A vet is running a business just like any other business. Any product they sell is marked up in price after it is received from the supplier and supplier has already marked up the price before the vet's office received it. How much the make up is depends on how much the business needs to help make a profit. Buying direct form a pharmacy cuts out one of the mark ups in the process. You would be amazed to see how little a product costs to actually manufacturer as compared to what the price is when it is actually presented for sale.
1-800-pet meds, Foster and Smiths and some others are reputable companies that fill prescriptions for pet medication. The only reason I can see for a vet not wanting to give a prescription is because it is cutting out their profit.
When retail stores that supplied eye glasses and contacts for people first became available many people had a hard time getting their eye doctors to give them the prescription to go else where to get their glasses. It is a loss to the office but it is saving the patient money. The retailers can sell the same product for less because they are selling in much larger quantities as compared to a small office. In most cases the manufacturer is the same.
You may have read how some seniors have started buying their drugs from Canadian pharmacies because the cost is so much less. Now that can be risky if you don't know who you are dealing with but if you do know what you are doing you can get the same medication, that is made in the USA, for less than what you would pay from an American pharmacy.
I buy the best food for Gracie. I travel past 2 other vet's offices to go to a quality veternarian. I make her treats myself or buy her the very best quality natural treats. I have no problem getting any prescriptions from a well known animal pharmacy that provides the same medicine from the same manufacturer for less.
I am not attacking or saying it is wrong for the vet's office to mark up the price of what they sell. Every business does it. Some have higher mark ups than others. I do think it is wrong to refuse to allow the customer to buy medications for less elsewhere. |