Why Do I Need a Prescription for My Pet's Medication?

Like any other pharmacy, 1-800-PetMeds sells pet supplies and medications that can be either over the counter (OTC), where NO prescription is required or prescription (Rx) where a prescription from the veterinarian IS required.

Examples of OTC medications include flea and tick products such as K-9 Advantix, Frontline TopSpot, Frontline Plus, and Advantage.

Examples of medications that require a prescription include heartworm medications such as Heartgard Plus, Iverhart Plus, Revolution, Interceptor and Sentinel, pain relievers such as Rimadyl, Deramaxx, Previcox and Metacam and medications such as Soloxine, methimazole and antibiotics.

I'm often asked the question - "Why do I need a prescription if my vet gives it to me without a prescription?" That's an excellent question and is best answered by comparing the situation to human medications.

When we need to see a doctor, and the doctor determines that we need a medication, a prescription is given to us. We then go to our local drug store and the pharmacist fills the prescription for us. Or, we use a mail order pharmacy, so we mail the prescription away to the mail order pharmacy and a pharmacist fills the prescription and mails it to us.

However, there are doctors that sell prescription medications in their offices. They are allowed to do so because their doctors license allows them to. So instead of giving you a piece of paper (the prescription), you get the medication itself.

The same situation exists in veterinarians offices with the exception that while doctors are used to giving prescriptions to patients to be filled at the drug store, veterinarians are used to having their customers buy from them.

When a vet examines a pet and makes the determination that a prescription medication is necessary to either prevent a disease (such as heartworm medication), treat a condition (such as thyroid medication) or cure a disease (such as antibiotics), the pet owner has the right to fill that prescription at the pharmacy of their choice. They do not have to buy the medication from the veterinarian.

What is meant by "the prescription"? Prescriptions can be written on paper. Prescriptions can be given over the telephone from the vets office to the pharmacy and prescriptions can be transmitted by fax from the vets office to the pharmacy. So when I say the vet should give you a prescription, it can be by either of those means. If you are at the vets office, ask for a written prescription. You can then mail it to us and our pharmacists will process it. Otherwise, we will gladly call or fax your vet in order to fill your prescription need.