Some pet medications require no prescription. You can purchase them through your local pet supply store or through an online veterinary pharmacy. However, not all veterinary medications are sold over-the-counter. Some require a prescription from a licensed veterinarian, much like some human medications require a prescription from a doctor.
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Definition
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A prescription medication is a veterinary-use drug that is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These drugs can be obtained only on the order of your veterinarian.
Circumvent
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Some websites sell such medications without a vet's prescription. However, some of these sites do so illegally, so you should be aware of any medications obtained from a site that has no regard for U.S. law. Others can sell pet medications that normally require a prescription without a prescription because they are not located in the United States, and thus do not have to abide by U.S. laws.
Problems
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There are various problems with ordering prescription pet meds from sites that don't ask for prescriptions. If buying from a U.S. site, you're participating in the pharmacy's disregard for the law. You don't know if the U.S. government is the only one the pharmacy is trying to fool. You may be getting imitation medications packaged and sold as the real thing. If buying from an international pharmacy, you will have to pay for international shipping, which could get pricey. The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends that if you use an online pharmacy, you use one that is part of its "Vet-VIPPS" voluntary certification program, created by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
Alternative
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Prescription pet meds are usually available through your veterinarian. When you get these medications through your vet, you usually simply receive the medications, without an actual accompanying prescription. However, if you prefer to purchase the meds through an online pharmacy, you can ask your veterinarian to give you a written prescription, which you can then send to a legitimate, U.S. online pharmacy so that it will dispense the medications.
Exceptions
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While prescription medications generally require a prescription and nonprescription ones are available over-the-counter, some non-prescription medications are sold only to licensed veterinarians, notes The Pet Center's website. This is not to abide by any law, but simply the policy of the company that makes or sells the medication. Thus, while you may not need a prescription to obtain these medications, you may still need to go see your veterinarian to get them.
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