buying medicines/drugs online for cats

snaps

My cat got a cut on her stomach during the week, its healed but was wondering about getting some antibiotics for her online.

I cant really afford to take her to the vets at the moment.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Silly question but would human antiseptic cream be to strong for her to put on the healing wound?

Toulouse

You will need a prescription to buy prescription drugs online otherwise you don't know what you're buying.

Some vets will take payment in instalments or you could try http://www.bluecross.ie/mobileclinic.html if you're in Dublin.

Munster Gal

If it's healing and doesn't look infected and she's not at it you don't need to put anything on it - putting something on might only encourage her to lick at it. Be very careful about buying antibiotics online alot of them are fakes - there's another thread here somewhere about it. You don't need the antibiotics either if it's healed.

Ado86

If the wound has healed up and doesnt look red, swollen, painful or anything discharging from it then she should be fine. Please dont put any antiseptic creams on her skin, some are toxic to cats esp Dettol.
Otherwise the Bluecross would be a good option.

Emerald Lass

please don't put anything on it - I said I was going to do that, and nearly got chewed up and spat out for it! It may be toxic to the cat, so only apply something advised by your vet.

not sure about online site, but I know some chemists sell animal medication, or can order it if you ask. A chemist in Finglas supplies us with metacam for our dog, and is about €5 cheapervthan the vet. Not because the ver is adding a larger margin, but apparently the chemist gets a bigger discount, because they buy larger quantities from the manufacturer (the manufacturer makes human meds too chemist is spending more with them than the vet). much as I would love to support the vet we spend a LOT on specialist foods and treatments for our dog, so the vet is getting a lot out of us, and even every €5 makes a difference!

Ask your local chemist. even if they don't do it now, they may be able to order it in for you. You don't need a written prescription as such as they don't legally need that for animal meds, but you must be certain the exact product and dosage needed, so be vigilant about that.

Munster Gal

The chemist does need a prescription for animal meds if they are prescription only and it is illegal for them to supply meds without one. My neighbour's dog developed Cushings and died because a local chemist kept supplying her (illegally) with steroids even though the dog was only meant to be on the on them for a short term. She couldn't even take any action against the chemist because he sold the business to one of the major chains. your vet can write you a prescription but legally the animally must be under his/her care and they must have been seen by him/her in recent times (think it's 6 months) The fact that chemists aren't prosecuted for this is just another example of how animal welfare isn't taken seriously by legislators in this country.

Alun

Yes, I though that was the case too. Wasn't the legislation changed recently in that regard? I guess there are still a number of pharmacies that aren't aware of this or choose to ignore it though.

Munster Gal

Alun, I'd say they choose to ignore it. It's easy for chemists to undercut smaller vet practices because they can buy in bulk - it's just like the corner shop and Tesco's or Dunnes and that's business for you.
The particular chemist I referred to was notorious! He developed a name for being the "animal chemist" so people would go to him instead of the vet & he'd diagnose and treat all sorts of stuff. "Overheating blood" was a great one and he'd hand out antibiotics, steroids and anti-inflammatories like smarties. Any medication he prescribed was usually life-long too. The vets in the area even referred to animals having "Smith's Cushings" (not his real name) because so many animals developed it from steroid overuse at his hands.

Emerald Lass

ALun and Munster Gal - whilst I don't doubt what you are saying, I was more pointing to cases where a vet has specified what medication is needed and the chemist them supplies it. In out case the chemist rings the vet each time we get a new bottle of metacam to check.

Anyone who would bring their animal to a chemist instead of a vet if it is sick is equally to blame. It is the same as bringing a child to the chemist instead of a doctor - fine for a dose of calpol, but if there is no improvement in 24hrs you would of course bring the child to the doctor - the same should be for animals. People who would bring a sick animal to a chemist in place of a vet probably wouldn't be quick to go to a vet anyway.

My chemist does undercut our vet as you put it, and like I said I would love to be able to buy the meds from the vet, but with a dog who has arthritis, asthma, one eye and twice had joint operations, we simply cannot afford to pay any more than necessary.

One thing I did notice, is that some of the vets in our practice don't like to actually 'write' a script - they only want you to get the meds from them, which I can understand, but in some peoples cases its just not financially practical. Luckily the vet we deal with in the practice has no problem ringing in a script to the chemist, but the other guy refuses.

i think there is fault on both sides, and I think some chemists offer a very valuable service and they don't all abuse it.

Munster Gal

Emerald Lass you did actually say "You don't need a written prescription as such as they don't legally need that for animal meds" which is inaccurate. The chemist does legally need a written prescription. If your chemist is ringing the vet then the vet must be faxing/sending him a script as otherwise it's illegal to supply the drugs.
I didn't mean anything derrogatory by the 'term' undercutting - it's just a simple fact of business - if you can buy in bulk you get a discount - it was simply by means of explanation, although undoubtedly there are vets (and all other goods/service providers) who will try and charge the absolute maximum they can get away with.
I'm in complete agreement with you as regards people who bring their animal to a chemist instead of a vet for serious illness but the chemist who does this isn't entirely blameless. If you set yourself up in a position of knowledge and authority you must be accountable for the consequences of your actions. Thankfully these people are in the minority but unfortunately they do exist. I'm not chemist bashing at all, in fact I have close family in the profession.
Vets don't write a script if you choose to get the meds from them but it is recorded on your animal's file. They have to provide you with a written script if you ask for it and if some of the vets in the practice you go to refuse to do this for you then you need to take it up with the practice manager or senior partner as they are breaking the law.
Hope I've explained myself a little more clearly!

Little A

They have to provide you with a written script if you ask for it and if some of the vets in the practice you go to refuse to do this for you then you need to take it up with the practice manager or senior partner as they are breaking the law.

Do you have any details about it being a legal requirement for them to issue a script? I asked for one from my vet as I could buy the Advocate for half the price from ChemistDirect....they (the vet) told me it is illegal for them to issue a script if the order is going to be made online?

I paid my vet for the consultation, surely I should be able to choose where I get the script filled??

soulstaf

snaps wrote: »

My cat got a cut on her stomach during the week, its healed but was wondering about getting some antibiotics for her online.

I cant really afford to take her to the vets at the moment.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Silly question but would human antiseptic cream be to strong for her to put on the healing wound?

Just use salty water! tablespoon of salt in pint of cooled boiled water-natures best!

Munster Gal

Little A wrote: »

Do you have any details about it being a legal requirement for them to issue a script? I asked for one from my vet as I could buy the Advocate for half the price from ChemistDirect....they (the vet) told me it is illegal for them to issue a script if the order is going to be made online?

I paid my vet for the consultation, surely I should be able to choose where I get the script filled??

I don't have a copy of the legislation regarding the scripts but buying prescription-only medication from abroad has a different set of requirements so the vet might be right.
Vets themselves can't even buy cheaper medicine from abroad if it's available here. A certain commonly used veterinary drug can be bought from wholesalers in Northern Ireland for a fraction of the price charged in the republic by the Southern Ireland branch of the same wholesalers but because of legislation the vet cannot buy it from NI because the same thing is available here!!! Vets have to keep records of where they source their drugs which is inspected and they would get into trouble for this. The increased cost is naturally passed on to the client - Rip off Republic strikes again!!

Tony H

I inquired about buying animal medication online with a prescription from my vet , I contacted The Irish Medicines Board to check this out and was told that it is illegal to import ANY prescription drugs from an online source .