What's so bad about 1800PetMeds?

[zpinkpanther]

first of all I typed pet meds in google and came back with this post. and I decided to respond. I didn't look at the posting date, nor would I have cared how long ago it was how is that "shady" shady would be me registering, starting **** and not first coming out the gate saying I work for the company... maybe you need to pick up a dictionary like I need a grammar book hun. Secondly great, thats what you should be doing, price matching and offering the medication to your customers... again if "we"
lose why do your customers keep coming to us for the medication they need, its because you jack the prices up so outlandishly that they are sick of it. I would be saying the same **** if I was a regular consumer and not an employee some*** vets take major advantage of there ability to dispense medication, personally I think vets should only be allowed to treat and diagnose and they shouldn't be allowed to sell any medication in there offices shot cvs could sell the medication for all I care at least we wouldn't have to deal with some disgraceful and unethical vets, and don't get me wrong .. like I said I love my vet, not all vets/people are like that... but you tell me when you buy something like proin or soloxine and turn around and sell it for 100 for a 30 ct bottle your not out of your friggin head.

Not to be redundant (everyone who has responded to your posts have made excellent points that I completely support), but I wanted to throw my 2 cents in.

First off, correct me if I'm wrong, but in your first post you claimed to be a "pharmacy student," while looking at your profile it turns out that you're "pre-pharmacy." So it looks like you misrepresented yourself from the get-go. I wouldn't dream of claiming to be a vet student; they're much smarter and more stressed out than I am. Not to be picky, but in a debate, choosing your words carefully is so important.

Okay, next point: Your company claims to be interested solely in giving clients cheaper or more economical options when, in fact, your company indirectly causes rises in veterinary care, both for pet owners who purchase medications from you and those you don't. For example, if even 50% of a clinic's clientele that purchase medications are purchasing them from your company, that's a major loss on medication profits for the clinic. The clinic then has to raise the prices of other procedures (let's say, raise an exam cost from $40 to $50) in order to make up for that loss. This increase affects both those clients who purchase from you and those you don't. So in the end, you may be costing the client more money than they are saving by buying from you.

Who are you to dictate what veterinarians should or should not be able to do? Believe it or not, we don't choose this profession in order to become rich. I'm going to be in debt until I'm 50, but I'm okay with that. I won't, however, let you demean the profession by reducing it to a money-making scam. If you look at the statistics, most of us won't be making 6 figure our first years out of vet school. If all we wanted was money, human medicine is less competitive to get into, and in general, human doctors make more money. Not to mention the many other jobs that pay more than veterinary medicine does.

Last but not least, I'd like you to look carefully at some of the actions your company does before you continue to blindly sing its praises. While your company claims to be concerned with pets' health, it has been guilty, not just once, but several times, of dispensing heartworm prevention medication (Heartgard, Interceptor, etc.) to clients without first verifying that a blood test showed the dog to be heartworm negative. Giving heartworm prevention to a dog that already has heartworms can be deadly. One of the clinics where I worked had one such case where the owner, unaware of the need for a blood test, bought the heartworm prevention from Pet Meds, who didnt want to accept our answer that, no, we wouldn't authorize the refill because the dog hasn't had a recent blood test. We don't just require those tests to rack up the bill. The dog was euthanized within 48 hours of being admitted to the hospital. From that experience I have been wary of Pet Meds and, no, I won't cooperate with them when I start practicing, because I'd rather lose profit by matching Pet Med prices than see another patient die like that. Maybe that will convince you that I really do care about animals and am not just going into veterinary medicine for a quick buck.

Notice that I managed to argue a few points without having to fill in asterisks where my obscene, crude language would have been.

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[alliecat44]

Wow, this thread is totally entertaining. It's really quite amusing.

I wasn't going to post again, but I just had a thought (as I'm nursing my second beer after a ten-hour shift in the school's ICU): What's the first thing someone says when they're asked why they want to be a veterinarian?

Contras that to what pharmacy students say when they're asked, "why did you choose to go to pharmacy school?"

I'm willing to bet about a hundred ****** dollars that the first answer on the tip of their tongue is NOT "I want to help people."

Interesting.

 

[CookieBear]

if "we" lose why do your customers keep coming to us for the medication they need, its because you jack the prices up so outlandishly that they are sick of it.

Customers keep coming back to your company because your company, in many cases, sells the drug for LESS than the veterinarian is paying for it themselves. Perhaps corporately-managed veterinary hospitals can afford to price-match to a certain level (not below cost - that's insane) - but your average private veterinary office has a hard time competing with that.

Then again, Pet Meds isn't the only one I've seen doing it. In fact, since I used to routinely price-match for clients, I saw with my own eyes what some online pharmacies were charging. There were many cases that I had to point-blank tell an owner that I could not match it because it was BELOW OUR COST of the drug. When asked how these pharmacies were doing that, I told the client where my hospital was getting our supply from (direct from the manufacturer). Perhaps it's due to bulk order volume that these places can do that, but some of those pricings I saw just looked too good to be true. You can't help but question how that's able to happen - if indeed it's genuine product that's being sold.

