Also here:
http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2005/07/09/features/lifestyles/aec35d8d4c9473de862570380043448a.txt
snip:
Dr. Jim Taylor, of Taylor Veterinary Hospital in Cedar Falls, says it isn't about making money. The difference in price of the medications he sells from that of PetMeds usually amounts to a few dollars, he says. In fact, sometimes Taylor's prices are lower than PetMeds', he says.
Taylor says his job is to advocate for the safety of the pet. Every aspect of PetMeds' practice --- from how they obtain medication to what actually is in the box --- raises his suspicions.
"First off, any veterinary product sold to Osco or Walgreens, I would write a prescription for it, because when I call up, I can ask the pharmacist where they get their medications, how they are transported, how they are stored, and he will tell me," said Taylor. "I ask (PetMeds) where they get their medications and they say 'That's not required by law and we don't have to tell you,' and they hang up on me. It's a thing called trust."
There are a handful of veterinarians in the Cedar Valley who will work with PetMeds. Dr. Chuck Klima, of Klima Small Animal Clinic, says he receives less than a dozen PetMeds requests a year. Klima will approve PetMeds prescriptions, but only after explaining to clients his reservations with online pharmacies.
There are some medications, though, that Klima will not approve through online pharmacies, such as heart and thyroid medications. Also, he will not approve heart worm preventives if a dog has not had an annual heart worm check.
Doing so could be disastrous, says Dr. Brad Kneeland, of Pawsitive Pet Care. If a dog is prescribed a heart worm preventive --- the No.1-selling prescription drug through PetMeds --- and is already infected with heart worms it can result in irreversible cardiac disease or death.
Like Taylor, Kneeland is uncomfortable with PetMeds' practices and won't prescribe heart worm or any other kind of medication through the company. The delivery channel for PetMeds is murky, he says. Kneeland buys medications for his practice directly from drug companies like Novartis.
"... Drug (company) executives sell through vets, to vets --- period. If you ask them, do you give drugs to PetMeds, they'll answer emphatically, 'No,'" he said. "My drugs are coming from drug reps. If (PetMeds) is not getting them through the makers, then where are they getting them?"
Koesten of PetMeds declined to be specific about where the company's drugs come from.
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Sounds suspicious to me.
"'That's not required by law and we don't have to tell you,' and they hang up on me. It's a thing called trust.""
Yeah, but if they have just a bunch of unskilled people handling orders as they likely do, they probably just plain don't know and aren't going to bother asking the people who do! I'm sure the people on the phones aren't professionals.