Hespeler Animal Hospital

Be Informed When Buying Medications For Your Pet From an Internet Pharmacy

The drugs from Internet drug sites and Mail-Order Catalogs may look the same as the medications you buy from us, but there are significant differences you should know about.

Uncertain Sources

Manufacturers will not sell their medications to Internet drug companies or mail-order catalogs. So these companies must search for these drugs and buy them second and third hand, sometimes from some place outside the country. Because of potential long travel distances and unknown storage conditions, the quality and effectiveness of these medications may be compromised. There are no temperature and environmental controls, and there are no regulatory agencies or manufacturer’s representatives present to inspect how these products are handled, transported or stored. Or, you may be buying counterfeit drugs!

No Guarantee by the Manufacturer

When we order medications, they are shipped directly to us from the manufacturer’s or certified distributor’s climate-controlled warehouses. They arrive here by courier on the same day they are shipped, and are stored for only a short time in our hospital before you buy them. The manufacturer considers all this very important to assure the medication’s quality and effectiveness.

Because of this attention to detail, the products you buy from us are fully guaranteed by the manufacturer. If your pet gets intestinal worms, for example, or heartworms when using a company’s product, they will pay for the entire diagnosis and treatment. These manufacturers do not guarantee drugs purchased from Internet drug companies or mail-order catalogs due to quality uncertainties.

Not Necessarily Cheaper

By the time you convert American dollars to Canadian dollars and add shipping fees, you are likely paying the same or more for those “cheap” medications. We really try to control our costs for many medications so you can feel comfortable you are giving your pet a guaranteed, effective product at a fair price. Many clients have told us that our prices for Interceptor or Metacam for example, are practically the same as those found on some of the largest Internet drug sites you see advertised on TV. In many cases, we are actually a little less expensive.

Improper Supervision

When you buy medication from us, a Doctor or technician reviews the prescription information, and gives you advice on how to properly administer the product. We review any testing required to ensure your pet’s health. We review your pet’s medication history to ensure there will be no drug interactions if your pet is on another concurrent medication. An on-line or meal-order pharmacy will not do this for you.