There is fair markup on products (in ALL business markets) - and then there's "outlandish." For every "outlandish" you show me, I could give you an example of an honest veterinarian ordering his/her product from the manufacturer - based on the amount he can sell - and placing - by ALL rights - an honest markup on it. And your company will, unfortunately, in almost every case, still beat the price. And in MANY cases, that honest veterinarian simply cannot afford to compete by giving away the entire markup profit - which is what many online pharmacies, including Pet Meds, does - I assume because they are obtaining the product (hopefully legitimate drug) at some extremely low cost.

some*** vets take major advantage of there ability to dispense medication, personally I think vets should only be allowed to treat and diagnose and they shouldn't be allowed to sell any medication in there offices

How dare the veterinary profession offer their clients the convenience of getting everything the pet needs under one roof. Personally, I LOVE it when I need to go to my doctor, and subsequently get referred to a separate facility for my chest radiographs, and another establishment to fill my prescription, while I have the pleasure of waiting for it.

I guess you are also in support of removing all free drug/product samples from human physician offices as well -- or are doctors only allowed to treat, diagnose and dispense medication in their offices if it's for free.

but you tell me when you buy something like proin or soloxine and turn around and sell it for 100 for a 30 ct bottle your not out of your friggin head.

How much did my auto repair shop pay for the muffler they installed in my car?

Absolutely there are products being sold, in every market, at a huge inflated markup.

There are also honest veterinarians, running considerable overhead, in order to provide their patients and clients with reliable, convenient, legally obtained prescription product, at an acceptable markup, with a correct dosage label on it.

That's right. Acceptable markup. Because if a clinic can't turn a profit, that clinic will not stay in business. And neither would any other business if their ability to markup their supply for sale is removed.

I can understand why your calls may be met with anger. The situation is a threat to many small business veterinarians out there. Hopefully product sales is not the major profit center of their business, but unfortunately, historically, it has been a main one for many clinics.

 

[philomycus]

Honey I would never want a vet to be a cocky shmuck like you.

I can't believe I'm sticking up for cyrille here.... but aren't you talking a little about yourself to get on here and assume we're going to bite on your load?

some*** vets take major advantage of there ability to dispense medication, personally I think vets should only be allowed to treat and diagnose and they shouldn't be allowed to sell any medication in there offices

So now you know this 1st hand b/c you ALSO have worked for a vet? And it's THEIR. Their belongs to someone, THERE is a place. If you're having trouble now, I hope you don't confuse yours drugs. Oxytocin and oxcodone aren't the same thing. Good luck in not killing someone.

This is the pre-vet form, you've said you peace, leave. Let's have productive discussions.....yours is a losing battle. My vet OFTEN signs scripts for other pharm's b/c they may be cheaper for our clients...but we trust and repsect them. Petmeds? No way.

 

[ri23]

Just a reminder everyone, if people aren't following the TOS and insulting members, trolling etc. you can always hit the "report post" icon on the side of each post.

 

[cyrille104]

.

 

[bakaduin]

Nevermind

 

[chris03333]

I don't even know what Nova is (why am I not surprised), but if that is the case then you're just an undergrad because you're 20. So until you get some qualifications you need to at least stop talking like (being?) a trashy hooker if you want people to take you seriously. By the way I'm sorry to hear about your internship years, that must be real difficult - working 12 hours shifts without a break, staying overtime after being there all night, having patients' lives in yours hands...oh wait.

Who wants to take bets on whether or not "JadeKitten" is actually Betty White?

Edit: A quick google search shows you only need 2 years of college to get into Nova's pharm school, like I said the first time. http://pharmacy.nova.edu/NewWebsite/Admissions/AdmissionRequirements.html

 

[enchantingme2]

I understand that you feel the need to defend your company and your products. However, after researching Petmed's history, its understandable why many vets refuse to support petmeds and why this discussion board is so heated. There have been many lawsuits/problems reported and discussed about the Petmed products. Although many of the lawsuits are older and they have had the chance to potentially improve their business practices, that does not change their poor history. Even if Petmeds were to be a 100% legit pharmacy dispursing 100% FDA approved products that have been manufactured in the USA, they cannot possibly regain the trust that they have lost. If a veterinarian wants to help an animal out to the best of his or her ability, that includes being 100% sure that they are giving them the necessary medications. If there is any possibility that the medications will not help the animal, or that the medications may even harm the animal, then a veterinarian should not condone their use. I hope that you can understand this viewpoint. The health of a veterinarian's patients is the top priority, and with petmeds' history, the veterinarian cannot be sure that he is actually doing what is best for his patient. As a potenial pharmacist, you should understand the importance of correctly medicating patients. If a patient receives the wrong medication than it could potentially injure them. The possibility of drug interactions is also a strong one that you must understand. If the veterinarian does not know what is in the drugs that their clients are obtaining online then how can they prevent this dangerous problem as well?

