“Discount pet drugs—no prescription required” might sound great in theory, but FDA experts say it can be risky to buy drugs online from sites that offer such a deal.

Some of the Internet sites that sell pet drugs represent legitimate, reputable pharmacies, according to Martine Hartogensis, D.V.M., Promotion and Advertising Liaison for FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM).

But others are fronts for unscrupulous businesses operating against the law. FDA has found companies that sell unapproved pet drugs and counterfeit pet products, make fraudulent claims, dispense prescription drugs without requiring a prescription, and sell expired drugs.

CVM regulates the manufacture and distribution of animal drugs, while individual state pharmacy boards regulate the dispensing of prescription veterinary products.

What To Avoid
Some foreign Internet pharmacies advertise that veterinary prescription drugs are available to U.S. citizens without a prescription. But there is a risk of the drugs not being FDA-approved in that case.

A foreign or domestic pharmacy may claim that one of its veterinarians on staff will “evaluate” the pet after looking over a form filled out by the pet owner, and then prescribe the drug. A physical examination is the only safe way to decide what treatment a pet needs.

Two types of commonly used prescription veterinary drugs—nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and heartworm preventives–can be dangerous if there is no professional involvement.

NSAIDS and Heartworm Preventives
Veterinarians often prescribe NSAIDs to relieve pain in dogs. NSAIDs should not be purchased on the Internet without a veterinarian’s involvement, because dogs should undergo blood testing and a thorough physical examination before starting NSAIDs; dogs should be monitored by a veterinarian while they are taking NSAIDs; veterinarians should discuss possible side effects of NSAIDs with the owner; and the prescription should be accompanied by a Client Information Sheet that explains important safety information to the owner.

Heartworm disease is a potentially fatal condition transmitted by the bite of a mosquito that is carrying infected larvae of the heartworm parasite. Dogs, cats, and ferrets can get heartworm. Heartworm preventives, given daily or monthly depending on the product, kill the larvae before they become adult worms.

The American Heartworm Society recommends using heartworm medication for dogs year-round, no matter where you live in the United States
getting dogs tested yearly to make sure they’re not infected with heartworm

An Internet pharmacy veterinarian cannot draw blood from the animal to perform the test. If the test isn’t done, a pet owner could be giving heartworm preventives to a dog that has heartworms, potentially leading to severe reactions.

Tips for Buying Pet Drugs Online
Only buy from websites that belongs to a VIPPS-accredited pharmacy. VIPPS—the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites—is a voluntary certification program of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). NABP gives the VIPPS seal to online pharmacies that comply with stringent licensing and inspection requirements. Only pharmacies that sell human drugs are VIPPS-certified at this time, but sometimes veterinarians will prescribe human drugs to pets when there is no animal drug approved for the pet’s illness. Check with NABP to find out if a pharmacy is VIPPS-accredited.

Order from an outsourced prescription management service that your veterinarian uses. These state-licensed Internet pharmacy services work directly with the veterinarian, require that a prescription be written by the veterinarian, and support the veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Ask your veterinary hospital if it uses an Internet pharmacy service.

For more information about Veterinary NSAIDs, click here. For more information about buying medicines and medical products online, click here.

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