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Ordering Metacam Online

Sooz

Wise Old Thumper
I have a prescription to fill for a repeat of metacam (x3), anyone know the cheapest site?

I normally use Vetastoria.
 
I have a prescription to fill for a repeat of metacam (x3), anyone know the cheapest site?

I normally use Vetastoria.


Am I being thick here, how do you get a prescription for metacam, if it's from your vet why don't you get it from your normal practice. I didn't know vets wrote these out and then just let you get the stuff from where you liked.

Surely if it's for a certain animal they would want to see that animal from time to time to check it was still on the right dose. I wouldn't want to be giving drugs to anything unless I was certain that it was the right amount for that animal and as we all know an animals' weight goes up and down when they're not well.
 
if your pet needs the treatment not then u usually get it from the vets, but if its a repeat perscription, you can askt he vet 2 writ eyou a perscription so u can buy it off the internet much cheaper than the vets charge
 
Am I being thick here, how do you get a prescription for metacam, if it's from your vet why don't you get it from your normal practice. I didn't know vets wrote these out and then just let you get the stuff from where you liked.

Surely if it's for a certain animal they would want to see that animal from time to time to check it was still on the right dose. I wouldn't want to be giving drugs to anything unless I was certain that it was the right amount for that animal and as we all know an animals' weight goes up and down when they're not well.

One, my vets place a certain level of trust in me, having seen how the animals are cared for and the metacam has been prescribed for a rabbit with severe dental issues.

Secondly there are a few legalities which change when you have more than a certain number of animals registered with the vets. I am legally classified as a 'small holding'. This means dispension of medication and quantities is legally less restrictive.

Thirdly your vet must give you a prescription, free of charge, at your request, provided they have seen the animal and that animal is under their direct care for you to get the medication else where. This is a legal requirement.

and finally as SJ said its much cheaper online and as a rescue you must know how every penny counts ;)
 
well exactly, its pricy for anyone but for a rescue it must save a considerable ammount of cash, which of course must be good x
 
I didn't know vets wrote these out and then just let you get the stuff from where you liked.

Yep they legally have to give you a free prescription now if you ask for one rather than simply dispensing you the drugs directly - just like you can take your glasses prescription to any optician to buy your glasses, you don't have to stay at the one that did the eye test. If you buy online you do have to provide them with the prescription so they can verify that they are giving you the right stuff/right amount as prescribed, so it's exactly the same as dispensing directly from the vets.

Surely if it's for a certain animal they would want to see that animal from time to time to check it was still on the right dose.
Yep - they might require you to go back from time to time before giving you another prescription but once they have determined that medication is necessary, the above applies.

For one or two animals for a one-off thing, it's probably not worth it, but for situations where there is a 'bulk' purchase, or for bigger animals/ongoing conditions, you can save a significant amount of money by buying online.
 
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Thanks for the links.

Its actually nearly £8 cheaper online with free delivery :shock:
 
Yep they legally have to give you a free prescription now if you ask for one rather than simply dispensing you the drugs directly - just like you can take your glasses prescription to any optician to buy your glasses, you don't have to stay at the one that did the eye test. If you buy online you do have to provide them with the prescription so they can verify that they are giving you the right stuff/right amount as prescribed, so it's exactly the same as dispensing directly from the vets.


Yep - they might require you to go back from time to time before giving you another prescription but once they have determined that medication is necessary, the above applies.

For one or two animals for a one-off thing, it's probably not worth it, but for situations where there is a 'bulk' purchase, or for bigger animals/ongoing conditions, you can save a significant amount of money by buying online.

Thank you Alison,

I wasn't having a go Sozz I just wasn't aware that it was possible for it to be done.
 
It makes you realise how much Vets add on

It does - but in general I don't begrudge it. I suppose the difference is that vets are running a much broader business and so spread their costs and profit across the whole thing. An online pharmacy will have much lower overheads - buildings, new and maintaining equipment, staffing etc so can survive on much lower margins. If vets charged cheaper for the drugs (or if a large majority of customers started asking for take-away prescriptions), they'd end up having to put consultation/surgery prices up to compensate. I guess it's all a bit of a balancing act depending on their costs and how much profit they want to make!
 
It does - but in general I don't begrudge it. I suppose the difference is that vets are running a much broader business and so spread their costs and profit across the whole thing. An online pharmacy will have much lower overheads - buildings, new and maintaining equipment, staffing etc so can survive on much lower margins. If vets charged cheaper for the drugs (or if a large majority of customers started asking for take-away prescriptions), they'd end up having to put consultation/surgery prices up to compensate. I guess it's all a bit of a balancing act depending on their costs and how much profit they want to make!

They can still do this though if it happens a lot:

Many will try and charge a "Medicine Determination Fee" or other similar fee; but this MUST be applied to ALL dispensed prescription only medicines from that practice and not applied to only to those clients who choose to take the prescription elsewhere
 
Out of interest, what have you paid? I pay a ridiculous amount for a 100 ml bottle of Metacam at my vets, but they are expensive for everything.
 
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