internet petmeds and vaccinations are bad?!
1) he doesn't trust any heartworm pills, anti flea/tic meds, vaccinations sold online. They are not quality controlled like the ones directly sold to vets and are not covered by the manufacturer's guarantee for adverse reactions. If we were to order Schubert's medication online, he'll only help us purchase from MedVec with monthly automated payments. 2) our neighbors vaccinated all their dogs at home with the vaccines ordered online from Drs. Foster and Smith, and rabies from the local mobile clinic so I asked our vet about our interest in doing that that and he said he would not consider any online ordered vaccinations valid. If Schubert were to be vaccinated with online ordered vaccines, he would disregard it and vaccinate him again upon his return to the clinic, even if it were administered only a week prior to the visit. I thought with internet supplies, things would be easier for pet owners but according to my vet, nothing can be trusted.... I'm not bad-mouthing my vet by any means, but I just felt like he was trying to push me into purchasing at the vet clinic for a premium. |
|
|
| I would not use a mail order vax. Just sitting in the mailbox for a few too many hours might modify the serum rendering is less potent. Friend had parvo go thru her dogs after giving them mail order parvo vax's. Yeah, heard same re: Frontline, etc from our vet. |
| I am wary of online pet pharmacies. We (the vet I used to work for) had issues at one point where a supplier was using a prescription for heartworm meds as approval for dispensing to multiple animals (basically, anyone who called was given "use" of this prescription.) They were caught at it, but it really turned me off to the idea as a whole. According to Wikipedia, 1-800-PetMeds achieved Vet-VIPPS accreditation as of 2010, so quality control may not be as big an issue as it was. Still, I would worry about the meds sitting too long in the mailbox, too. |
| I work at an animal clinic, and I can't tell you how many times we've had flea/tick/heartworm positive dogs and cats come in that were medicated via online pharmacies. Sometimes all they have in them is alcohol! I have to agree with your vet - stick with what they have. As far as ordering vaccines online, I have never heard of that, but I personally wouldn't do it. There's so much that can go wrong with that, and, like SheepieBoss said, a few extra hours in the mailbox can be less than perfect conditions for a vaccine. |
| You can see the need for purchased from a vet in the case of the warranty for the Heartgard - they (company) could get totally ripped off based on someone getting a medication from somewhere else that isn't as regulated. I'm not sure if purchased and given at home vaccines are an option for you. Our vet sells (non-rabies) vaccines as "dispensed" - at a discounted rate. You take them home and give them yourself. I'm an RN - so shots are not an issue for me! In MN the rabies vaccine is only legally valid if given by a vet. There are shot clinics around - it seems odd your vet won't recognize them. It's the same meds (usually gotten at a discount based on quantity) - but given in sufficient quantity at a shot clinic where the number of clients makes up any loss of income that may occur. They are just that - a basic service - no exam, no other services. They are a decent option if offered in your area, but should not take the place of appts. with your vet for exams and a good going over. I'm lucky - my vet does good work, and is so reasonably priced I would be a fool to look elsewhere. |
| ^^^ our neighbor is an RN too!! That's why I asked our vet about it, but after hearing what he said, I'm not comfortable about this internet vaccine thing. It would be a whole new situation if he actually sold the vaccines for home injections. Also, my vet said there was only ONE internet site that sells vet approved (vet quality controlled) products and he would need to sign us up and automatically bill us. I forget which site he was talking about.......... Susan, jonesy & newfie mom --> Thank you for your input and your experiences. It's always good to hear words from the "inside" I'm not worried too much about puppy vaccination and vet bills etc because it's part of the puppy package. But I don't like having to pay the vet premium for monthly heartworm/flea/tick supplies when I can get the exact same one for substantially cheaper because this is for long term health maintenance. However, if the meds sold online or at petsmart do not go through the same quality control like what our vet said.... I'm not sure what to think of this. I'm going to talk to our breeder about it today. |
| We were forced by our medical insurer to use a Mail Order Pharmacy a few years ago, and we've had no difficulty with medications that we've received through the mail. I don't know this for sure, but I'd think the FDA has something to do with how medications are dispensed, and I think that if the FDA had an issue with the potency or stability of medications that are mailed to customers, or any risks associated with medications being shipped to customers through the mail (e.g. tampering potential), that they would not allow the practice to take place. Similarly, we have been using two Mail Order Veterinary Pharmacies (one being 1-800-Petmeds) for several years for a variety of medications for our dogs, and we've had no difficulty with the medications that we received by mail from them (our dogs respond favorably to the medications, having the expected therapeutic effect, suggesting that the medications are working). The cost savings that we've appreciated by using the Mail Order Pharmacies have been dramatic, and of course our Vet would prefer that we fill the prescriptions in-house, as he has made it clear that their in-house pharmacy is a big profit center for their practice. Funny, talk about profit centers, there seems to be some relationship between when our Vet recommends dental cleanings and when Mrs. Vet is due for a new car (and each year that Mrs. Vet's car goes up a notch, as does the cost of the dental prophylaxis). When we see Mrs. Vet pull up in a Cadillac Escalade, we'll know it's time to change practices. I'm a Physician Assistant by training, and have some knowledge about medications and their stability, and I see no reason not to use a credible Mail Order Veterinary Pharmacy. To the credit of 1-800-Petmeds, I had a question about a medication that was supplied to us by 1-800-Petmeds a few months ago, and when I posed the question to the person who answered the phone at 1-800-Petmeds, she put me on hold and put me in touch with one of their in-house, licensed, Registered Pharmacists. That's more than I can say for our Vet, who has no Registered Pharmacist in-house, or overseeing their dispensary of medications. PS Not to suggest that we'd do anything to compromise our dog's health, but we do like using the Marriott shopping portal to get to the two Mail Order Veterinary Pharmacies that we use, and earning (additional) Marriott Rewards points for our Mail Order Pharmacy purchases (in addition to the points that we earn on our credit card). |
| After some digging and searching, I met a vet who volunteers her time on Sunday afternoons to run a low cost clinic stand at the mall parking lot. She normally does house calls. On Sundays she provides low cost vaccinations and various basic services for pets whose parents work long hours during the weekdays and/or can't afford expensive vet fees to vaccinate their pets. We walked over and talked to the vet, her husband, her brother, and others who volunteered at the stand. While we were talking, she did a thorough physical exam on Schubert for free! She also gave us prescriptions for revolution. (unlike our original vet who wouldn't until we came back for Schubert's next set of shots) But she offered to apply it to Schubert in a couple of weeks for cheaper than internet pricing. When I asked about the quality of products on internet sites, she said some sites are reliable, Drs foster & smith and 1-800 pet meds being one of them, and she would feel comfortable ordering any medications from them. It was a very different vibe than our vet's hospital. I felt more comfortable with this one and didn't feel like she was tricking me into anything. |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|