Aussie Pet Shed- cheap pet meds

Believe me, I do understand and sympathize. We have a rescue pit/chow mix that due to bad breeding has needed three very expensive surgeries on her back legs over the years (we call her the dog with thw golden legs) and are currrently going through some serious health problems with one of our husky/wolf mixes right now. It is tough, and you can only do what you can do. We've cut major corners on other things in our lives to continue to give them the best care possible. Good luck on coming to a decision. No one can tell you what is right for you in your own situation.
Take care,
Steph

By all means if you can't afford the preventive medications from your vet, then it sounds as though your decision is made. Everyone has to make that decision for themself and their personal situation. Let us know how it turns out.

Please, PLEASE don't anybody take offense at my next question, I am truly curious. If one must decide between keeping a pet or getting the preventive medications from one's vet (a known expense that can be budgeted for), what will be done if the pet has an emergency situation that calls for a visit to the vet and maybe surgery? Like in Steph's case, I'm sure she didn't plan on all those surgeries on her dog or the other dog's health problems. At some point in every pet's life there will be unexpected emergencies that cost money. Even something as simple as a laceration that needs to be stitched up can run well over $100. Or your dog could get run over by the mail lady (poor Tom-I hope he's feeling better). Once again, I mean NO OFFENSE, I'm just curious.

Sarah

Sarah, what's necessary will be taken care of one way or another... and since I'm not spending $450 to get my pets their rabies shots, there's a lot more money for emergencies They're all spayed or neutered, they're healthy and happy and doing very well. I've never lost one to untreated illness or injury. If something happens, we'll deal with it.

It's interesting to delve into "the other world" once in a while. When I was going through the adoption process with my Dane, both the rescue group people and I had a hard time seeing eye to eye. They're in the city and the approach to pet ownership is one of high cost. Premium everything, dog parks, off to the vet's for any sniffle, vitamins and supplements and weekly baths, etc. Often at the price of common sense, if you ask me. It's all very civilized. Across the board, these pampered and over-treated dogs aren't any healthier or live longer than mine, and mine don't have allergies or other conditions that come from constant exposure to city modernities (including too much vet care).

Sometimes, less IS more.

The previous poster implied that it was get rid of the pet or get cheap meds. My question was NOT if you CHOOSE to do the meds yourself (which is fine if that's what you want to do), but if you can not AFFORD the meds (which is what was implied), how do you plan to afford an emergency?

I do not live in the city, in fact my allergic dog has lived all but one year of his life in the country. And amazingly the year we lived in the city his allergies were the best they've ever been.

By over-treated do you mean get monthly flea/tick medicines and heartworm prevention? Because that's exactly what this thread originally was about.

I don't think that you have to have every vaccination in the book (and you can do the basics yourself if you, except in Iowa and some other states a VET must do the Rabies) or be on all sorts of vitamins and minerals.

Originally all I was trying to do was inform US citizens that it is ILLEGAL to purchase heartworm medications without a prescription and things have mushroomed from there.

"but if you can not AFFORD the meds (which is what was implied), how do you plan to afford an emergency? "

what will I do when that time comes? I dont know. When I got my dog 6 years ago, I was not on such a limited income, my property taxes and medical insurance for myself was much lower. My auto insurance was much lower. I ate better quality food than I do now, had cable tv, and ate out once a week. Now I cant afford it. Since then I have had 2 cats adopt me. They were slowly starving to death when I noticed they were desperate enough to be eating my chickens droppings. I didnt have the heart to take them to the pound where they would face a certain death. I was able to afford low cost spaying and neutering thanks to the humane society, and am barely able to afford the $145 annual check up and shots for each cat and dog every year. To add insult to my injured check book my wife is at the point where she must either go in for foot surgery and take a few weeks off work or face retraining and finding a job where she stays off her feet for the majority of the day. Meanwhile the fleas are jumpin and the skeeters are breedin and it isnt even spring here yet. You tell me doc? What would you do?

That's a rough situation. I applaude you for making it a priority to maintain your animals health. Check with your humane society-around here there are several groups that help with veterinary care for those who can't afford it. Check around for low-cost vaccination clinics too. The PetCo's around here have one every weekend and most of the towns host them once or twice a year. These type of "clinics" provide low cost preventive care (not emergency care, etc). At my clinic we offer a multiple pet discount if you keep three animals current on their vaccinations. Ask your vet if they have a similar program. For heartworm control you can use plain Ivermectin sold in the feed stores for cattle and hog use (I don't have the dose here at home, but I know many people on this board use it and it is NOT illegal). For fleas you sure can't beat Frontline. I'd use it for at least 3-4 months straight once per month, then for flea control you could TRY going every other month if you have them under control in the house (if you have ticks you still need to use it monthly on the dog). There's a thread in Melissa's forum that had lots of suggestions about fleas in the house.

I really opened a can of worms here, but all I was trying to do was to explain (with as many direct quotes from the companies themselves as possible) that the preventive medications sold at these on-line pharmacies are not gotten directly from the manufacturers. Unfortunately even with those quotes vets were portrayed as money hungry monsters (not by you!). Who knows what kind of storage and how many hands they have passed through since leaving the manufacturer? Who know what kind of instructions the packages will contain? And, it is illegal to obtain heartworm meds without a valid prescription HERE IN THE US (I realize that it is different in different countries and that's OK, but vets could lose their licenses here in the US for dispensing them without seeing the animal). The company guarantee means a lot to me and you only get that through a vet. Like I've said in previous posts, it is not likely that your animal would suffer a reaction, but don't think it can't happen (especially the way your luck sounds ). Please let us know what decide to do and I sure hope your luck improves.

so is there a bottle of something that I can buy cheaper than the individual frontline applications that I can measure myself and apply to my cats?

