Online pharmacies are becoming more and more common for our pets and veterinary medications. As per Health Canada (see links below), for human online pharmacies, 96% globally and 74% in North America are not trustworthy. There are many more restrictions and regulations on human pharmacies than pet pharmacies, so this number is likely even higher for pet products. This means the risk for counterfeit or adulterated products is high, and these can be, at best, ineffective and, at worst, unsafe for a pet.
If you choose to use an online pharmacy, we want you to be aware of the following:
- A veterinarian in Ontario is legally required to provide a written prescription when
requested. Where this is filled is your prerogative; however, the veterinarian is not
responsible for the quality of the product. - Veterinarians are NOT required to fill out ‘authorization’ forms from online pharmacies.
A legitimate pharmacy is required to accept the written prescription as is from a
veterinarian. - A prescription writing fee applies to all prescriptions not filled in the clinic.
- An online pharmacy may not be based in Ontario or Canada. A veterinarian is typically
only licensed in the province they work in, and a prescription may not be able to be filled
out of province or country. - If you purchase a veterinary product through an online pharmacy, the pharmaceutical
company linked with that product may not have supplied that pharmacy through regular
channels. Therefore, the pharmacovigilance team at that company may not support a
pet or the veterinary clinic if there are any unexpected side effects linked to that
purchase.
For more information on the safety of online pharmacies, please visit these websites:
