Other articles with keyword "DOGGIEPING" since 12/29/04
Posted on 07/14/2005 3:08:27 PM PDT by hsmomx3
PetMeds.com advertises the dogs heartworm meds. for $11.00 less than what our vets office charges per dog per Rx.
I told them I might go through petmeds.com and they said that they cannot vouch where the meds came from even though the packaging looks legit.
What are your thoughts on this? Woud you order from petmeds.com or order from the vet?
I know of an individual who ordered from an online Canadian pharmacy. The heartworm med was cheaper and no prescription was required.
My thoughts are that your local vet would like to have that $11.00 from you, and they'll make up all sorts of BS to get it. ;)
Consumer Affairs.com lists a number of complaints, including one that echos your vet's warning:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/petmeds.html
Maybe its just me, but I'd rather spend the extra $11.00 when it comes to my pet's health.
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.
****
Sounds suspicious to me.
Ping
Funny thing, wife's antibiotics cost $150, the exact same medicine for the dog was $15.
I'm interested in this discussion too, I buy a monthly prescription for my horse from my vet, and I've wondered about the cost/service from PetMed.
If you can teach the dog to cook and vacuum, you'll be all set. :-)
(Ducking for cover)
thanks for the ping! I buy some stuff online for all my animals and some stuff from the vet. Rabies I wouldnt fool with, that comes from the vet, however, I have never had problems with well known heartworm medicine bought online, dogs are fine with clean bill of health.
I have known a vet that should NOT be in practise and I would NOT trust a word that she said. She messed up a simple operation and a different vet was so concerned and horrified that he treated my dog without charging me, as long s i gave him the name of the vet that screwed up.
I guess you just have to decide for yourself who to trust! : )
You may want to replace your wife with one you find online, and get the more expensive vet meds with the money you save.
Check out post 13! LOL
I've ordered from them; and yes, they have a low price guarantee, but you have to go to the trouble to research lower prices EVERY TIME you order from them. I finally got tired of having to do so much work each time I needed something, so I just found a place with consistently low prices (and really fast service). Check out petshed.com (they're in Australia).
Will you be so kind and see if you can get me an on-line address to this Canadian source? Thanks. My vet won't give me a prescription for heart worm pill for Petmeds.com.
I've lost a lot of respect for vets over the last 10 years.(It's only about the money these days, period.)
Thank you! I was trying to find out where i bought my dogs heartworm med from, and all i could remember was it was in Australia! I had lost the link.
My dogs have been checked and are all ok, so it works. : ) I was very satisfied with the service, it was very fast! : )
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