 

[pressmom]

To the employee of pet-meds:

Did you know that giving a dog Interceptor, when it has circulating heartworm microfilaria, can kill it? Well, I do, and that's why when I'm a vet, I won't work with a company that encourages consumers to fill prescriptions for potentially DEADLY medications without the proper testing. I fully support vets that make clients come in and pick up written prescriptions for pet-meds or won't even work with them.

 

[jadekitten]

if "we" lose why do your customers keep coming to us for the medication they need, its because you jack the prices up so outlandishly that they are sick of it.

Customers keep coming back to your company because your company, in many cases, sells the drug for LESS than the veterinarian is paying for it themselves. Perhaps corporately-managed veterinary hospitals can afford to price-match to a certain level (not below cost - that's insane) - but your average private veterinary office has a hard time competing with that.

Then again, Pet Meds isn't the only one I've seen doing it. In fact, since I used to routinely price-match for clients, I saw with my own eyes what some online pharmacies were charging. There were many cases that I had to point-blank tell an owner that I could not match it because it was BELOW OUR COST of the drug. When asked how these pharmacies were doing that, I told the client where my hospital was getting our supply from (direct from the manufacturer). Perhaps it's due to bulk order volume that these places can do that, but some of those pricings I saw just looked too good to be true. You can't help but question how that's able to happen - if indeed it's genuine product that's being sold.

There is fair markup on products (in ALL business markets) - and then there's "outlandish." For every "outlandish" you show me, I could give you an example of an honest veterinarian ordering his/her product from the manufacturer - based on the amount he can sell - and placing - by ALL rights - an honest markup on it. And your company will, unfortunately, in almost every case, still beat the price. And in MANY cases, that honest veterinarian simply cannot afford to compete by giving away the entire markup profit - which is what many online pharmacies, including Pet Meds, does - I assume because they are obtaining the product (hopefully legitimate drug) at some extremely low cost.

some*** vets take major advantage of there ability to dispense medication, personally I think vets should only be allowed to treat and diagnose and they shouldn't be allowed to sell any medication in there offices

How dare the veterinary profession offer their clients the convenience of getting everything the pet needs under one roof. Personally, I LOVE it when I need to go to my doctor, and subsequently get referred to a separate facility for my chest radiographs, and another establishment to fill my prescription, while I have the pleasure of waiting for it.

I guess you are also in support of removing all free drug/product samples from human physician offices as well -- or are doctors only allowed to treat, diagnose and dispense medication in their offices if it's for free.

but you tell me when you buy something like proin or soloxine and turn around and sell it for 100 for a 30 ct bottle your not out of your friggin head.

How much did my auto repair shop pay for the muffler they installed in my car?

Absolutely there are products being sold, in every market, at a huge inflated markup.

There are also honest veterinarians, running considerable overhead, in order to provide their patients and clients with reliable, convenient, legally obtained prescription product, at an acceptable markup, with a correct dosage label on it.

That's right. Acceptable markup. Because if a clinic can't turn a profit, that clinic will not stay in business. And neither would any other business if their ability to markup their supply for sale is removed.

I can understand why your calls may be met with anger. The situation is a threat to many small business veterinarians out there. Hopefully product sales is not the major profit center of their business, but unfortunately, historically, it has been a main one for many clinics.

I think your post was well put together and I understand your point of view "There are also honest veterinarians, running considerable overhead, in order to provide their patients and clients with reliable, convenient, legally obtained prescription product, at an acceptable markup, with a correct dosage label on it." Theres nothing wrong with that. The only point I'm trying to make is just like with every profession out in the world there will always be a down side, there will always be both extremes.

 

[jadekitten]

To the employee of pet-meds:

Did you know that giving a dog Interceptor, when it has circulating heartworm microfilaria, can kill it? Well, I do, and that's why when I'm a vet, I won't work with a company that encourages consumers to fill prescriptions for potentially DEADLY medications without the proper testing. I fully support vets that make clients come in and pick up written prescriptions for pet-meds or won't even work with them.

Yes, which is why when I get a customer on my phone whos vet hasn't okayed a script because they haven't come in for a heartworm test or because the dog has heartworm I tell them plain and simple, go bring your pet in for a heartworm test or go get treatment before you consider buying this medication as it could KILL your pet. I don't care how pissed off the customer is if they need a heartworm test then they need to go get one, plain and simple. As I said before I'm talking about vets who don't okay a script based on every other reason that doesn't include the pet not being prescribed.

 

[jadekitten]

Not to be redundant (everyone who has responded to your posts have made excellent points that I completely support), but I wanted to throw my 2 cents in.

First off, correct me if I'm wrong, but in your first post you claimed to be a "pharmacy student," while looking at your profile it turns out that you're "pre-pharmacy." So it looks like you misrepresented yourself from the get-go. I wouldn't dream of claiming to be a vet student; they're much smarter and more stressed out than I am. Not to be picky, but in a debate, choosing your words carefully is so important.

