Vet mark-ups on medicines

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

That does sound like a pretty stupendous mark up!

I get Advantage from the vet and did consider asking for a prescription to get it from vetuk, but when I compared prices it was only about £1.50 more from the vet (for a pack of 4) which surprised me so I get it from them.  I don't know about frontline as I've never used it.

[Gail Bengal Slave]

I can't afford to buy the frontline from the vets, @ £26 a pack of 6. I buy mine from petmeds @ £15.31p.

The profender (for fleas) that he put on Zebedee was £7, but that is prescription only. so I will stick with the vet doing it.

But I agree, 2 or £3  yes but £10 

[Tiggy's Mum]

If a cat needs 2 boxes a month, there is a big difference between finding £15 and £60 for it.

Completely agree, when Tiggy was first diagnosed with being hyperthyroid I was buying the tablets from the vets, she ended up being on them for almost 5 years.  If it wasn't for finding out about vetuk I would have really struggled to find the money for those tabs and her CRF tabs plus all associated vet visits and blood tests.  Of course I would have found it somehow but am very glad vetuk exists!

[Mark]

I understand there are differences but still doesn't justify them charging 4 x the price. If it was £5 more, fair enough but It's like a corner shop charging £2 for a pint of milk. The people that end up paying these prices are elderly or the sort of people that don't have internet access - the people the most least likely to be able to afford them and so the animals are likely to suffer the consequences. If a cat needs 2 boxes a month, there is a big difference between finding £15 and £60 for it.

[Desley (booktigger)]

You do have to bear in mind though MArk, that the reason places like VetUK are so cheap is that they have less overheads and can also buy in much bigger quantities than a small vet can, partly due to space, and partly cos they are reaching a wider market, and things like Seraquin aren't widely used, so vets might only buy a few boxes cos they might not use it that much, whereas VetUK will buy a lot more.

[Mark]

I know this has been discussed before but this has to be the most expensive vet. There is a vet in Canterbury that we don't use due to their astronomical prices, also they are closed Saturday and Sunday  . Bearing in mind that VetUK are making a profit + they pay 5% commission.

Seraquin from VetUK £7.79 (£6.99 if you buy 2 or more boxes)
Canterbury Vet £29.90 

I know businesses have to make a profit but this is extortion