Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Source for vetrinary supplies

Anyone out there know of a good reliable source of vetrinary medications where I can avoid the prescription hassle? We have lots of animals and I'm getting tired of having to chase down a vet and pay a vet bill every time I want to buy some heartworm for the dogs or vaccines for the horses. We administer our own meds and have been doing it for years. Usually when the horse vet is here for things that require his services I have him write prescriptions for other stuff I need for other animals and he does it for free. But he's not here often enough. I'm looking for a reliable Canadian source of vet meds where I know I won't get taken. I would greatly appreciate knowing if any of you have gone this route. Thanks.

Bz,

The problem is that you will not be able to purchase heart-worm medication for dogs and certain vaccines (for dogs or horses) without a prescription. The reason being is that with heart-worm medication, if the dog has heart-worms and you administer it, your dog will die (more than likely anyways).

Any online (Canadian or USA) sources will have to call your veterinarian to request a prescription. I know this because they called the office that I worked for on a daily basis, and every time we would just reply that they need to have an exam or a heart worm test before the prescription could be written.

As a side note (it is obvious I have a bias in this matter), online pharmacies used to contact us on a monthly basis in an attempt to purchase our OUT OF DATE / EXPIRED medications so that they could resell them online. That in my opinion, is a red flag. In all honesty, the medication would probably still be just fine, but I am not so sure that it is worth it.

Sorry that I couldn't be much help. I am sure you could get the medication at a much cheaper price from a Canadian source, but I am certain that you would still need a prescription for the heart-worm medication.

You might see if Petmeds.com or Tractor supply have what you are looking for.

My vet will write a script for a years supply if I ask, and I can get it filled anyplace.

TSC or some farm supply stores have most meds, but they don't carry perscription stuff (at least not the ones here).

canadavet.com
or you can get livestock dosages at tractor supply, at least here, and use reputable online sources for dosage conversions. You do this at your own risk though (but so do I, saves a lot of money)

Just to clarify, i am talking about preventative meds, not treatment

Gflo, I never quite understood the heartworm thing, if the dog has heartworm it dies right? If it has heartworm and you administer the medication it dies right? So why do I have to have a heartworm test to get a prescription, either way it dies if it has heartworm. My horse vet will write me a heartworm prescription whenever he's stops by no questions asked. But I don't always see him often enough or I may forget to ask. I might just start using the cattle liquid ivermectine that you can buy over the counter like Gallop suggests.

The other thing is ear meds. My dogs seem to get yeast infections often. I would like to just keep a supply of Otomax on hand so I can use when needed.

Gallop, I'll try the source you mention. I did find a Mexican source for any of this stuff but I really want to find one that someone has used and had good experince with.

Hey Bz,

The reasoning behind the heartworms tests is to determine how severe the infection is.

Heartworm medication is a preventative medication. If your dog has heartworms, and you give it the preventative monthly doses (Ivermectin for example), the dosage is only sufficient to prevent the heartworms from colonizing / proliferating in the tissue. The monthly preventative medications will not be strong enough to kill all the heartworms present. It may take between 2 and 3 years for the monthly preventative medication to kill the heartworms in a dog (or whatever other infected animal) with a pre-existing heartworm infection (the length of time for the medication to do the job depends on how severe the infection is).

In the meantime while you think your dog is protected from heartworms, the worms that are already in the dog are still eating away at the tissues, so your dog likely will die before the heartworms do.

That is why veterinarians pre-screen for heartworm infections. To treat a pre-exisiting heartworm infestation, stronger drugs that work much more quickly are needed, such as Immiticide.

Once the heartworms have been treated with the stronger drug and are all gone, you can begin administering the monthly preventative heartworm medication to keep them from coming back.

Since your dog seems to get yeast infections often, it is a chronic condition. I would just have your veterinarian pay you a visit and ask him if he might be able to write you a one year prescription (as esshup suggested) so that you can keep it on hand. That wouldn't be an unreasonable request in my opinion.

Just as a caution, if you are planning to use Ivermectin as a preventative heartworm medication, then keep a close eye on your dogs. Ivermectin isn't as commonly used as it used to be because it is common for dogs to have severe allergic reactions. I would talk to your vet about it, but it is pretty obvious if they have an allergic reaction. Common in veterinarian medicine is around a 5% chance of it happening, so the risk of an allergic reaction really isn't that steep if you put things into perspective.