Okay, next point: Your company claims to be interested solely in giving clients cheaper or more economical options when, in fact, your company indirectly causes rises in veterinary care, both for pet owners who purchase medications from you and those you don't. For example, if even 50% of a clinic's clientele that purchase medications are purchasing them from your company, that's a major loss on medication profits for the clinic. The clinic then has to raise the prices of other procedures (let's say, raise an exam cost from $40 to $50) in order to make up for that loss. This increase affects both those clients who purchase from you and those you don't. So in the end, you may be costing the client more money than they are saving by buying from you.

Who are you to dictate what veterinarians should or should not be able to do? Believe it or not, we don't choose this profession in order to become rich. I'm going to be in debt until I'm 50, but I'm okay with that. I won't, however, let you demean the profession by reducing it to a money-making scam. If you look at the statistics, most of us won't be making 6 figure our first years out of vet school. If all we wanted was money, human medicine is less competitive to get into, and in general, human doctors make more money. Not to mention the many other jobs that pay more than veterinary medicine does.

Last but not least, I'd like you to look carefully at some of the actions your company does before you continue to blindly sing its praises. While your company claims to be concerned with pets' health, it has been guilty, not just once, but several times, of dispensing heartworm prevention medication (Heartgard, Interceptor, etc.) to clients without first verifying that a blood test showed the dog to be heartworm negative. Giving heartworm prevention to a dog that already has heartworms can be deadly. One of the clinics where I worked had one such case where the owner, unaware of the need for a blood test, bought the heartworm prevention from Pet Meds, who didnt want to accept our answer that, no, we wouldn't authorize the refill because the dog hasn't had a recent blood test. We don't just require those tests to rack up the bill. The dog was euthanized within 48 hours of being admitted to the hospital. From that experience I have been wary of Pet Meds and, no, I won't cooperate with them when I start practicing, because I'd rather lose profit by matching Pet Med prices than see another patient die like that. Maybe that will convince you that I really do care about animals and am not just going into veterinary medicine for a quick buck.

Notice that I managed to argue a few points without having to fill in asterisks where my obscene, crude language would have been.

I love how you say"One of the clinics where I worked had one such case where the owner, unaware of the need for a blood test, bought the heartworm prevention from Pet Meds, who didnt want to accept our answer that, no, we wouldn't authorize the refill because the dog hasn't had a recent blood test. We don't just require those tests to rack up the bill. The dog was euthanized within 48 hours of being admitted to the hospital. From that experience I have been wary of Pet Meds and, no......"

Looks to me like its not pet meds fault. Your vet shouldn't have given the client a script without a heartworm test to get your client to shut up. If the dog head heartworm and the client refused a test but you still gave him a script ultimately your responsible and in fact breaking your own ethics, if a client is due for a heartworm test and wont take one dont write a script, if the client is not prescribed to the medication... DONT WRITE A SCRIPT. ITS PRETTY SILLY TO BLAME PET MEDS FOR YOUR CLINICS ERROR

 

[jadekitten]

Not to be redundant (everyone who has responded to your posts have made excellent points that I completely support), but I wanted to throw my 2 cents in.

First off, correct me if I'm wrong, but in your first post you claimed to be a "pharmacy student," while looking at your profile it turns out that you're "pre-pharmacy." So it looks like you misrepresented yourself from the get-go. I wouldn't dream of claiming to be a vet student; they're much smarter and more stressed out than I am. Not to be picky, but in a debate, choosing your words carefully is so important.

Okay, next point: Your company claims to be interested solely in giving clients cheaper or more economical options when, in fact, your company indirectly causes rises in veterinary care, both for pet owners who purchase medications from you and those you don't. For example, if even 50% of a clinic's clientele that purchase medications are purchasing them from your company, that's a major loss on medication profits for the clinic. The clinic then has to raise the prices of other procedures (let's say, raise an exam cost from $40 to $50) in order to make up for that loss. This increase affects both those clients who purchase from you and those you don't. So in the end, you may be costing the client more money than they are saving by buying from you.

Who are you to dictate what veterinarians should or should not be able to do? Believe it or not, we don't choose this profession in order to become rich. I'm going to be in debt until I'm 50, but I'm okay with that. I won't, however, let you demean the profession by reducing it to a money-making scam. If you look at the statistics, most of us won't be making 6 figure our first years out of vet school. If all we wanted was money, human medicine is less competitive to get into, and in general, human doctors make more money. Not to mention the many other jobs that pay more than veterinary medicine does.

