It can be very tempting to purchase veterinary products from large online pharmacies. Most advertise “lower prices”, “deals for auto-shipments”, etc. Saving money is great, but is the savings worth risks taken when buying products that could potentially harm your pet?
Your veterinary clinic maintains relationships with manufacturers and distributors to ensure product safety and prevent counterfeit or harmful products from reaching your pet. Veterinary team members help with rebates, warranties, and product returns. Clinics provide experienced, knowledgeable personnel familiar with you, your pet, and their individual needs while maintaining product purchase and dosage information in their medical records. Most clinics do offer access to a trusted online pharmacy providing products directly from manufacturers.
When online prescription requests are made, veterinarians are obligated to review and approve each request. This review can take a considerable amount of time to ensure appropriate products are approved. Veterinarians have a legal right to charge a prescription approval fee. If you are questioning fees charges, please consider the time veterinarians and staff members spend insuring accuracy of online requests. Requests made through clinic specific online pharmacies are easier for veterinarians to access and approve.
Every purchase made from your veterinary clinic or the clinic’s online pharmacy supports a small business and their clinic team. These individuals work hard to maintain products that have been safely and appropriately handled and will be most efficacious for your pet.
Establishing a good working relationship with your veterinary team also provides a place to go for medical and emergency services. Online pharmacies can’t provide exams, routine care, diagnostic testing, surgery, or emergency services. So, who benefits from purchasing products from a veterinary clinic rather than an online pharmacy?
YOU BENEFIT by having an established veterinary client relationship and having access to warranties, rebates, and product guarantees.
YOUR PET BENEFITS by receiving quality products with proper dosing and purchase history maintained in medical records and by having access to routine and emergent medical and surgical care.
YOUR CLINIC BENEFITS because you are supporting a local small business.
Next time your pet needs preventions, prescription medication, food, supplements, or grooming products, please consider purchasing products at your local veterinary clinic or their online pharmacy rather than a “big box” online pharmacy!
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