Be Informed...

Know What You Are Buying Before Administering Medications to Your Pet

Our clients occasionally ask if they should purchase their heartworm and flea medications from a supplier on the Internet. Some pet owners have expressed interest in this method of purchasing products given the claims of greatly reduced prices for the "exact same product". At Hilltop Animal Hospital we want to ensure our clients are administering the proper medications to their pets. We see our role as an educator and want our clients to be in the best position to make an informed decision regarding their pet's health.
We have reviewed several of the products offered by Internet retailers and have contacted the manufacturers so we could provide you with the information you requested. Much of what we learned is alarming and in sharing this with you, we hope you take the precautions necessary to protect your pet's health.

• Manufacturers that produce Heartgard, Advantage and Frontline do not sell these products to any direct-to-consumer Internet retailers. These manufacturers sell to only a licensed Doctor who can prescribe and dispense medications on the basis of a valid client-patient-doctor relationship.

• According to the manufacturers, product that is sold on these sites is "unauthorized for sale" and not a legally authorized distribution channel. The medications offered on the site are often obtained through product-diversion (obtaining medications from a source outside the manufacturer's control).

• The manufacturer's quality control standards cannot be monitored on the products sold by the Internet retailers. Hilltop Animal Hospital stores the products properly to ensure that the highest level of effectiveness is maintained. The manufacturers will fully guarantee the product when it is purchased here at the hospital.

• The licensed Doctor in writing such a prescription is liable for all the proper instruction and proper usage of these prescription products. Logically why else is it legally necessary to get his or her signature to make the Internet purchase? You can't make such a purchase without them. Why should any doctor assume such legal liability for some unrecognized Internet middleman retailer? They have no pharmacists or staff veterinarians to call if there are questions or problems with the product or its usage. Internet retailers gobble profits and assume none of the liabilities. It's the veterinarian responsible for your pet's medical well being year after year that you know and can trust that carries this burden.

In terms of costs and pricing, we have prepared a comparison chart that shows the prices charged by the largest pet medication Internet supplier versus what is charged by this Hospital. Please see the end of this notice for the comparison. The price comparison is a snapshot in time; it goes without saying that promotions and special offers may come up from time to time that may make one location's pricing more appealing than the other.

For the most part, we found the costs fairly similar with few slightly higher or lower. Whether stated or concealed, there is always a shipping fee as well with an Internet Outlet Shipper. We have no hidden fees at Hilltop Animal Hospital. What we found most important in our review of Internet sales of pet medications are the quality control concerns of purchasing product from an unauthorized outlet. We hope this information is helpful to you in making an important decision regarding your pet's health and protection.

Florida Board of Pharmacy disciplines PetMed Express, Savemax

• On April 16th, the Florida Department of Health's Board of Pharmacy reached an agreement with PetMed Express Inc. whereby the company accepted penalties but did not admit guilt. The company was accused of operating an "alternative veterinarian program" that contracted with veterinarians to write prescriptions for animals they had never examined - a violation of Florida law.

• The company was also charged with selling drugs not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

• In 1999, the company and its pharmacists settled 56 cases out of court. The penalties included paying investigative costs and a $32,500 fine, attending an education course on pharmacy law, undergoing two years of semiannual inspections, and submitting quarterly pharmacy reports for 30 months.

• The Board of Pharmacy plans to provide information about the hearing to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, which will distribute it to the state boards through its disciplinary clearinghouse. According to several speakers at the hearing, veterinarians in other states have filed complaints against the companies, and the agreement may start a domino effect, with more states pursuing legal action. At press time, the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy had charged PetMed Express with various violations and scheduled a hearing

Price Comparison: PetMed Express versus Hilltop Animal Hospital