# General > Pets Corner >  Online Veterinary Products

## Harray

Has anyone had any experience of buying veterinary products online?
Do you have to pay vet for a issuing a written prescription. and if an animal has a chronic condition and has same medication every time,  do you need a written prescription every time you order or will online supplier use the initial form

----------


## binbob

> Has anyone had any experience of buying veterinary products online?
> Do you have to pay vet for a issuing a written prescription. and if an animal has a chronic condition and has same medication every time, do you need a written prescription every time you order or will online supplier use the initial form


all i can say is good luck with the vet....sorry................ :Wink:

----------


## neepnipper

I buy Metacam online, lots cheaper than the vet even with prescription charge, the Wick vet charges £11.50 for a prescription and you have to have one every time you want to buy prescription medicines online.

I felt the vet wasn't happy about me buying the medicine online, I got a bit of a lecture on why they charge so much, I didn't moan at them at all for what they charge just wanted to exercise my right to buy it at a cheaper price elsewhere.

I used a reputable UK company and was very happy with the service.

----------


## teenybash

It is quite a saving to buy online if your pet requires on going medication.
Perhaps local vets should consider being more competative with pricing, if they can.

----------


## binbob

> It is quite a saving to buy online if your pet requires on going medication.
> Perhaps local vets should consider being more competative with pricing, if they can.


ditto,teenybash.... :Wink:

----------


## binbob

> I buy Metacam online, lots cheaper than the vet even with prescription charge, the Wick vet charges £11.50 for a prescription and you have to have one every time you want to buy prescription medicines online.
> 
> I felt the vet wasn't happy about me buying the medicine online, I got a bit of a lecture on why they charge so much, I didn't moan at them at all for what they charge just wanted to exercise my right to buy it at a cheaper price elsewhere.
> 
> I used a reputable UK company and was very happy with the service.


well done for u....good to see u again today... :Wink:

----------


## Harray

Thanks for that neepnipper.
does the charge apply for every item? and how big a supply can you get. i.e a years worth (assuming use by dates are OK) or just the normal one month.  

Also is the charge per animal as we have a few animals requiring ongoing medication.

----------


## twiglet

We have bought things on line for our pets but is mainly flea and worming treatments from www.Bestpetpharmacy.co.uk.  Always fast delivery and have had no probs and postage is included in price.

----------


## neepnipper

Yes I would think the charge would apply for every item, initially I was going to get about 3 months supply of Metacam, but asked the vet for a prescription that would last longer and he gave me a prescription for about 6 months supply on the understanding that I take my dog in for a check up once it's used up, I guess they've got you over a barrel as I would presume they wouldn't write another prescription for me without seeing my dog.

Again I would guess that it's a prescription per animal.

I use www.medicanimal.com , www.petdrugsonline.co.uk and www.hyperdrug.co.uk, do have a good look around as prices vary even on the internet, if you buy from medicanimal I may have a discount voucher _Icould e-mail to you._

----------


## sandyr

Once had a cocker and she had degenerating discs in her back and was sometimes in pain...inflamation and the like, and also had smelly ears...real droopies! They had to be cleaned on a very regular basis. So every few weeks I would have to get Vet goodies....and they were expensive...............
Then one evening at a rather late function with wicked refreshments supplied!!.. a Vet told me the secrets....
For the degenerating discs/ inflamation, mix an Aspirin (is it still Aspro in the UK?) with her food.
For her ears.....Hydrogen Peroxide 2%......Can get a medium bottle here for 99 cents.......Aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh., and the money I spent on these tiny bottles.
FYI..............

----------


## Harray

Thanks to everyone who has replied, seems I am not alone in thinking that vets make pet medication a lot more expensive than what it should be.  

The problem we have in Caithness is one of no competition.  Because of this fact that we have to use one vet (name not mentioned,  but obvious to all) and they basically have a licence to print money.  

A 10 minute consultation cost £18,  which equates to an hourly rate of £110 or  £229,632 per annum,  together with a massive mark up on medication  (100% based one one common drug I  looked up)  add to this the sale of pet food, toys, and farm products and this amounts to a figure  which many other professional shysters would be envious of, and this is just one partner fee wise

They obviously have overheads such as salaries, utility bills and other items  to pay,  for but when you think that a lot of bills are subsidised by insurance companies and some animal welfare organisations they are in a win win situation.


