Advice needed re prescription charges and internet drugs please

[DizzyDummy]

I have a few dogs, one is on Rimadyl for arthritis and the another is on 4 drugs for a heart condition. I am currently spending several hundred of pounds each month on medications for them and I simply cannot afford it. My vet said he would write a prescription for 1 months medication only at a charge of £15 PER ITEM!! This makes it not much cheaper to buy from the internet. Does anyone else buy their drugs via the internet and how much does their vet charge and for how many months please?

You may not need the prescription....

www.discountpetcare.co.uk/products.aspx?id=21&product=rimadyl__&gclid=CIj4zuDt6qgCFcod4QodB0AODg

You will always need a prescription for these drugs. Vets are free to set their own prescription charges and can write different lengths of prescription. In my practice we will give a prescription for 4 months for something like Rimadyl and 3 months for heart drugs. We charge £12 for a single item script and £19.60 for a 4 item script. It maybe worth shopping around the local area.
It is worth asking if your vet will write the script for the cheaper versions of the drug for example Carprodyl instead of Rimadyl.
I checked the site above whilst you can order the drugs they will not ship them until you have sent or faxed the prescription to them.

My old vet used to charge £8 per prescription (which always had 3 items on). I used to resent paying that as he put it up from £5. I feel ashamed of my self now!!!

It may be an idea to ring around all your local vets to ask their prescription charges as you could transfer to them - depends on how you feel about your current vet, prescription charges aside. If you are happy with them, you could try finding out the cheapest prescription charge and tell them you may consider transferring to them unless they can match it? Might be worth a go.

Really Lizcat? My online pharmacy didn't ask for proof of the cat's meds before sending them. Perhaps they were being naughty I don't know.

If they are not asking for a prescription they are breaking the law. They should be retaining a copy for their records. I would be very cautious of an online pharmacy not asking for a prescription there are some that appear to be UK based and actually are not and some of the meds they are supplying are questionable in quality. There have recently been problems with fake vivitonin, fortekor and felimazole.

Thanks everyone, I have rung around a few vets today and there are ones that charge more reasonable rates for prescriptions so reluctantly I think I will be moving practices.

At our practise, we have changed our rules. If people can prove (or provide the link) for how much they can get the drug for, we will price match as we are keen not to lose our valued clients by being expensive. We do not advertise that fact though! Maybe you should explain that you are thinking about moving practise and see if they change their stance?