Shopping for Pet Medications and Supplies on the Internet

Pet owners used to be beholden to their veterinarians when it came to prescription medicines. Veterinarians would present a bill for prescriptive medicine on a "take it or leave it" basis. Now, thanks to the internet, it is possible to seek the most competitive price for medicines, as well as a wide variety of pet supplies, from multiple sources. A comparison of some of the best known names in the field of pet health products provides some insight.

1-800-PetMeds (at www.1800petmeds.com) is a terrifically successful dot com business that calls itself America's larget pet pharmacy. Its operation base is in Pompano Beach, Florida. 1-800-PetMeds advertises heavily on television, appealing to the couch potato in all of us, showing how much easier it is to order on the internet and receive products by mail than to actually go to a store or a veterinarian's office. This service coordinates with your veterinarian to fill or renew prescriptions. They can provide compound medicines for additional convenience. This company also features an orderly, user-friendly catalog with products for dog, cats and horses. The catalog contains admonishments, bits of wisdom and helpful product comparisons. "Never use dog medications on cats," it instructs. "Cats are not small dogs and dog medications can sicken and kill cats." Your cat is saying, "Amen." Another piece of advice says, "Exercise your pet's mind and body with interactive toys." The suggestion comes across as good counseling, rather than an attempt to get you to buy something unnecessary. The toll free number for this company is 800-738-6337.

Doctors Foster & Smith (at www.DrsFosterSmith.com) is an exhausive source of everything imaginable, and some things unimaginable, for pets. By concentrating on just dogs and cats, they are able to expand their horizons. They offer an amazing catalog with everything from designer dog diapers to colored cat claw caps. Seasonal sale prices are featured. The company is headquartered in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. They even offer do-it-yourself pet vaccines, which seems a bit extreme, as the potential for doing more harm than good is evidenced by the number of styptic products they have available. Better leave this to veterinary professionals. DrsFosterSmith will coordinate with your veterinarian by way of phone, fax or email to fill all prescriptions. Their toll free number is 800-826-7206.

VetStoreRx is an innovative service you will find bootstrapped to a veterinarian's office located near you. It is accessed through a hyperlink posted on the website www.caringdvm.com which finds your participating vet. This veterinary pharmacy delivers prescriptions and health products to pet owners on behalf of more than 4,000 participating professional offices. VetStoreRx operates out of Maryland by VetCentric, a company that refers to itself as the nation's largest home-delivery veterinary pharmacy. They may have to duke it out with 1-800-PetMeds for the privilege of this title. The toll free number for this service is 800-838-7467.

Petco.com (at www.petco.com) is the internet virtual store companion to th chain of bricks and mortar stores ubiquitously located. It is headquartered in San Diego, California. The website is a busy cacaphony of special offers, pet adoption opportunities and hyperlinks, but if you know what you are looking for, it is easy to use. This pet world includes fish, gerbils and reptiles. Periodic shipping incentives arise, such as free shipping. The toll free number is 888-824-7257.

Let's compare these services with a bit of comparison shopping on some of the most popular pet items. First, take a look at the flea and tick killing product called Frontline Plus. This is a liquid topical applied monthly from a pre-measured tube. It is formulated according to the size of the pet. For large dogs weighing 45 to 88 pounds, 1-800-PetMeds sells 3 tubes for $45. VetStoreRx offers the same packaging for the same price. Petco sells the same thing for just a dollar less, or $45. DrsFosterSmith has the same product for $34 and has occasional seasonal sales at $30.

There is a Frontline Plus product formulated specifically for cats. 1-800-PetMeds sells 3 tubes for $38. VetStoreRx offers the same packaging for $42. Petco sells it for $41. Again, DrsFosterSmith has the best price at $28.

Greenies are wildly popular edible dental treats for dogs that also freshen breath. They are whimsically shaped like a bone on one end and a toothbrush on the other end. They come in five sizes to accommodate all dogs. A package of 8 large size Greenies for dogs 50 to 100 pounds costs $17 at 1-800-PetMeds. The same thing is a dollar more, or $18 at Petco. VetStoreRx offers the same product for $21. The regular price at DrsFosterSmith is the same as 1-800-PetMeds at $17, but occasional sales peg the price as low as $14.40.

Glyco-Flex is a product often recommended by veterinarians for dogs with arthritis, as it delivers B vitamins, brewer's yeast and amino acids. Glyco-Flex I is formulated for puppies and breeds predisposed to hip and joint dysfunction. DrsFosterSmith sells 120 tablets for $48. 1-800-PetMeds sells the same number of tablets for $40. Petco did not have this product available on its website. VetStoreRx offers the same product for $61.20. While VetStoreRx had the highest price, it offered something the other services did not. It has Glyco-Flex I for cats, priced at $22.10 for 45 tablets.

The next stage of this arthritis remedy is Glyco-Flex II which is for mature and working dogs. DrsFosterSmith sells 120 tablets for $65. 1-800-PetMeds sells the same number of tablets for $54. Again, Petco did not have this product available on the website. The VetStoreRx price gets tricky because it sells 90 tablets for $46 and 180 tablets for $73.60. You do the math. Once again, VetStoreRx is the only service showing this product for cats, priced at $31.10 for 45 tablets.

Missing Link Plus is a dog food brand containing glucosamine to help promote joint health. 1-800-PetMeds sells a one pound bag for $22. So does Petco. DrsFosterSmith sells the same amount for $18. VetStoreRx does not offer this brand of food, but has a limited selection of others available.

A common home grooming tool for pets is a guillotine style nail clipper. 1-800-PetMeds has a model for $9. DrsFosterSmith has the same model for $10. Petco's price range for the tool is $16 to $18. VetStoreRx does not offer such grooming tools.

Clearly, the veterinarian office monopoly on pricing is over. It pays to comparison shop.