Animal medication costs – the real story

Our Difference Services Top Pet Club Our Team News Contact Register X Find us Animal medication costs – the real story Independent Friendly Dedicated Clinical Excellence Cost-effective care As an independent veterinary practice, we always aim to be as transparent as possible about our costs and treatment charges. This blog explains the costs of medication and outlines why the medication we prescribe might be cheaper online, but at what cost to you and your furry friend? It is also possible that some medications are the same as those available to humans, which can also be cheaper, but might not be as safe for your pet.  As with most things in life, it is important to compare ‘like with like’ and look at the background to the story. Regulation Veterinary practices are bound by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), which is the organisation in charge of regulating veterinary medicines sales in the UK.  The VMD stipulates that practices have to procure medication from a licensed ‘veterinary wholesaler’.  There are only three licensed wholesalers in the country.  The cost for us to purchase medicines from them is often more than the public can buy the same drugs from an online pharmacy. Prescription charges The above restrictions are the reason that Peacock Vets ask for a small ‘prescription charge’ for those clients who choose to purchase online medication.  We always want to give our clients flexibility and choice, but without this charge, it would be difficult for us to ‘balance the books’.  As not all consultations result in medication being recommended, this fee enables the practice to keep our consultation and surgery fees at a lower level for everyone.  Risks of purchasing online Not all online pharmacies are registered, and therefore, there is a potential risk for counterfeit, substandard, or expired medications.  As with any online transactions, there is also the possibility of identity and credit card fraud from unscrupulous websites. When buying prescription items from a website that is willing to sell it to you without a prescription is potentially dangerous. Potential dangers of using human medication for pets It is generally not safe to give human medication to pets.  Many human medications, even seemingly harmless ones like pain relievers, can be toxic or even fatal to animals.   There are various reasons why.  Pets require different dosages than humans, and some human medications can have different ingredients from those prescribed specifically for animals. We are happy to discuss the option of using human medications with you and can recommend suitable ones, but are unable to provide prescriptions for human medication.  Independent versus group-run veterinary practices As an independent veterinary practice, we strive to keep costs to an absolute minimum, whilst keeping the business a viable concern.  The team genuinely care about your furry friends. As a business, we obviously have a number of costs, but we can guarantee that our prices are honest.  Unlike a larger group-run practice, you don’t have to pay for shareholders who demand high returns on their investment, rather than having concern over the care your pet receives.  We don’t have head offices dictating our business decisions, nor do we have layers of management ensuring everything is actioned to maximise profits.  We also don’t pay for national advertising, international expansion or running online pharmacies (as two of the major UK veterinary groups do). The majority of the money you pay us goes to the people who work for you and who care for your furry friends.  The rest is to cover VAT payments, compliance, medication, administration and other running costs such as: Premises costs, including utility bills and business rates Equipment costs – purchasing and ongoing maintenance Continuing professional development and registration fees to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) for both vets and veterinary nurses System costs – online booking, record-keeping etc. And much more Please rest assured that these are well budgeted and no money is wasted.  Having only two clinics, we are also able to make quicker decisions to make changes and improvements when needed. Conclusion We aim to provide an all-encompassing service to our clients, at the most affordable costs that we can.  We are often cheaper than the larger, more impersonal clinics operated by veterinary corporations.  Whilst we earn a little from medication, due to the regulations that we have to adhere to, medication may cost more than an online pharmacy or something that is similar, but sold for human patients.  As always, we are happy to provide choices to our clients, and therefore offer a prescription-only service alongside administering medication, which can be beneficial for regular medication, for example. If a business doesn’t make a profit, there isn’t a business.  If our practice closes, you and your furry friend will lose out on the individual care and love that our team provide.  The benefits of a local, independent vet are many, including that you can see the same vet, pop in when you’re passing and remain local to home.  We will never stop you using an online pharmacy, but recommend that, for your own peace of mind, if you do choose to shop online, you utilise prescriptions issued by the practice and buy the prescribed medication from VMD-accredited retailers.  We also offer cost-effective monthly plans as part of our Top Pet Club which help to spread the cost of regular care in addition to some medication and procedures for your pets.  As an independent vets, you can always talk to us about your situation and we will endeavour to come to an arrangement with you, and we will always do what is right for your pet, for you and for our team. About Us Our dedicated team provide friendly, understandable advice alongside excellent clinical care. Corsham: 01249 847 457hellocorsham@peacockvets.co.ukUnit 2 Martingate Centre, Corsham, SN13 0HL Chippenham: 01249 847 186hellochippenham@peacockvets.co.uk23 Borough Parade, Chippenham, SN15 3WL Browse Connect Facebook-f Google-plus-g Instagram