Last but not least, I'd like you to look carefully at some of the actions your company does before you continue to blindly sing its praises. While your company claims to be concerned with pets' health, it has been guilty, not just once, but several times, of dispensing heartworm prevention medication (Heartgard, Interceptor, etc.) to clients without first verifying that a blood test showed the dog to be heartworm negative. Giving heartworm prevention to a dog that already has heartworms can be deadly. One of the clinics where I worked had one such case where the owner, unaware of the need for a blood test, bought the heartworm prevention from Pet Meds, who didnt want to accept our answer that, no, we wouldn't authorize the refill because the dog hasn't had a recent blood test. We don't just require those tests to rack up the bill. The dog was euthanized within 48 hours of being admitted to the hospital. From that experience I have been wary of Pet Meds and, no, I won't cooperate with them when I start practicing, because I'd rather lose profit by matching Pet Med prices than see another patient die like that. Maybe that will convince you that I really do care about animals and am not just going into veterinary medicine for a quick buck.

Notice that I managed to argue a few points without having to fill in asterisks where my obscene, crude language would have been.

AND another note. I am a student. Still in my first two years so yes I am a pharmacy student but not yet in the pharmacy program. I would think that me being 20 and common sense would have told you that one

 

[enchantingme2]

wait im confused...doesnt that quote say that they (the vets) refused to authorize the refill? which leads into question how she actually got petmeds to give her the meds?

 

[jadekitten]

I personally think you should reconsider your job at PetMeds as you have been condemning veterinarians in your posts and hold overall very negative opinions about veterinarians. Or, PetMeds should actually reconsider hiring you as an employee for both your negative view on veterinarians and also lack of basic grammatical skills. What would the public/current PetMeds customers think of PetMeds as a company if they knew that certain PetMeds respresentatives lacked basic (elementary-level) grammatical skills. I certainly would never rely on this company for anything, let alone the care of my beloved pets that I consider to be a part of my family, as do many pet owners.

From the PetMeds About Us section:
"Our goal is to promote pet health, save you time and money, and empower you to choose the best products"

Both veterinarians and PetMeds, according to their website, want to promote pet health. Veterinary care (examinations, vaccinations, surgeries, other treatments) and well as medications (from veterinarians or PetMeds or other sources) are necessary to promote pet health. You cannot truly believe in the PetMeds goal of promoting pet health while thinking so poorly of veterinarians, as veterinarians are extremely essential for providing and promoting pet health.

I doubt that would I do in my personal time off matters to my company, and further more doubt that they care that I have a distaste from some shady vets and there practices and decided to take a stab at some clearly misinformed individuals and try to correct there thoughts.

 

[jadekitten]

wait im confused...doesnt that quote say that they (the vets) refused to authorize the refill? which leads into question how she actually got petmeds to give her the meds?

If that was true then when the fda randomly searches for scripts if they even found one missing the company woulld be shut down, so therefor untrue and misinformed

 

[banditalfi]

I love how you say"One of the clinics where I worked had one such case where the owner, unaware of the need for a blood test, bought the heartworm prevention from Pet Meds, who didnt want to accept our answer that, no, we wouldn't authorize the refill because the dog hasn't had a recent blood test. We don't just require those tests to rack up the bill. The dog was euthanized within 48 hours of being admitted to the hospital. From that experience I have been wary of Pet Meds and, no......"

Looks to me like its not pet meds fault. Your vet shouldn't have given the client a script without a heartworm test to get your client to shut up. If the dog head heartworm and the client refused a test but you still gave him a script ultimately your responsible and in fact breaking your own ethics, if a client is due for a heartworm test and wont take one dont write a script, if the client is not prescribed to the medication... DONT WRITE A SCRIPT. ITS PRETTY SILLY TO BLAME PET MEDS FOR YOUR CLINICS ERROR

I don't mean to be rude, but is English your second language? The vet clearly didn't authorize the script.

 

[jadekitten]

I understand that you feel the need to defend your company and your products. However, after researching Petmed's history, its understandable why many vets refuse to support petmeds and why this discussion board is so heated. There have been many lawsuits/problems reported and discussed about the Petmed products. Although many of the lawsuits are older and they have had the chance to potentially improve their business practices, that does not change their poor history. Even if Petmeds were to be a 100% legit pharmacy dispursing 100% FDA approved products that have been manufactured in the USA, they cannot possibly regain the trust that they have lost. If a veterinarian wants to help an animal out to the best of his or her ability, that includes being 100% sure that they are giving them the necessary medications. If there is any possibility that the medications will not help the animal, or that the medications may even harm the animal, then a veterinarian should not condone their use. I hope that you can understand this viewpoint. The health of a veterinarian's patients is the top priority, and with petmeds' history, the veterinarian cannot be sure that he is actually doing what is best for his patient. As a potenial pharmacist, you should understand the importance of correctly medicating patients. If a patient receives the wrong medication than it could potentially injure them. The possibility of drug interactions is also a strong one that you must understand. If the veterinarian does not know what is in the drugs that their clients are obtaining online then how can they prevent this dangerous problem as well?

Agreed and as I said before I am aware that petmeds got off to a bad start and the histroy of the company. If this was 5-7 years ago we wouldn't be having this conversation.. but its not

 

[jadekitten]

I don't mean to be rude, but is English your second language? The vet clearly didn't authorize the script.