I used to use Otomax as well for ear infections with one Springer that I had and it never really seemed to clear it up. I switched to using a solution of rubbing alcohol, genetin violet and boric acid. I fought ear infections with her for years, and after doing the treatment for 2 weeks like is recommended, no more problems. I still shaved the hair inside the ears to help with air circulation, but this stuff works and is CHEAP! Plus no perscription is required.

Do it outside, as it DOES stain. Don't use Q-tips, you want them to shake the stuff out. I just poured the stuff in her ears, massaged them and got the heck out of the way.

Here's what I copied off of the internet years ago:

The Blue Power Ear Solution was first circulated on the AOL Cocker Spaniel Board. This is a home-made recipe and if all you are dealing with is yeast ear infections it will really help them. I gave it to my vets and they refer it all the time. It's actually safer than the purply/blue stuff that the vet sells you and it's way cheaper because once you have this you can keep making new batches of it. I often take bottles to folks I know do rescue. DOWNSIDE - this stuff stains. You ***Must*** put it in their ears outside so they can shake and not stain everything because gentian violet is just like ink!!! 16 oz. bottle isoprophyl alcohol (just a cheap $.69 bottle)4 tablespoons boric acid (use human boric acid -- it's about $2.50 at Albertsons)17 drops gentian violet (1 or 2% , but the 1% is MUCH cheaper and is fine)medicine dropper to use to measure the gentian violet Add the boric acid and gentian violet to the alcohol (Yep, it will all fit in that brand new bottle of alcohol -- surprising but true). Shake well. Transfer some into a squirt bottle (an old shampoo bottle or a hair dye bottle -- anything with a squirt top on it). The boric acid never dissolves til it hits the skin so you have to shake constantly. The boric acid soothes. The gentian violet deals with the yeast. It STAINS. So do it outside, not in your kitchen! Even 15 drops of this in a whole bottle of alcohol *does* stain. But it sure works. Gentian violet is the stuff that they give human babies with "thrush" (oral yeast infection). If the ear is inflamed use this twice a day for 2 weeks -- just squirt in and massage behind the ear. The first day don't worry about massaging, but thereafter massage for a minute EACH EAR. Yes, I'm serious -- COUNT. They'll discover this does NOT hurt, but rather it soothes, and after you are done massaging, they will shake their head violently and all sorts of yuck and junk will fling out. THAT IS GOOD. After 2 weeks of twice a day, then do a week at least of once a day, then just put it on maintenance once a week.

esshup, can't say I've ever heard of that recipe but if you found it works I'll try it. I love it when you can find a home remedy especially when they are better. Many times they are. If it doesn't work I'll ask for a lengthy precription for Otomax like someone suggested.

Gflo, thanks for the explanation. I started using ivermection paste last year for heartworm. Lots cheaper than the heartguard and should work fine. If I can't find sources for the canine stuff without prescriptions I'll probably switch to the 1% cattle solution since it is easier to dose. I have not had allergy problems with my dogs, they have had ivermecton many times.

Thanks for all the help guys!

Oh,

Thats a good one esshup. I'm going to make some of that stuff.

bz, I am a little late to this question, but can offer a veterinarian's perspective to the prescription medicine question. Prescription drugs require a valid doctor-patient relationship in order for your veterinarian to prescibe them to your animal. The state board mandates that veterinarians follow the practice act and any willful misconduct can very well result in a loss of one's license. It's really that simple. For instance, with the heartworm question. You want heartworm prevention, but don't want your dog tested. Your vet kindly prescribes the drug and unknown to you, the dog's heartworm positive. A severe reaction occurs and you(though not you personally) file a complaint with the state board & your veterinarian is now in very big trouble. A lot of veterinarians will match on-line prescription drug prices. A yearly examination for your pet is pretty good idea anyway. du

Gotcha David U, thanks for the explanation. Boy, it seems like liability costs us a lot of money in this country doesn't it? Although maybe this is considered more of a safety issue? Thanks.