Sandyr made some good points about adapting human medication for use in animals especially using anaglesics.
I would never have thought about using a bleaching product for cleaning ears!

----------


## binbob

> Thanks to everyone who has replied, seems I am not alone in thinking that vets make pet medication a lot more expensive than what it should be. 
> 
> The problem we have in Caithness is one of no competition. Because of this fact that we have to use one vet (name not mentioned, but obvious to all) and they basically have a licence to print money. 
> 
> A 10 minute consultation cost £18, which equates to an hourly rate of £110 or £229,632 per annum, together with a massive mark up on medication (100% based one one common drug I looked up) add to this the sale of pet food, toys, and farm products and this amounts to a figure which many other professional shysters would be envious of, and this is just one partner fee wise
> 
> They obviously have overheads such as salaries, utility bills and other items to pay, for but when you think that a lot of bills are subsidised by insurance companies and some animal welfare organisations they are in a win win situation.
> 
> 
> ...


 
when i pointed this out on the org. a few months ago ,i had my head bitten off...so i am very happy to read ur comments.my opinion has not changed ,but i still have no choice in whom to trust to treat my dogs.
i have always in the past lived in areas where there is choice and competition.
i will add that i am ok with the treatment of my dogs ,but certainly not the cost.my dogs are insured ,thank god. :Wink:

----------


## cazmanian_minx

> The problem we have in Caithness is one of no competition.  Because of this fact that we have to use one vet (name not mentioned,  but obvious to all) and they basically have a licence to print money.


I agree that there's a lack of competition, but I don't think they're printing money.  Where we used to live, there were 8 or 9 good vets within 20 minutes.  The cheapest of those charged £25 for a 10 minute consultation and when we moved back up here, the amount we were paying for our cat's prescription diet and tablets went down by nearly a third.  When she sadly had to be put to sleep earlier this year, I was charged £17.  The same service at our previous vet's further south was £130.  I find the charges here very, very reasonable indeed.

----------


## Harray

Sorry to hear about your cat.
Where in south do you originate from as those prices seem to be very high, even by Caithness prices. £130 for an euthanasia jab es as landfillseems somewhat excessive, did this include disposal of remains?

----------


## majic

hi i think the vet are cheaper up here i come from kent about 10 years ago and i stop my insurance for my pets because the excess was more than the bill but i will say that they are catching up

----------


## binbob

> hi i think the vet are cheaper up here i come from kent about 10 years ago and i stop my insurance for my pets because the excess was more than the bill but i will say that they are catching up


i am with HEALTHY PETS....£  50 excess.no problems with them so far... :Wink:

----------


## cazmanian_minx

> Sorry to hear about your cat.
> Where in south do you originate from as those prices seem to be very high, even by Caithness prices. £130 for an euthanasia jab es as landfillseems somewhat excessive, did this include disposal of remains?


That was in Croydon and no, it didn't include disposal of the body.  I remember it being nearly as bad in Bristol, which I left 15 years ago.

We've just adopted a rescue dog who's recovering from a cruciate ligament operation and I wouldn't have done it if I'd been down south still, because I wouldn't have been confident that I could have covered the costs of any future problems with that leg (it's uninsurable for related conditions now).  Up here I know I can  :Smile:

----------


## Harray

It is a pity that buying animal medication is not as simple as obtaining human medication.  

I can go to doctors for consultation and receive a prescription that i can use anywhere in UK .  Even if I went private I would pay for consultation, obtain a prescription and use any pharmacy. 
If I had a private prescription I have the choice of being able to see any doctor, without my own GP, penalising me for doing so,

----------


## Sage

Just my own personal opinion, but I think the vets up here are very reasonable. 

One of my cats needed urgent medical treatment last year, and all the treatment including out of hours emergency treatment (10pm at night call out!), x-rays, surgery, medication, kennelling, and follow on treatment cost a total of about £200. Down south this would have been at least £1000.

Besides which the vets are extremely competent, friendly and professional.

I also had a cat spayed and came across a 15 year old(ish) bill from down south for the same thing and the vets here were the same price even after all that time.