A customer can not get meds that are scripted through petmeds without a script if that was the case then why is 40 percent of my day telling customers your vet hasn't authorized your script, go get a heart worm test! I've been cursed out numerous times because I have had to tell customers point blank, sorry no im not breaking the law for you, mail your rx or you can't have the medication..

 

[jadekitten]

I don't mean to be rude, but is English your second language? The vet clearly didn't authorize the script.

and yes your not being rude, it is my second language

 

[banditalfi]

A customer can not get meds that are scripted through petmeds without a script if that was the case then why is 40 percent of my day telling customers your vet hasn't authorized your script, go get a heart worm test! I've been cursed out numerous times because I have had to tell customers point blank, sorry no im not breaking the law for you, mail your rx or you can't have the medication..

The the problem we are having here is that many vets have had phantom scripts filled - no one is saying "what if" and no one is making things up - including yourself. While you may be diligent and refuse to send out meds without a script, that is not the case with all your coworkers.

 

[enchantingme2]

I have a question...just about the mechanics of petmeds because I do not have much experience working with them. I assume that a client can fax over the script on their own... is it possible that people are using older scripts without petmeds realizing it?

 

[zpinkpanther]

I love how you say"One of the clinics where I worked had one such case where the owner, unaware of the need for a blood test, bought the heartworm prevention from Pet Meds, who didnt want to accept our answer that, no, we wouldn't authorize the refill because the dog hasn't had a recent blood test. We don't just require those tests to rack up the bill. The dog was euthanized within 48 hours of being admitted to the hospital. From that experience I have been wary of Pet Meds and, no......"

Looks to me like its not pet meds fault. Your vet shouldn't have given the client a script without a heartworm test to get your client to shut up. If the dog head heartworm and the client refused a test but you still gave him a script ultimately your responsible and in fact breaking your own ethics, if a client is due for a heartworm test and wont take one dont write a script, if the client is not prescribed to the medication... DONT WRITE A SCRIPT. ITS PRETTY SILLY TO BLAME PET MEDS FOR YOUR CLINICS ERROR

Obviously, comprehensive reading is, like grammar, not your strong point. Pet Meds asked repeatedly for authorization via fax, which the doctor faxed back with a refusal, saying that the pet had not had a heartworm test. NO script was written, no refill was authorized, and unfortunately the client was apparently unaware that a heartworm test needed to be performed. YOUR company filled a script that our clinic directly prohibited, so the fault was with your company. If the FDA had investigated or questioned what had happened, they would have found several copies of the Pet Meds form that was faxed back, reading DO NOT FILL- blood test required. Obviously this one slipped through the cracks, but don't blame my clinic for your company's irresponsible actions. As several posters have already noted, it was clear from my first post that the script was not given or authorized. Next time please read more carefully before inserting foot in mouth.

 

[enchantingme2]

"Agreed and as I said before I am aware that petmeds got off to a bad start and the histroy of the company. If this was 5-7 years ago we wouldn't be having this conversation.. but its not"

Thats the whole point. It does not matter how long ago it happened (even though it sounds like it is still happening) all that matters is that it did happen. PetMeds lost the trust of the veterinary community and it cannot be regained.

 

[wi girl]

Your vet shouldn't have given the client a script without a heartworm test to get your client to shut up.

I find it interesting that you believe us capable of writing a script to get a client to shut up, but not of your company for doing the exact same thing (filling a non-existent script to make a customer shut-up). This is the negative attitude toward the veterinary community that we feel petmeds perpetrates.

Further, as much trouble as your company would be in for filling w/o a script, vets would be in just as much or MORE trouble for writing a script w/o seeing the animal.

We can continue to play the blame game, but nothing is going to be achieved. Let's let the issue die.

 

[PAThbrd]

Please settle down in here, guys.

I've had to give out a few infractions for violating SDN Terms of Service.

Reminder - Personal attacks and insulting other members are against SDN Terms of Service. If you need a reminder, please refer to the TOS that you agreed to when you created an account with SDN.

 

[PiddlingFish]

we wouldn't authorize the refill because the dog hasn't had a recent blood test.

Your vet shouldn't have given the client a script without a heartworm test to get your client to shut up. If the dog head heartworm and the client refused a test but you still gave him a script ultimately your responsible and in fact breaking your own ethics, if a client is due for a heartworm test and wont take one dont write a script, if the client is not prescribed to the medication... DONT WRITE A SCRIPT. ITS PRETTY SILLY TO BLAME PET MEDS FOR YOUR CLINICS ERROR

wait im confused...doesnt that quote say that they (the vets) refused to authorize the refill? which leads into question how she actually got petmeds to give her the meds?

