tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341776667634084741.post4991794986243154814..comments2008-08-15T16:38:51.752-07:00Roger Welton, DVMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15781509292213339950noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341776667634084741.post-60145897591781841982008-08-15T16:38:00.000-07:002008-08-15T16:38:00.000-07:00I don't agree with your premise. If vet practices had reasonable charges for pet meds, then there would be no need to go online or anywhere else.<BR/><BR/>My local vet was going to charge me $250.00 for doxycycline to treat lyme disease that they detected in both my labs at one time. I looked at several websites and found the exact same medication for $20.00. The vet clinic manager tried to make me feel guilty by saying that all the web based pet pharmacies were shady and sold expired or nearly expired meds. She claimed that's why the web pharmacies were so inexpensive. I got an empty bottle of the doxycycline from the vet and called the online pharmacist. It was the exact same drug from the same manufacturer. The online pharmacist stated that they could not legally sell expired meds or they could lose their license (they're licensed in all 50 states). I ordered and received the meds from the online pharmacy and they were exactly as advertised - same exact meds as the vet wanted to sell me. The expiration date was about 1 year in the future.<BR/><BR/>I had been going to this vet practice for about 5 years and buying all my pet meds from them since their prices seemed to be reasonable. However, when the practice was sold to a corporation, they instituted a wide range of new policies including higher med prices. At the same time thet instituted another policy that they wouldn't write prescriptions for web-based pharmacies unless the client signed a statement releasing them for all liability if the treatment did not work. Even if you signed the statement, they would absolutely not fax the prescription to the web based pharmacy. The vets at this practice had their hands tied. They didn't agree with the policy but if they wanted to stay employed they had to go along with all these new policies. I spent all my time arguing with the office manager. I finally told them I no longer wanted their services and called around and easily found another vet who had reasonable prices for their meds. They only charged slightly more than the online pharmacy.<BR/><BR/>As long as the med prices at a vet practice are reasonable, both the vet and the consumer will benefit in the long run and the short run. If the vet practice charges significantly more than online pharmacies for the same exact meds, then the vet practice will and deserves to lose revenue. The consumer wins and that vet practice loses. A vet practice is a business after all and must cater to the consumer if it is to stay in business.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com