My vet didnt know of anything that could be used on cats. He said that there are some off-label products used on dogs at times.

I am frontlining 4 cats each month. We do afford it but would rather spend that money on other things.

BTW my vet is very good with our animals. The yearly rabies shots/other shots run about $30 per animal. He then sells us what we need for our animals without seeing them unless we see a need for them to be seen. This follows us making sure that we have a face to face ongoing relationship with our vet so they feel comfortable with our knowlege and compliance.

There is a Frontline spray for dogs and cats. It is the same ingredient and is much cheaper. See if your vet can get it. You could also ask your vet about spliting a larger "dog-sized" Frontline (NOT Frontline Plus) into cat sized doses. It is the exact same medicine but in a larger quantity (DO NOT try this with other, especially over the counter, flea meds because the dog and cat formulas are NOT the same and can be extremely dangerous to cats!). Definitely be careful of using anything off-label for fleas in cats, they are so sensitive to so many things.

BTW my vet is very good with our animals. The yearly rabies shots/other shots run about $30 per animal. He then sells us what we need for our animals without seeing them unless we see a need for them to be seen. This follows us making sure that we have a face to face ongoing relationship with our vet so they feel comfortable with our knowlege and compliance.

That's all that's involved in a valid client/patient relationship! Obviously you can't get that from someone over the internet! I have no problem not seeing an animal each and every time they need a refill on meds IF they have had an exam in the last several months.

I'm so happy that you are happy with your vet and have a good relationship! That's the most important part in maintaining your pet(s)'s health. In fact, the most important part of your pet's "yearly" is NOT the vaccines it's the exam and the time you and your vet talk about the pet's history, diet, etc., etc.

Sarah

You have all been very busy while I have been asleep....lots to read. My initial reaction, probably more patriotic than I thought, was defending an Australian site that unscroupulous and illegal mentioned in posts previous.
I like to think the best of people until prooven otherwise...so...I would like to think if anybody bought a product of any kind from an Australian website that it would be fair dinkum.....but I know you never know.
If I had a packet of Revolution on me I too would quote a few things but I too have run out. So as an experiment then I will order a pkt from this company...as it is cheaper than I can buy it locally...and we will see what I get in the mail. I will also ask if I was an overseas buyer "is this the product I could expect to receive in the mail also".
Revolution is an individual packaged one application per packet pour on, well squeeze on....a process that is very hard to stuff up I think. I beleive Frontline is a similar product, I dont know I dont use it. Revolution is a monthly all wormer and heartguard product. I have 4 pugs, 3 of which I show, so I revolution the 3 that have outside dog contact and Mack the pet gets a Ambex five tablet every 3 mths.
I read where the topic took a swing to Vaccinations....i WOULD NOT BUY OR ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO BUY VACCINATIONS OF ANY KIND OVER THE INTERNET.
Pugs are known for reactions and my Vet is the only one I would ever trust with my Pugs.....I hate it when the companies change the vaccines...we have a anti-hystermine injection first to make sure.

__________________
Shazza the Vegemite Kid
Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk
http://www.rosnasharnfarm.com
Etsy Store.. RosnasharnFarm

Shazza- I for one would certainly apreciate it if you let us know what you find out from buying the frontline from the petshed. Do you have a better business bureau there you could call to check on them maybe?

Shazza I'm quite certain you will receive a packet exactly like the one you buy at your pet shop because you will be purchasing a product meant to be marketed in Australia. The packaging is different from country to country. If I lived in Australia I would be fairly confident that I was getting good product because in AUSTRALIA the manufacturers sell to pet shops. In the US the manufacturers do not sell to pet shops/on-line pharmacies. I never meant that the Australian site was unscroupulous (I appreciate you bringing it to my attention that heartworm products are not prescription in Australia), but I meant the American on-line pharmacies since it is impossible for them obtain the medicines from the manufacturers. Counterfeiting of frontline is actually a very big problem in the states (see the website www.frontline.com/epa for more details). While I'm now sure the Australian site is most likely getting their product through legitimate channels, I do stand behind the assertation that it is illegal for them to sell heartworm meds to AMERICANS (their website even states that!). I'm sure an overseas buyer would get the same package that you would receive, but the fact remains that the package is labeled and intended for the Australian market. The US has it's own rules and regulations. Did you know for instance that in the US Frontline has no expiration date? An expiration date is required in Australia. While this example has no real implications, it does show that there are differences between the regulations and labeling between the two companies.

BTW I wouldn't buy vaccines over the internet either especially after what happened to Miles (the Boston in one of my above posts), but everyone can make that decision for themselves.

Sarah

Golden Mom- If I can buy Ivermectin for sheep and use it on my dogs, what is wrong with buying the same heartworm active ingredient in ready to give pill form from Australia? Seems to me the stuff from Aussy land would be safer

The difference is that the Ivermectin for sheep is approved in the US and the Aussie stuff isn't. But I realize a lot of people don't care what the government says and that's their option!!! The approval/legality thing is the only thing I have really been trying to get across, that and the fact that much of the frontline purchased on-line from US pharmacies is counterfeit (www.frontline.com/epa).

Sarah

OK...now here's the irony...I tried to order a pkt of 3 mth Revolution and they don't deliver to my area...I tried to email them and it wouldn't even let me do that. So what's the point of a site that I can save money on and is not user friendly....GRRRRRR I will have to try a friends address in a larger town nearby...see what happens.

__________________
Shazza the Vegemite Kid
Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk
http://www.rosnasharnfarm.com
Etsy Store.. RosnasharnFarm

Hope it works out for you it would be great if the US was as progressive as Australia is about Heartworm meds. I imagine it's a hold over from when the only heartworm meds available were the daily kind which could easily kill a dog if they had heartworms (the meds we use now are MUCH safer even in an infected dog).

Sarah