Everything you need to know, in one handy place
What is a prescription?
When your pet needs medication, a vet will prescribe that medication during a consultation. Your vet practice usually fulfils this immediately, handing you the medication during your appointment or at reception.
Alternatively, you can request a written prescription enabling you to purchase online. However, only 14% of owners do so on a regular basis.
A written prescription is a document that details the medication your pet needs, the dose and how many repeats you’re able to order.
Why do I need a prescription for my pet?
When you buy medication directly from your vet, you pay the practice’s set price. Practices buy medication from suppliers, then add a markup before selling to you. This markup varies significantly from practice to practice and can cover items such as storage costs and staffing costs.
A written prescription provides you with the flexibility to choose where you buy your pet’s medicines from. Whilst you will pay for a written prescription (as it requires veterinary time and expertise to create one), you can save up to 70% when purchasing the medication directly from an online pharmacy.
These savings can have a huge impact on your finances, especially for animals on long-term medication. However, prescriptions aren’t only for treating illnesses; you can also purchase your routine flea and worming treatment online.
If your pet needs more than one medication, you can request that all items be included on a single written prescription. Many vets charge less for additional items on the same prescription than they would for issuing two separate ones.
How much money can I save by buying medication online?
We’ve built a savings calculator to help you find out just how much money you can save by buying online.
Just pop in a few details, including your pet’s medication brand, the pack size you usually buy, how much you pay for it, and how often you purchase it, and we’ll show you how much you could save every year by switching to buying online from a government-approved, trusted pharmacy.
We’ve even factored in the cost of your vet writing a prescription and delivery fees, so you’ll get a realistic, accurate estimate of your potential annual savings.
How do I get a prescription?
A recent survey by the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) suggested that pet owners felt uncomfortable or worried about asking veterinary surgeons for written prescriptions. But since 2005, vets have been required to provide a written prescription if an owner requests one. So all you have to do is ask.
Remember, you will still need to pay for a written prescription, as this requires a vet’s time and expertise. However, we have factored this cost into our savings calculator, allowing you to see whether the switch to online buying is likely to save you money, even with this additional expense included.How do I use my pet’s prescription?
Once you have your written prescription from your vet, you’ll know exactly which medication your pet needs.
Now you can use our search engine to compare trusted online pharmacies based on price, delivery speed and whether they’re independently owned.
We only list government-accredited online pharmacies, so you can feel confident that every option is safe and authentic.
Simply upload or post your prescription to the pharmacy of your choice, and they’ll take care of the rest. Please remember to add extra time for processing and delivery (we work this out for you).
Need it in a hurry? We can help you find which pharmacies can deliver ASAP.
Why do I need to take my pet to the vet?
Vets can only prescribe medication for pets "under their care", a professional responsibility they take seriously.
Your vet needs to have examined your pet recently, though intervals for checking will vary. Some medications require annual reviews, others need checks every three months.
These regular checks ensure your pet stays on the proper medication for their condition. Weight changes require dose adjustments, or health changes may mean switching to a different treatment entirely. Six months in your pet's life is roughly equivalent to two years in yours, so a lot can change during that time.
If you’re in doubt about your pet's medication, always contact your vet.