Veterinary prescription charges

spookylukey

Katstar wrote: »

HI. New to this, so apologies in advance for any minor (or major) faux pas I may make!
My cat has been diagnosed with blood pressure problems, (has been in the vet hospital and back on her paws now) and the vet has told me she needs to be on a drug called Istin for life. I bought the first three tablets from my practice, but feel I'm being scalped. The tablet, Istin 5 mg, cost me £38 for 3, and I've found it on vetscriptions for £12.99 for 28! This means that after the prescription charge, the tablets are costing me just over £9 each, instead of just under 50p each from this website! Even if I was to pay the vet prescription charge, which I think I read in the clinic as £10.74, I'll still be saving a lot! Has anyone used this company, and are they ok? I'll be asking my vet about getting a prescription only, but want to check I'm doing the right thing first.

I've not used that particular site before either but I did a quick search on the vet medicine sites I use regularly and couldn't find it - I then searched viovet.co.uk (have used once before with no probs) and got the message below so it seems that vet sites shouldn't display them on their website. So if you're worried about the legitimacy of that website I can personally recommend VetUK, bestpetpharmacy, petmeds and viovet but you will need to email/ring to see if they stock it as apparently by law they are not meant to display it.

As albacookie says you could also try human online/high street chemists, you will need a prescription still but there's nothing stopping you buying from a human pharmacy. According to Boots animal prescriptions are not exempt from VAT so a price on a human website would not be the price you pay as you would need to add VAT.

As for whether you are doing the right thing - it's a no-brainer. I don't know many people that could afford to pay £380 for 30 tablets from the vet every month when you could get them for £12.99 + £10 prescription fee online! In fact I think that is scandalous that your vet has charged you that amount, of course they need to make a profit but that is daylight robbery.


Viovet.co.uk:
You appear to have searched for a human medicine. We do sell human medicines, but are not legally allowed to advertise them on our website. Often human medicines are used in the treatment of animals. We are a veterinary supplier, so can sell them on receipt of a signed prescription from your vet.

Please contact us by phone 0800 0 84 26 08 or by email (support@viovet.co.uk) for prices and availability of human medicines. Human products can only be purchased by phone.

Boots.com:
Please note that prices quoted on our website are for prescriptions for humans. Private prescriptions for animals are not exempt from VAT so we are unable to provide you with a price on-line.
If you wish to obtain a price for a private prescription for an animal then please speak to our Pharmacy Direct team

hotcookie101

Katstar wrote: »

HI. New to this, so apologies in advance for any minor (or major) faux pas I may make!
My cat has been diagnosed with blood pressure problems, (has been in the vet hospital and back on her paws now) and the vet has told me she needs to be on a drug called Istin for life. I bought the first three tablets from my practice, but feel I'm being scalped. The tablet, Istin 5 mg, cost me £38 for 3, and I've found it on vetscriptions for £12.99 for 28! This means that after the prescription charge, the tablets are costing me just over £9 each, instead of just under 50p each from this website! Even if I was to pay the vet prescription charge, which I think I read in the clinic as £10.74, I'll still be saving a lot! Has anyone used this company, and are they ok? I'll be asking my vet about getting a prescription only, but want to check I'm doing the right thing first.

Are you sure that this £38 didn't include diagnostic tests or consults? If not, that is truly expensive, amlodipine is a cheapish med, think we charge maybe £10ish for 7 tabs (1month supply) including dispensing fees, but that is off the top of my head. I cannot recall ever writing a script for it, so our prices must be about right...

Katstar

hotcookie101 wrote: »

Are you sure that this £38 didn't include diagnostic tests or consults? If not, that is truly expensive, amlodipine is a cheapish med, think we charge maybe £10ish for 7 tabs (1month supply) including dispensing fees, but that is off the top of my head. I cannot recall ever writing a script for it, so our prices must be about right...

I have been in touch with my vet today, and it turns out it was a mistake-on my part and the vet nurse who served me. The £38 was an earlier charge, for a blood test, and the tablets should've been £8.38! What we think happened is that I mentioned the blood test (as I was to make an appointment for another blood test) while the vet nurse was typing the cost into the credit card machine, and she accidentally typed in the blood test cost! I apologised to her, and she's apologised to me! I've decided to donate the £30 difference to the PDSA, and am quite happy to continue getting my meds from the vet, even though I could still get them cheaper online.

Thanks for all your posts - glad to get that cleared up!

emp_athy

I took my dog to the vets this morning as he has a recurring skin and ear condition which results in inflammation. An unknown allergy of some kind.

In all the trip to the vets cost me £80.

The consultation cost me £24.77 - this price has increased each year.

I have been prescribed Stronghold 240mg at a cost of £24.77. I looked online and found it available for £14 plus £1.99 postage cost.

Additonally I have been prescribed Otomax 14ml for £13.82, I found it online for half that price + some Tavegil, which are anti-histamines, and were reasonably priced.

I am aware of the retail mark up, and I do not mind paying additionally for the vets service, but £24.77 for the vet to look at Murphy briefly, listen to his heart - all in all took 3 minutes + 2 minutes to print out the prescription. The consultation fee for a supposedly thorough check up, in reality is very brief and takes mere minutes!

