out there. I think perhaps the risk of fakes is overhyped. It shouldn't be a problem so long as you are not ordering viagra :D
    My vet actually doesn't stock the steroid inhaler we use for the dog so she gives me a repeat prescription and off I trot to the nearest chemist - which is Sainsburys. Next time it will be online - a lot cheaper! She (the dog not the vet) is due a check up/review in December but it would be the same if they were issuing the meds from the vets.
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