The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Online Pet Medications – Buyer Beware The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Online Pet Medications – Buyer Beware

Sunday, November 11, 2018

Online Pet Medications – Buyer Beware


If you are considering ordering your pet's medication online, please read what the ASPCA says about online pet medications.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) does not recommend that pet parents forgo purchasing pet drugs on the Internet altogether, but encourages the active participation of your veterinarian in any decision to medicate your pet. “All pet drugs should be prescribed by a veterinarian after an in-person physical exam, and should either be purchased from that veterinarian or out sourced to a reputable pharmacy, whether on- or off-line,” says Dr. Camille DeClementi, ASPCA Senior Director of Medical Records.


Tips for Buying Pet Drugs Online


Order from a Web site that belongs to a Vet-VIPPS accredited pharmacy. Vet-VIPPS—the Veterinary-Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites is a voluntary accreditation program of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).    NABP gives the Vet-VIPPS seal to online pharmacies that dispense prescription animal drugs and comply with NABP's strict criteria, including federal and state licensing and inspection requirements, protecting patient confidentiality, quality assurance, and validity of prescription orders.


Look for the Vet-VIPPS seal displayed on a pharmacy's Web site or check with NABP5 (click on "Accreditation Programs")    to find out if a pharmacy is Vet-VIPPS accredited. Because this is a new program, begun in 2009, a small number of pharmacies are currently Vet-VIPPS accredited.


Order from an outsourced prescription management service that your veterinarian uses. These state-licensed Internet pharmacy services work directly with the veterinarian, require that a prescription be written by the veterinarian, and support the veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Ask your veterinary hospital if it uses an Internet pharmacy service.


Pharmacies that are currently Vet-VIPPS accredited:


1-800-PetMeds

Drs Foster & Smith Pharmacy  
PetCareRx, Inc  
SmartPak  
VetCentric  
VetRxDirect  





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