# Vet's prescription at multiple suppliers?



## CatsDomino (Oct 10, 2012)

Is this possible? 

Thanks for any help!


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## LDK1 (Oct 1, 2010)

If you mean: can you buy written prescription from a vet for 6 months supply of something, then get six months supply from several suppliers using the same prescription - it may be possible, but it would also be illegal I imagine as it is fraudulent to do so.

Some suppliers want the original prescription posted, others seem to be content with an emailed copy.

Besides it being fraudulent, it may be essential that an animal is monitored at regular intervals before being deemed safe to give a repeat prescription.

Sometimes you can ask for a longer prescription then a vet offers. I used to always ask for (and get, after haggling) a 12 month prescription for Advocate instead of the 6 month prescription usually offered - thereby saving me double the prescription charges.

I do the same with my GP


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## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

Or do you mean you have one written script with more than one item listed? If this is the case and you wish to use different suppliers for different items then I think you can but you'd have to do it one at a time so would be slow.


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## Charity (Apr 17, 2013)

I'm not sure what you mean either, can you explain more. I can get a prescription to cover a maximum of six months from my vet and, meanwhile, order the items online, then the supplier sends them when they have received the prescription which my vet sends. When I want to re-order, I then don't have to get (and pay for) another prescription until the six months or maximum dose of medication has run out.


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## CatsDomino (Oct 10, 2012)

I mean buying two lots of Advocate (a year's supply) on one prescription for six month's worth of the stuff.


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## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

Er, no. If your prescription is for six months supply then that's all that can be dispensed.


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## LDK1 (Oct 1, 2010)

CatsDomino said:


> I mean buying two lots of Advocate (a year's supply) on one prescription for six month's worth of the stuff.


No. But like I said, ask for a *12* month prescription for Advocate instead of accepting a 6 month prescription.

There is absolutely no reason for a vet to refuse this request unless the cat has a special medical condition that would need a check-up before another 6 month supply was issued.

If you were to buy 6 months worth of Advocate from your vet, when you went back for another six months worth, you would not need to take your cat in - therefore a 12 month prescription is a perfectly reasonable request. I did have to argue this point with three different practices, and they did eventually see reason and give me 12 month prescriptions.

The admin charge for writing a 12 month prescription should be exactly the same as for the 6 month one.


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## Charity (Apr 17, 2013)

My vet won't give more than six months of anything, have asked recently.


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## LDK1 (Oct 1, 2010)

Charity said:


> My vet won't give more than six months of anything, have asked recently.


This really does annoy me, but it is not a surprise. I did have to argue the point of 'why should I have to pay twice'.

It may be appropriate in some circumstances for vets to only issue 6 month prescriptions for some types of medication, but for products like Advocate it makes no difference whether they issue it for 6 months or 12 months because the only stipulation is to see the animal once a year before prescribing!

The only difference is getting charged for two prescriptions - probably because they would rather you bought it direct from them so need to make some money somewhere.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

My vet only offered a prescription for one dose of Activyl spot-on flea treatment, which by the time I had paid for the script and then bought the stuff on line was no cheaper than buying it direct from the vet. 

If I could convince the vet to write a 6 mth or even better, a 12 mth script then it would be worth while me buying it on line. 

Thanks guys!


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## CatsDomino (Oct 10, 2012)

Thanks. Our vet was a bit useless and so for this time he didn't charge but I don't think we'll be that lucky again. 

In fact I'm seriously considering changing vets because despite the good standard of care they give, they sold us a six pack of Advocate for dogs and didn't realise until we took it back. I know this is more the receptionist's fault but it doesn't half worry me now. But they're the only vets within quite a large area that provide emergency care. And the only other vets are at Pets at Home and the chances of me using the again are slim to none.


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## Cookieandme (Dec 29, 2011)

Charity said:


> My vet won't give more than six months of anything, have asked recently.


I asked my vet for a 12 month supply of Milbemax and was told only 6 months worth could be written up, so wasn't worth it and have to go with what the vet charges.


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## LDK1 (Oct 1, 2010)

And one last point: it is illegal for a vet practice to charge so much for a written prescription that it makes it uncompetitive to buy the medication elsewhere.

Unfortunately there is no fixed prescription charge, so I don't know how it would be proved that a vet was over-charging.

Here is the RCVS guidelines on written prescriptions:

View attachment RCVS Vet Prescription Charges.pdf


Note that to write a prescription, an animal has to be 'under the care' of a vet. This has no fixed time limit, but as far as I'm concerned if they can issue a repeat prescription for another 6 months without seeing the cat again then there is no health justification for not issuing 12 months in the first place.

Having said all this, I did find it a bit stressful having to push for 12 month prescriptions as I found it uncomfortable to argue about costs with a vet practice. I dreaded asking for the next 12 month prescription but they always issued them without argument after the first time.

Looking at copies of some of my old prescriptions, some were written as 6 months Advocate with one repeat and others as 2 x 6 pipette packs.


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