cheap pet drugs

liz.._4

I have a dog with arthritis and every time I take her to vets it costs £27 + for 10 tablets! I looked on web and found a site that sells them for £3! Trouble is I need a prescription and the vet won't sign it (Obviously wants me to spend there) I know its only the doggie equivalent of ibuprofen but does anyone know how to work out the dosage for an 8kg dog?

I am also giving her cheapo glucosamine that costs 99p (I use it myself) hope that will help.

cheerio from Liz

Fleago

Hi Liz,

The vet MUST provide a prescription if you ask for it, it's not something they can pick and choose on - have a look here (scroll down to Medicines prescribed or supplied by veterinary surgeons and look at number 7)

It also seems odd that your dog has to see your vet every time and that only 10 tablets are prescribed at a time. Our vets are very good at allowing us just to pop in for a repeat prescription and for something like an ongoing treatment would prescribe more than 10 at a time. I think they can repeat prescriptions for up to six months after seeing an animal, but I'm not 100% sure on this.

I must admit I don't ask for a prescription and just buy from the vet, but this is because they are very good with us and do things like not insisting on seeing our pets to prescribe if they have seen it recently and it is for the same condition, have reasonable charges in the first place and supply sensible amounts of medication at a time. If I were you I'd look for another vet who didn't seem so revenue focused

Fleago

liz.._4

Thanks Fleago,
I'm going to print this off and take it in next time I go. I have found a website that will sell you the drugs if you print off the precription and get vet to sign it. Thats saved me a few bob, thank you!

Fleago

You're welcome Liz. Make sure he marks it as a repeat for six months when he does sign it And if he refuses to sign your prescription form, contact the RCVS

I thank my lucky stars that we have such good vets who are conscious of the costs that pet owners have to incur for their health care and don't take the mickey with their pricing policies

Fleago

liz.._4

Thanks Fleago, normally the vet is quite cheap for the usual stuff like vaccines and yearly check ups, he must be making his money on the unexpected stuff that crops up. I'm hoping the glucosamine works ok and I don't have to bother with the anti inflammatories. The dog is really old now, we've had her for donkeys and well past her sell by date but we love her to bits and want to make her last days/months happy

BUCK

liz.. wrote:

Thanks Fleago,
I'm going to print this off and take it in next time I go. I have found a website that will sell you the drugs if you print off the precription and get vet to sign it. Thats saved me a few bob, thank you!

Could we please have the the website?I have to take my dog to
the vets quite often and the tablets can be quite expensive.

liz.._4

OOh yes, sorry, I should have put it in its https://www.bestpetpharmacy.co.uk
looks ok so I'll try it next time and let you know how it goes

mountainofdebt

Can recommend this web site - their turnaround time is usually 24 hours!!!!

My vet wouldn't sign the prescription that bestpetpharmacy provide you with but they provide their own.

Also remember your vet isn't allowed to charge you for the prescription as well!!!

Eels100

Vets like this infuriate the others because they have driven the change in legislation by behaving like this. Meanwhile good, fair vets are hit hard by the changes, because they lose a lot of revenue from drug sales, thereby limiting what they can re-invest in the practice in terms of equipment and staff.

If you have a vet like the OP's, then move to somewhere more reasonable, but I would also suggest that people think carefully before purchasing all their drugs online. Vets, unlike the NHS, aren't government subsidised, and if we want the best care for our pets should the unthinkable happen, then we need to be conscious of how our vets can afford to supply the very highest level of attention. Most of us have no grasp of how much healthcare costs because we're fortunate to have the HNS. It's a harsh reality that medical and surgical care is not cheap and should not be scrimped on.

I am worried that if vets lose drug revenue, they will then only be able to provide reduced levels of education and kit for their staff and that my pets would suffer as a result. Also, those one-off emergencies would probably become even more expensive. I like to show loyalty to my vet same as I would my dentist, doctor and lawyer.

bulchy

Bestpetpharmacy also sell the worming tablets a lot cheaper than the vets, and you dont need a prescription, having 2 cats and 2 dogs, its saved me a lot of money this last year. I think you can get the flea treatment from them as well, not sure if you need a prescription for these, worth having a look though.
Sue

mountainofdebt

Eels100 wrote:

Vets like this infuriate the others because they have driven the change in legislation by behaving like this. Meanwhile good, fair vets are hit hard by the changes, because they lose a lot of revenue from drug sales, thereby limiting what they can re-invest in the practice in terms of equipment and staff.

If you have a vet like the OP's, then move to somewhere more reasonable, but I would also suggest that people think carefully before purchasing all their drugs online. Vets, unlike the NHS, aren't government subsidised, and if we want the best care for our pets should the unthinkable happen, then we need to be conscious of how our vets can afford to supply the very highest level of attention. Most of us have no grasp of how much healthcare costs because we're fortunate to have the HNS. It's a harsh reality that medical and surgical care is not cheap and should not be scrimped on.

I am worried that if vets lose drug revenue, they will then only be able to provide reduced levels of education and kit for their staff and that my pets would suffer as a result. Also, those one-off emergencies would probably become even more expensive. I like to show loyalty to my vet same as I would my dentist, doctor and lawyer.

Lets face it, only a tiny percentage of people know that they have the option of buying their pets' drugs over the internet and if vets are generally like mine then they will be as awkward about giving you the prescription as they possible can be.

I would be quite happy to buy the tablets from my vet but when there is over 150% difference in buying a months tablets from the vet and online it does make you wonder who is conning who doesn't it???