If that was true then when the fda randomly searches for scripts if they even found one missing the company woulld be shut down, so therefor untrue and misinformed

A customer can not get meds that are scripted through petmeds without a script if that was the case then why is 40 percent of my day telling customers your vet hasn't authorized your script, go get a heart worm test! I've been cursed out numerous times because I have had to tell customers point blank, sorry no im not breaking the law for you, mail your rx or you can't have the medication..

(If lolcats are against ToS, then this was still totally worth it.)

 

[alliecat44]

HAHAHAHA

to Piddlingfish.

Nice summary!

I also enjoy the, shall we say, "idealism" that when the FDA searches PetMeds for Rxs, they are able and motivated enough to search all of the tens of thousands of prescriptions filled and match them to the actual written script. Ah, to be twenty again...ToS be darned.

Another point: jadekitten, even if there IS a "written prescription," sometimes it did not come from a doctor. There have been cases--RECENT cases--where a veterinarian's signature was electronically "stolen" from a fax concerning Patient A (who had an authorized script, as noted by the doctor's signature) and electronically applied to Patient B's precription (that was denied by the doctor). Photoshop is a wonderful program.

Then again, I'm sure the FDA would be able to find THAT on their random inspections...**looks off into the distance wistfully**

Good thing we live in a world of puppies and kittens and rainbows and chocolate bars. Where everybody does the right thing--except for evil, awful vets who are out to kill animals and steal people's money! **shakes fist**

(hey, if I'm going for ToS, might as well go big...)

(then again, I'm not very mean at heart, so it's kind of pathetic...)

 

[PAThbrd]

hehe, go for the ToS infractions guys... i love clicking on red buttons and feeling important and omnipotent (I was hoping for a little devil smiley, but there wasn't one and this one is cool!)

 

[jadekitten]

I have a question...just about the mechanics of petmeds because I do not have much experience working with them. I assume that a client can fax over the script on their own... is it possible that people are using older scripts without petmeds realizing it?

When a client sends over a faxed rx we call the clinic to verify it is a valid script and require the original script to also be mailed in

 

[jadekitten]

Obviously, comprehensive reading is, like grammar, not your strong point. Pet Meds asked repeatedly for authorization via fax, which the doctor faxed back with a refusal, saying that the pet had not had a heartworm test. NO script was written, no refill was authorized, and unfortunately the client was apparently unaware that a heartworm test needed to be performed. YOUR company filled a script that our clinic directly prohibited, so the fault was with your company. If the FDA had investigated or questioned what had happened, they would have found several copies of the Pet Meds form that was faxed back, reading DO NOT FILL- blood test required. Obviously this one slipped through the cracks, but don't blame my clinic for your company's irresponsible actions. As several posters have already noted, it was clear from my first post that the script was not given or authorized. Next time please read more carefully before inserting foot in mouth.

If thats true then pull your foot uot of your mouth, call the fda and report it. And well see whos full of **** in a week or two wont we? or shot post the last name and zip code ill pull the records myself and primo pdf them in here to prove you wrong

 

[RemyRipper315]

If thats true then pull your foot uot of your mouth, call the fda and report it. And well see whos full of **** in a week or two wont we? or shot post the last name and zip code ill pull the records myself and primo pdf them in here to prove you wrong

that would probably require calling the client first to ask for their permission to give out their information to you...

 

[RemyRipper315]

If thats true then pull your foot uot of your mouth, call the fda and report it. And well see whos full of **** in a week or two wont we? or shot post the last name and zip code ill pull the records myself and primo pdf them in here to prove you wrong

also, would you *really* post that confidential information online from your client's records????

 

[Pennvet]

The least that 1-800 Pet meds could do is give vets a commission on prescriptions. A "continuing education" trip to the islands wouldn't hurt either. Maybe send Jade Kitten into the practice with some pizza and sandwiches. Shoot, I'll settle for some coffee cups, a box of pens even.

Come on, Jade, give us something or stop wasting our time.

And it kind of hurts my feelings that you take the time to reply to every other post but mine. Come on, I need you to validate my responses, too...please!!!

 

[Bill59]

The least that 1-800 Pet meds could do is give vets a commission on prescriptions.

That's unethical and in some states illegal.

 

[philomycus]

Someone suggested Jade Kitten = Betty White?

Very nice!

 

[zpinkpanther]

If thats true then pull your foot uot of your mouth, call the fda and report it. And well see whos full of **** in a week or two wont we? or shot post the last name and zip code ill pull the records myself and primo pdf them in here to prove you wrong

Even if I had the client's info (I don't work at that clinic anymore, since I moved), I wouldn't give it to you. I sincerely hope for your clients' sakes that you wouldn't consider giving out a client's info to some random stranger on the internet. And, as alliecat already pointed out, your records could very well have a copy-and-pasted, or even forged, signature. For all I know, it was reported to the FDA. I heard that the client was pursuing legal action, but it was a while ago and, and a lowly tech mostly stuck in the pharmacy all day, I never heard what became of it.

