Cost of flea prevention - vets vs online? Can you buy prescription only online?

[deepest]

I use frontline combi for my dog have bought 6 months from my vet - it was 50! so stored it away safely - now cant find after only one use...! So looked on line much much cheaper told my vet and they said that it is prescription only - so I cant buy online ! - os is this fake or illegal?

www.vetuk.co.uk/frontline-combo-frontline-combo-for-dogs-c-21_1196_731/frontline-combo-small-dog-p-1638

[tabulahrasa]

It is prescription only - you have to get a prescription from your vet and send it to them before they'll sell you it.

[SpicyPear]

They should ask you for a prescription when you order online. Your vet can provide prescription only but will charge for it. It varies in price but sounds like your vet might not be that cooperative!

[ender]

You can get a prescription from the vet to use if you buy prescription only meds online. Vet will charge, some charge a consultation fee as well if they haven't seen dog for a while.
When I told my vet that Frontline was a lot cheaper online, even including his £11 prescription cost, he agreed to reduce the cost of the med so I bought it from them and saved a couple of pounds.

[deepest]

Thanks for that!!

[GobblersKnob]

It's even cheaper from animed, my vet is great about giving prescriptions, they say they make very little money on them anyway. I guess the big online sellers get much bigger discounts that they can pass on.

[KiaOraAura]

I buy Frontline from Vet-Medic online and you definitely dont need a prescription..... You complete an online questionnaire about your pet, and thats it. Its half the price of buying from the vet.

[GobblersKnob]

KiaOraAura, frontline is prescription free, frontline combi is not.

[KiaOraAura]

Oops, missed the combi bit, just ignore me

[Marrow]

My vet has advised me that in his opinion Frontline Combo is basically just a marketing ploy and that unless you have a big flea problem you might as well save your money and but the normal Frontline.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Frontline combo inhibits larvae as well as killing adult fleas, regular frontline only kills adult fleas.
Vet school 101 fleas you must treat the environment as well as killing live fleas. If you consider environmental control of fleas a marketing ploy you have no concept of elementary parasitology.

[Marrow]

That's interesting Lonecat. He was very adamant about it. I had asked him for a prescription for the Frontline Combi instead of buying it from him as I do normally as I had realised it was so much cheaper online. That was when he told me just to save my money and buy the ordinary stuff. I've never had a flea problem and don't want to end up with one now. Feel like I can't ask him for a prescription now

[AliceInSandwichLand]

Another vet here - we regularly see animals where plain frontline hasn't worked and people have to change to combo (or something completely different) to get rid of a problem. Certainly not a marketing ploy in my experience! ??

[Kaffiene]

Am just back from the vet with my flea ridden JRT. I thought I was being smart buying Frontline online but this is the first time in years he has for fleas. I am now £85 worse off as he has a flea allergy. So needed a jag, tablets, 3 months advocate supply and house spray.
I also asked about the Frontline Combo spot on and my vet dismissed it. Surely in our situation we need the combo?

[affafantoosh]

If you've actually got a flea problem spray is much better at killing fleas quickly. It will do the job of the Combo. And most decent sprays last a year.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Kaff advocate also has environmental control so is more modern version of frontline combo, in fact all the prescription only products do environmental control so are the same as or superior to frontline combo. Plus you have household spray which will knock don adult fleas in the house.

[Kaffiene]

Brilliant thanks have got the indorex spray. Am never touching Frontline again.

[deepest]

Wow its a mine field - when we had cats we had regular issues with house infestations can tell you how many times I have boiled linen - hoovered, spayed hoovered again so do not what to go back there again....can you summarise then what are the diff options, costs, pros and cons for a system that does environment and animal control? and are they all prescription only?

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Deepest the best products are prescription only and you have cats there is one gold standard solution for you Broadline it kills fleas, does environmental control, kills ticks, roundworms and tapeworms. If you spray house once after hovering with Indorex or Acclaim now and then use Broadline monthly it should give your good control.
Dogs that's a whole lot trickier.