Vets Warn About Buying Pet Meds Online

Veterinarians warn against purchasing your pet's medications online. Pet owners say it's a way to get the medications their pets need and save money.

Theresa Nash said she's serious about the health of her pets -- all three of them. She makes sure they get all the medications they need, which can be expensive.

"So I buy online to save money. I save about $400 a year," she said.

Nash buys heartworm and flea prevention medicine for her two dogs and cat, never worrying about the safety of what she's getting.

Some experts said there's reason to worry.

Indian Trail veterinarian Dr. Charles Jones said a vet should be the one dispensing medication to pets and monitoring them afterward.

He said the problem with online medications is that you don't always know what you're getting.

"Do you think some of them could actually be counterfeit drugs?" asked reporter Don Griffin.

"Absolutely, I really do feel that," said Jones. "There have been some incidences where some people who sell online medications have re-wrapped them."

The makers of the products Frontline and Heartguard said they sell only to licensed vets and they say that's where customers should buy their products.

"There could be a lot of different reasons why that dog is scratching," said Frontline's Dr. Zack Mills. "We think that the veterinarian should be always involved in the decision of what's being used on a pet."

And as for price, Dr. Jones says online pharmacies can't get it for any cheaper than he can.

"If it's lower than what I'm purchasing it for on the wholesale market, the manufacturer said they must be getting it overseas or getting it through some other sources that are not approved of," he said.

Theresa Nash said if you have the right relationship with your vet, buying online is a good way to save money.

"As a serious consumer I think I can do it, but if you're not serious about it and you're ordering from sites you're not familiar with, you could run into trouble," said Nash.

Eyewitness News checked with North Carolina's Veterinary Medicine Association. They're now recommending that pet owners not buy medications online.

They sited a case out of Fayetteville where a woman bought heartworm prevention pills online. As it turns out, the pills were no good and her dog got heartworms and died.

So what do the online pharmacies say about all this?

They insist their medications are safe. Some actually guarantee their medications.

Vets say it's just safer to buy from them. If you buy pet medications online, here are some suggestions to protect yourself and your pet:

-- Remember you must have a prescription. If the pharmacy doesn't ask for a prescription from your veterinarian, they are breaking the law. -- Be sure to get the correct spelling of the medication prescribed. -- Check the company's reputation. Make sure the company is licenses. A reputable online pharmacy should post a link to its license. -- Find out how the medication should to be stored. -- If it should be refrigerated make sure the cold pack is still cold when it arrives. -- Ask for product info sheet to be sent with order. -- Check the expiration date. -- Be aware of hidden charges that aren't fully disclosed in online purchases, such as duty, customs, registration or handling fees. In some cases, shipping fees are charged per prescription rather than per package, resulting in multiple additional fees for an individual order. -- Ask if the prescription will be packaged with information on proper storage, dosage and possible side effects.