I wanted to write a follow up blog post on:

Research, Pets, and Personal Finance- How Are They All Relevant?

  I had a comment (which I really appreciated) that shook me up a bit. I was raving about 1-800-Petmeds in my previous post. I saved 50% by buying my pet’s medication through them instead of going to the vet. I had already done my research on 1-800-Petmeds, and I knew they were safe; however, I don’t want anyone to think that ANY online pharmacy, that sells pet medications, is harmless.

I went to the FDA website, and they have great information on finding online animal pharmacies. You can click the link below to see all their remarkable content. I have pulled out the information I thought was useful. The most important steps you can take to help you pets and personal finances is to stay A.W.A.R.E.

A. Ask your vet about the website.

W. Watch out for red flags:

      -The website doesn’t require a prescription.

      – They don’t have a licensed pharmacist you can contact.

      – The website isn’t based in the United States.

      – They aren’t licensed by the State Board of Pharmacy 

      – They don’t protect your personal information.

      – They prices are too cheap (I never thought I’d say those words!).

      – The med  look different from the ones your pet has taken before.

A. Always Check the their accreditation (Vet VIPPS accredited).

R. Report problems and suspicious websites.

E. Educate yourself on online pharmacies (just like you’re doing now).

 Most of us consider our pets a family member so it’s understandable to not feel comfortable buying medications online. If you don’t feel at ease with this you have other cheap options. My sister’s fiancé is a veterinarian, and he says that they price match 1-800-Petmeds all the time. Before you buy the medication from the vet, go online and look up the prices. Print them out, and show it to the vet. They want your business so they are more than likely to price match.

I would also like to share one more piece of information that I found to be interesting. Many of us use online pharmacies to purchase heart worm pills for our pets. It turns out that even if you give them this medication on a regular basis, it’s still important to get an annual heart worm test done. There have been cases where the preventative pills were ineffective. Let’s take care of our pets and save a little money while doing it.