We are actually very lucky with our vet provision here. I'll continue to buy from them.

----------


## Harray

Has anyone else had any comparable vet bill's?
We pay over £100 for blood test anaysis and we take dog to vet

----------


## Shabbychic

> Has anyone else had any comparable vet bill's?
> We pay over £100 for blood test anaysis and we take dog to vet


I had my dog's bloods checked last year and it cost me £50.

With regards to online meds, I use VETUK and have found them to be very reliable (with free p&p) and very reasonably priced. At the moment I buy pills monthly costing £22.95, when I queried the cost of this item from the vet, it would cost me £35.

They have a section here on the the ins and outs of using their prescription service, and the law.

----------


## Harray

Thanks for that link.
How much do vets charge you for writing prescription for medication?

----------


## Harray

*This is the link which Shabbychic refers to:
*


In 2003, the law changed to allow  pharmacies to dispense veterinary medications Click here to read. The purpose of that was to create  competition in the market with the aim of reducing pet medication prices for  members of the public. Traditional High Street pharmacies tend not to stock  medicine for animals and veterinary surgeons tended to use high mark-ups. 

In  October 2005 the law was changed again to prevent vets from charging their customers  for providing prescriptions for a period of 3 years whilst allowing other veterinary surgeons to dispense veterinary medicines. Click here to read. From that date Vet UK started to offer a lower priced  alternative for buying your pet medications.

*How do I get a prescription and where to I send it?* 
Ask your vet to write you a prescription (in fact you should be offered on by your vet if they feel a prescription only medicine is required to treat your pet). Once obtained place your order and post  the prescription to us with the order number written on the top right hand  corner. Please address to Vet UK (Prescriptions), Units 7 & 8 Europark, Station Road, Thirsk YO7 1GQ.

*Will my vet make a charge for providing a prescription? * 
Yes, veterinary surgeons can now charge a "reasonable fee" for the writing and presenting to yourself of a prescription. As you are now being charged for the prescription do ensure you make the most of the fee by ensuring all your medications are on one prescription and that repeats are allowed. Many will try and charge a "Medicine Determination Fee" or other similar fee possibly in addition to the prescription fee; but this MUST be applied to ALL dispensed prescription only medicines from that practice and not applied only to those clients who choose to take the prescription elsewhere. Further information can be sought from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons who also deal with complaints against vets should you need to.

*Can my vet refuse to issue a prescription?* 
If you are recommended by your vet to use any prescription item for the treatment of your pet you are entitled by law to a prescription instead if you wish. Sometimes this will not be appropriate, but if it is you can take the prescription for dispensing away from the practise and should not be disadvantaged by doing so. 

*If I get a prescription from my vet can they then insist my animal has more frequent check-ups?* 
No, that would be illegal. A vet cannot discriminate between customers purchasing medication from themselves and elsewhere. i.e. your pets` check up interval cannot be altered just because you ask for a prescription, and alteration is a clinical decision and must be justifiable. 

*How long can I use a prescription for?* 
Prescriptions are valid for use within 6 months of the date on the prescription. 

*My animal takes long-term medication, do I need to get a new prescription every time?* 
No, ask your vet to write you a repeat prescription which should cover you normal check up period. You can then buy from this prescription up to the quantity specified or until it expires. You will then require a new prescription. 

*Do I need to purchase everything on the prescription at the time of order? * 
No, you can buy as much or as little as you like. However, if ordering from a prescription already held at Vet UK please ensure you tell us with a message in the message box during checkout otherwise a delay in despatch will occur.

----------


## binbob

VERY interesting....i have been openly blackmailed to take one of my late cockers for more check ups ,when i mentioned wanting a prescription from vet.he actually admitted he was blackmailing me.


this was not in caithness,but in moray.
i did tell the RCVS...and the vet and myself came to an arrangement ,which allowed me to get a cheaper monthly bill  from vet...with no extra checkups.

cheeky vet ,he was. ::

----------


## Harray

Perhaps someone from Vet's can give us their side of why medications cost are so high.

----------


## binbob

> Perhaps someone from Vet's can give us their side of why medications cost are so high.


absolutely no chance will that happen..i was told in moray that it is THEIR BREAD AND BUTTER!!!!!! ::

----------

