Pet Insurance and Vet Perscriptions

ellie1379

Hello,
2 questions!

We have a 14 week old puppy that I have just taken to the vet for flea and worm treatment (Advocate). It cost me £24 at the vets and I could have got it online at Vets UK for £14. However, the cost of the vet writing the perscription would have been around £10 so no savings plus I would have had to have waited for the medicine to arrive had I ordered online.

Now today I had to take the puppy back as he developed a rash on his stomach. Vet charged £16 for antibiotics, could have bought for £4 on Vets UK, again not much saving.

Is there any point in buying online?! I'm sure I am missing something as I have read so many posts from people saying to buy online rather than getting direct from the vet :think:

Second question is whether it is worth getting insurance? The puppy is currently covered by a months free insurance from Pet Plan and we were going to set up with Axa after that ran out. But the excess is £75. The trip to the vets for the rash cost £48 so no point in claiming.

Is it only major operations / illnesses that you really need the insurance for? Rather than courses of antibiotics etc?Would we bet better saving the £34 a month the Axa is going to cost us in another bank account?

We want to and are prepared to do the best for our puppy but also dont want to waste money.

thanks in advance for taking the time to read this and any advice you can give!

Fire_Fox

You need to ask the vet for a repeat prescription for the flea and wormer, you then send the script to Vet UK and keep ordering off the same one for a year or so. It probably won't be worth it for one off like antibiotics.

If you now change insurers the puppy will not be covered for any similar conditions to the rash on his stomach. The reason for insurance is if your puppy gets hit by a car, eats something he shouldn't and needs a major operation, diabetes, kidney problems, cancer, bowel disease .... all of these can cost you thousands. :eek:

To me it's really the same as your buildings and contents insurance: these aren't there in case someone breaks in and takes your TV and laptop they are there in case you have a house fire and lose everything but the clothes you stand up in. Motor insurance is not really there in case the door gets dented, it's there in case you write the car off or knock someone down.

IMO putting £34 a month aside is not enough unless you already having savings? You will only have £400 after a year which is not going to touch the cost of anything major. There are quite a few threads from people wondering if insurance is worthwhile, and responses from others explaining how much it has cost for different illnesses. Worth a read round and then you can decide for yourself what would work for you?

ellie1379

Ah a repeat perscription that makes sense!

Never thought of that :T

I think we will get the insurance I see what you mean with the house insurance and things.

Thank you very much for you help!

snowman2_2

Please bear in mind that your vet is not able to sign an insurance claim form for any drugs bought on-line. You will have to ask the on-line pharmacy to complete the form or ask your insurer what their policy is. You may get into a position with some pharmacies / insurers that you can't claim for the drugs. Worth checking

trudij

You also shouldnt be able to just buy antibiotics online - they are POMs for a reason !

ellie1379

thank you all for replies, lots to consider!

what is/are POMs though?

trudij

sorry !! Prescription Only Medicine. Means a vet has to see the animal before they can prescribe you the drug - its not so that you have the maximum expenditure (though sometimes it feels that way!!) its so that your animal has the best chance of getting the correct drugs at the correct time. Different drugs do different things, so theres no point giving certain drugs to certain problems.

hope that makes sense !! (and apologies if that was an egg-sucking talk!)