I found this interesting and would like to know your thoughts....
Recently the grocery store chain Kroger announced that they will stockand sell veterinary prescription drugs including heartworm prevention,flea control medications, and antibiotics. Online pharmacies advertiselow-priced prescription veterinary medications almost every time I turnon the television.
How do vets feel about this?
Before I go any further, let me introduce myself for those of you thatdon't know me. I'm the Irreverent Veterinarian. I speak my mind andgive you my honest opinion. I won't sweet-talk you or sugarcoat thetruth. I tell it like it is to everyone– you, the drug companies, the petproduct manufacturers, professional breeders ,and pet owners. Some might say that I'm truthful to a fault, and some people who read mycolumns get really angry. It is hard hearing the truth.
To be honest, the online pharmacy and grocery store pharmacies issue is a tough one. Personally I'm torn. This iswhy.
Contrary to what many people think, veterinarians don't have huge margins on their services. It's extremely expensiveto run a veterinary hospital or emergency vet clinic and the doctors certainly aren't making millions once the bills arepaid. Do veterinarians make money on medications? Yes, they do. Do they make a lot? No, they don't. But every bithelps.
Price is usually the reason that owners choose to buy pet medications at discount chains. I can see how pet owner would want to get the lowest price possible on their pets medications. However, if you check with many vet clinics their prices are often very close to the online pharmacies. Many vets will even match the price. Getting the lowest price can be important – especially in this economy.
One thing that you're getting when you buy medications from a vet is the knowledge that the medications have been properly sourced and stored. One thing I like about getting prescriptions from a vet is that the quality and safety is generally guaranteed unless something goes really wrong. The products come directly from the manufacturer or a legitimate distributor who can assure the quality of their product. They also are stored appropriately. I've seen inappropriately stored drugs (such as those in wet or high heat environments) actually inactivate and ruin the product. Unless you know how the medications should be stored it can be easy to ruin them.
In general, I prefer for medications to come from a vet rather than the online pharmacies. There is a lot of controversy on the quality and quality control of online meds. I've read several reports of people ordering medications online and finding they are counterfeit.
How do vets feel about this?
Before I go any further, let me introduce myself for those of you thatdon't know me. I'm the Irreverent Veterinarian. I speak my mind andgive you my honest opinion. I won't sweet-talk you or sugarcoat thetruth. I tell it like it is to everyone– you, the drug companies, the petproduct manufacturers, professional breeders ,and pet owners. Some might say that I'm truthful to a fault, and some people who read mycolumns get really angry. It is hard hearing the truth.
To be honest, the online pharmacy and grocery store pharmacies issue is a tough one. Personally I'm torn. This iswhy.
Contrary to what many people think, veterinarians don't have huge margins on their services. It's extremely expensiveto run a veterinary hospital or emergency vet clinic and the doctors certainly aren't making millions once the bills arepaid. Do veterinarians make money on medications? Yes, they do. Do they make a lot? No, they don't. But every bithelps.
Price is usually the reason that owners choose to buy pet medications at discount chains. I can see how pet owner would want to get the lowest price possible on their pets medications. However, if you check with many vet clinics their prices are often very close to the online pharmacies. Many vets will even match the price. Getting the lowest price can be important – especially in this economy.
One thing that you're getting when you buy medications from a vet is the knowledge that the medications have been properly sourced and stored. One thing I like about getting prescriptions from a vet is that the quality and safety is generally guaranteed unless something goes really wrong. The products come directly from the manufacturer or a legitimate distributor who can assure the quality of their product. They also are stored appropriately. I've seen inappropriately stored drugs (such as those in wet or high heat environments) actually inactivate and ruin the product. Unless you know how the medications should be stored it can be easy to ruin them.
In general, I prefer for medications to come from a vet rather than the online pharmacies. There is a lot of controversy on the quality and quality control of online meds. I've read several reports of people ordering medications online and finding they are counterfeit.
