Our hospitals offer two convenient ways to obtain pet medications and preventatives when needed.
Prescriptions can be filled in the hospital for immediate dispensing, and we offer an online pet pharmacy where medications can be shipped directly to your home.
Our in-hospital pet pharmacy has a large selection of commonly prescribed medications. However, should your pet need a prescription medication we do not routinely carry, we can easily special order this for you. We will notify you as soon as it arrives, which is usually within 1-5 business days.
What Is Required To Get My Pets Prescription?
It is important to understand that it is a state and federal law that all prescription medications require a current doctor-patient relationship. This means that the doctor has an understanding of the patients medical history, their current medical status, and their medical needs based on communication with the patient and patient advocate (ie. pet owner) and a current physical exam in which the doctor has physically examined the patient within the previous year.
This statute is intended to ensure the safety of the patient and to help the doctor develop an appropriate medical plan based on accurate and current exam findings. Prescribing medications carries a great amount of responsibility on the part of the doctor. Not seeing the patient on a regular basis (minimum of once per year) could result in improper dosing due to weight changes, incorrect medications from changing or new medical problems, or life-threatening complications from drug interactions or patient allergic reactions if the doctor is unaware of the patients current medications and previous allergies.
For cats and dogs, it is a known fact that they age an average of seven times faster than we do, so it is even more important to examine them at least once a year, which can be compared to us receiving a physical exam only once every 7 years. And as any pet owner knows, a lot can change in a short amount of time both for us and for our beloved pets.
As our pets approach their senior years, they tend to have increased medical issues and problems. Therefore, we recommend beginning a bi-annual exam routine (one per six months) to aid in the early detection, prevention, and treatment of medical issues/concerns for our senior companions. Even simple, inexpensive recommendations, medications, and supplements can greatly benefit your pet’s quality of life and can drastically increase longevity.
Filling Prescriptions Elsewhere
While you always have the option of filling your prescription at another pharmacy, buying medications from our in-hospital or online pharmacy has many benefits. The most important ones are that we guarantee our medications are not expired, have been stored according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, and are coming directly from the manufacturer preventing the possibility of counterfeit products.
Another advantage of purchasing from our pharmacy is the assurance of the manufacturer’s product efficacy guarantee, which most manufacturers provide only if the product is purchased from your veterinarian. This could mean substantial cost savings should a product fail to meet its intended purpose. For example, if your pet becomes positive for heartworm while on a monthly heartworm preventative and you purchased your product from your veterinarian, many drug companies will pay for the additional testing and treatment of your pet’s heartworm disease. If you bought your product from an online or other pharmacy, this very expensive treatment would not be covered by the manufacturer. In addition, filling a prescription with us reduces the chances of an error with the dosage, the wrong medication being filled, and incorrect instructions being given.
If you are ever uncertain regarding a current feline or canine medication or the instructions you have been given, we welcome and encourage your questions and are happy to discuss your specific concerns. This is an added benefit of purchasing from us. We know our medications, we are confident in what we administer, and we are always here to provide the most up-to-date veterinarian care in the industry. We do understand, recognize, and support cost savings for our clients; therefore, in cases where we are aware of a reputable local pharmacy carrying the same medications we are prescribing at a much reduced cost, we will actually suggest that you may want to purchase the medication at that pharmacy.
Why Choose Our Pharmacy For Your Pets Medications?
Our pharmacy provides a number of services, including drug preparation, drug dosage monitoring, and drug distribution. We work very carefully to make sure your pet receives the appropriate medication and dosage to support the course of treatment prescribed.
Prescriptions are always entered into your pets medical record. This is a legal requirement that we whole-heartedly support, as it allows us to access all prescription information quickly and avoid confusion.
Our veterinarians, technicians and veterinary nurses are well-trained in pet health education, as well. This means we will be happy to help you understand the therapeutic effects of a drug, educate you on how to properly and easily administer the medication, and discuss any potential side effects or drug interactions to be aware of.
Some things to keep in mind:
We only sell medication that has been prescribed by our own vets. We cannot sell you prescription drugs if you have a prescription from a different clinic, unless we have seen your pet for that particular problem and have an understanding of your pets medical history and current needs. This goes back to the legal requirement to have an established doctor-patient relationship which constitutes a current physical exam within the past year.
Refills should to be requested a day in advance to help us set aside the appropriate amount of time to prepare the proper dosage for you. Of course, we will not deny a same day prescription, but it is so appreciated if you are able to give us at least a day to get everything in order for you.
If the medication you are buying has no refills left, you will need to speak with one of our veterinarians again to ensure you should continue administering this drug to your pet. In some instances, we may request to see your pet again to determine whether to continue the medication in the same strength/dosage or prescribe a different treatment protocol.
In addition to pet medications, we also offer dental health products, anti-inflammatory and pain medications, antibiotics, heart medications, anti-nausea and anti-diarrhea medications, and many other products.
If your pet has been prescribed a medical diet to help treat or support a condition (such as a liver, kidney, skin or stomach issue), you can order specialty food at our in-hospital and online pharmacies as well. We sell both dry and wet (canned) food and will be happy to provide help deciding the correct prescription diet and proper amount to feed. We sell a variety of brands and only offer top quality, so you can be sure your pet is getting the best there is. If you want to buy prescription food but haven’t discussed this with your vet first, please make an appointment to have a discussion and consultation of what type of food is the right choice for your pet.
We meet all the regulations set by the Veterinary Medical Board and the Federal Government regarding the dispensing and storing of veterinary medicine.
Online Pharmacies
While there are certainly reputable online pharmacies, there are just as many, if not more, illegitimate online pharmacies that sell counterfeit, expired, stolen, or tainted products. We encourage you to research any online pharmacy you are considering buying over the counter or prescription products from. As of August 2017, under the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s (NABP) new Pharmacy Verified Websites Program, pharmacies who meet strict enrollment standards will be given the “.Pharmacy” URL. This replaces NABP’s previous recommendation to look for the Vet-VIPPS seal on a pharmacy’s website.