I phoned my vets to find out how much they charge for a prescription and was amazed to hear it would be £17! No additonal discount is given for subsequent prescription items, so £17 per prescription, and only a month at a time.

Surely this is excessive?

I thought I could save myself half the amount on the medication by purchasing them elsewhere (online), but as they have made the cost of the prescription ridiculously expensive, it's cheaper to buy from them directly.

I asked about worming tablets for the dog I took to the vets, and another dog of mine who I left at home. I was told that in order to be buy worming tablets from the vet , I'd need to bring the other dog in, pay for a consultation of £24.77, just to be given them.
I thought worming tablets were regular purchases, I mean, you can purchase them in any petshop.
Of course they tried the sales tactic on, saying it's better to purchase the stronghold for the other dog, as it's a wormer and de-flea in one!

My dogs have never had fleas - the dog taken to the vets has been prescribed stronghold because of his skin allergy.

Is stronghold a very effective worming tool? or is it better to actually use worming tablets every three months?

I am fortunate that my dog suffers with mild allergies and not any serious health problem. I would pay any amount to ensure he is healthy and well, but the amount charged and the minimal service received just doesn't seem fair.
Surgeries should not blatantly charge excessive amounts to prevent you from purchasing medication elsewhere. A modest fee I would not mind so much, but £17 for each prescription really is greedy!

Why did they introduce prescription charges in 2008?

Sagz_2

emp_athy wrote: »

I took my dog to the vets this morning as he has a recurring skin and ear condition which results in inflammation. An unknown allergy of some kind.

In all the trip to the vets cost me £80.

The consultation cost me £24.77 - this price has increased each year.

I have been prescribed Stronghold 240mg at a cost of £24.77. I looked online and found it available for £14 plus £1.99 postage cost.

Additonally I have been prescribed Otomax 14ml for £13.82, I found it online for half that price + some Tavegil, which are anti-histamines, and were reasonably priced.

I am aware of the retail mark up, and I do not mind paying additionally for the vets service, but £24.77 for the vet to look at Murphy briefly, listen to his heart - all in all took 3 minutes + 2 minutes to print out the prescription. The consultation fee for a supposedly thorough check up, in reality is very brief and takes mere minutes!

I phoned my vets to find out how much they charge for a prescription and was amazed to hear it would be £17! No additonal discount is given for subsequent prescription items, so £17 per prescription, and only a month at a time. My Vet charges £15 per item but the script lasts 6 months - might be worth double checking.

Surely this is excessive? Certainly is!

I thought I could save myself half the amount on the medication by purchasing them elsewhere (online), but as they have made the cost of the prescription ridiculously expensive, it's cheaper to buy from them directly. Mine works out cheaper as it lasts 6 months.

I asked about worming tablets for the dog I took to the vets, and another dog of mine who I left at home. I was told that in order to be buy worming tablets from the vet , I'd need to bring the other dog in, pay for a consultation of £24.77, just to be given them.
I thought worming tablets were regular purchases, I mean, you can purchase them in any petshop. Some wormers are not POM - so you can buy them over the counter (or on-line).
Of course they tried the sales tactic on, saying it's better to purchase the stronghold for the other dog, as it's a wormer and de-flea in one!

My dogs have never had fleas - the dog taken to the vets has been prescribed stronghold because of his skin allergy.

Is stronghold a very effective worming tool? or is it better to actually use worming tablets every three months? Yes Stronghold is an effective wormer - but you are also paying for flea control that you don't want/need.

I am fortunate that my dog suffers with mild allergies and not any serious health problem. I would pay any amount to ensure he is healthy and well, but the amount charged and the minimal service received just doesn't seem fair.
Surgeries should not blatantly charge excessive amounts to prevent you from purchasing medication elsewhere. A modest fee I would not mind so much, but £17 for each prescription really is greedy!

Why did they introduce prescription charges in 2008? Because the law changed and they could!

My two cats went to the Vet earlier this week.... 10 mins later and I was £140 lighter! Turns out they have a secondary infection from Harvet mites. I've told them they are not allowed out of the house until summer is over. :rotfl:

My old dog is currently on 4 lots of drugs, 2 I buy from the Vet and 2 on-line as they work out so much cheaper. Spending around £350 a month.

All I can say is thank gawd for credit cards

albacookie

emp_athy wrote: »

Why did they introduce prescription charges in 2008?

Quite a long dull story but the short version is that the Competition Commission investigated the sale of animal medicines and looked into whether or not vets had an unfair monopoly. Part of that was three years of no prescription charges (they were charged prior to 2005). That ended in 2008.

hethmar

empathy and anyone else with dog allergy problems - give this stuff a go. I spent literally thousands at vets for my two and their skin/ear allergies which was always treated with steroids or anti biotics.

This stuff is 100% herbal and money back guarantee if it doesnt work for you Plus its a LOT cheaper than prescription drugs and a lot safer

http://www.aromesse.com/skin-problem/petnat-itchy-skin-relief-dermacton-cream-spray-shampoo-dog-canine.html

Sagz_2

This could be an interesting development:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/35350883#Comment_35350883