Several
years ago, comedian Betty White represented 1-800-PetMeds in a television
commercial. The former Golden Girl, seated with a handsome Golden
Retriever, claimed that she "saved a trip to the vet". With
online pharmacies remaining a contentious issue and after a backlash from the
veterinary community, the advertisement was eventually pulled from circulation.
Healthcare
is expensive, there is no doubt about that. Whether you are feathered or
furred, two-legged or four-legged, the cost of hospital visits, medications, etc.
can really add up. In the world of human healthcare, regardless of its
constantly changing status, health insurance can aid in reducing cost of
medical care and medications. The cost of your pet's medications can vary
quite a bit for many reasons.
Not all pet insurance helps with the cost of medications and if a medication is called into a human pharmacy and it's not on the so-called $4 list, it will often be sold at the regular price which can come as a shock. As with human pharmaceuticals, veterinary medicine certainly feels the brunt of national supply issues and we must use our resources to ensure that your pet gets the necessary medication.
In this digital age, the information available at our fingertips is boundless. With the sheer amount information available to us at any given moment as well as advertisements flashing at us from every angle, it can be difficult to find trustworthy sources. Your veterinarian can help you make informed decisions regarding your pet's care and well-being and we recommend that you practice caution if you choose to order your medications from online pharmacies such as Drs Fosters and Smith and 1-800-Pet-Meds. The Food and Drug Administration(FDA) and many drug manufacturers such as Pfizer and Elanco do not back the medications that come from these internet pharmacies because of the possibility of counterfeit product, improper handling and storage, or incorrect dosing, therefore, we do not associate with these organizations directly.
In this digital age, the information available at our fingertips is boundless. With the sheer amount information available to us at any given moment as well as advertisements flashing at us from every angle, it can be difficult to find trustworthy sources. Your veterinarian can help you make informed decisions regarding your pet's care and well-being and we recommend that you practice caution if you choose to order your medications from online pharmacies such as Drs Fosters and Smith and 1-800-Pet-Meds. The Food and Drug Administration(FDA) and many drug manufacturers such as Pfizer and Elanco do not back the medications that come from these internet pharmacies because of the possibility of counterfeit product, improper handling and storage, or incorrect dosing, therefore, we do not associate with these organizations directly.
So, what
are your options? Many medications are available directly from our
hospital, we now have an online store that ships products from reputable
sources such as the direct manufacturers or medical supply distributors such as
MWI. Some medications can be called
into human pharmacies or compounding pharmacies, and as stated
before, if appropriate, we will dispense a written prescription for you to take to a pharmacy of your choice.
When
we decline working with the online pharmacies, we promise that we are not
trying to make your life more difficult, we are not "just trying to make
money" or keep you all to ourselves. Contrarily, we genuinely
do not have the resources in order to trust the online pharmacies and have the
best interest of you and your pet in mind. So, Betty White, although your
1-800-PetMeds commercial was pulled from the air, we thank you for being a friend.