To be honest, I couldn't care less whether you believe me or not. Anyone who does some research on the subject can find that similar incidences have happened with pet meds (see the links in the previous posts of this thread, for instance). I'm done wasting my time trying to educate you on this subject. If all you can come up with are immature remarks about "proving me wrong," a waste of time is exactly what this is. It's just a shame that you're too closed-minded to consider the possibility that your company or co-workers (could have been some unethical worker that the company didn't even know about) could be flawed.

I was also considering going for the ToS glory by making a witty comment such as "You're a poopyhead" or "Your mama's so..." but Baltimore is much too close to Philly and I fear that Deanna would use her mod super powers to find me and kick my butt.

 

[zpinkpanther]

Someone suggested Jade Kitten = Betty White?

Very nice!

I'm beginning to believe it's true! Her comments are quite Betty-esque.

 

[alliecat44]

That's unethical and in some states illegal.

Bill, I believe Pennvet was cleverly drawing a non-existent parallel between veterinary pharmacies and human pharmaceutical companies/representatives.

 

[zpinkpanther]

Then again, I'm sure the FDA would be able to find THAT on their random inspections...**looks off into the distance wistfully**

Good thing we live in a world of puppies and kittens and rainbows and chocolate bars. Where everybody does the right thing--except for evil, awful vets who are out to kill animals and steal people's money! **shakes fist**

You're freakin' awesome.

 

[Trever]

1-800-PetMeds is America's largest pet pharmacy. We deliver prescription and non-prescription pet medications along with health and nutritional supplements for dogs, cats and horses at substantial savings directly to you. We serve millions of satisfied customers nationwide from one location.
At 1-800-PetMeds we are rapidly changing the way America buys pet medications – by phone, fax, mail and the Internet. We make the purchasing of pet medications as easy, convenient and economical as possible. To accomplish this, we have invested in state-of-the-art information systems and infrastructure along with trained Customer Care representatives, and a licensed pharmacy and veterinary staff.
We're revolutionizing the distribution of pet medications by focusing on customer satisfaction and delivering savings and convenience to our customers. Our goal is to promote pet health, save you time and money, and empower pet owners to choose the best products.
We welcome any questions you can reply to [email protected]. Or you call me direct 888-836-5164. I look forward to helping anyone with any question they may have.

Trever Barker

 

[Bill59]

Bill, I believe Pennvet was cleverly drawing a non-existent parallel between veterinary pharmacies and human pharmaceutical companies/representatives.

Ahhh, got it. I was just feeling bad that Pennvet was feeling left out of the fun.

 

[alliecat44]

Ahhh, got it. I was just feeling bad that Pennvet was feeling left out of the fun.

Gee, Bill, I think *I* am the one being left out--she totally ignored my post. I'm so sad.

Good old Trever was kind enough to provide us with a commercial--how thoughtful of him. (??!!) And completely, completely random. (Perhaps there's some diazepam diversion going on??)

 

[banditalfi]

When a client sends over a faxed rx we call the clinic to verify it is a valid script and require the original script to also be mailed in

The clinic I work at has never mailed in an original script. Ever. The doc just signs the fax and faxes it back.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Bill, I believe Pennvet was cleverly drawing a non-existent parallel between veterinary pharmacies and human pharmaceutical companies/representatives.

They can't do that (ie, trips to Jamaica) for us anymore either.

 

[Pennvet]

Bill, I believe Pennvet was cleverly drawing a non-existent parallel between veterinary pharmacies and human pharmaceutical companies/representatives.

Thanks for clarifying, Allie, but I was actually being totally serious. I really need a vacation and/or some pens. And don't feel so bad, Jade has ignored me thus far as well.

 

[cyrille104]

.

 

[Pennvet]

Everyone prank call trevie and forward all your spam to his mailbox (don't forget to change the subject so that he actually opens as much of it as possible!!)

 

[PiddlingFish]

1-800-PetMeds is America's largest pet pharmacy. We deliver prescription and non-prescription pet medications along with health and nutritional supplements for dogs, cats and horses at substantial savings directly to you. We serve millions of satisfied customers nationwide from one location.
At 1-800-PetMeds we are rapidly changing the way America buys pet medications – by phone, fax, mail and the Internet. We make the purchasing of pet medications as easy, convenient and economical as possible. To accomplish this, we have invested in state-of-the-art information systems and infrastructure along with trained Customer Care representatives, and a licensed pharmacy and veterinary staff.
We're revolutionizing the distribution of pet medications by focusing on customer satisfaction and delivering savings and convenience to our customers. Our goal is to promote pet health, save you time and money, and empower pet owners to choose the best products.
We welcome any questions you can reply to [email protected]. Or you call me direct 888-836-5164. I look forward to helping anyone with any question they may have.

Trever Barker

HeadOn. Apply directly to the forehead.
HeadOn. Apply directly to the forehead.
HeadOn. Apply directly to the forehead.
HeadOn is available without a prescription at pharmacies nationwide.

Oooh, sorry, thought we were having a most annoying commercial competition. My bad.