Buying prescriptions online is not that uncommon these days, but what about prescription medications for your pets? Is it all right to purchase pet meds online without a prescription? Are they as safe as buying the drugs at other places or through your vet?
The truth is that you can safely purchase many types of pet medications without a prescription IF you are purchasing them through a reputable online store that can verify that the medications you’re receiving are the real thing. You should also never self-diagnose a pet’s condition and decide to give them any medication that your vet didn’t recommend.
What Is Rimadyl?
Rimadyl is an NSAID that is prescribed for dogs for inflammation and pain. Rimadyl is an officially approved drug and is usually given to your dog once or twice a day. It comes in two forms: a chewable tablet and an injection that needs to be injected into the dog’s bloodstream. If your vet has prescribed this for your dog, you should find out which form is best for your particular pet.
And if you’re wondering if you can get Rimadyl without a vet prescription, just know that deciding to give your dog this medication without approval from your veterinarian is discouraged. No dog should be given Rimadyl unless it has been recommended by a qualified veterinarian. And if you’re going to do that, you might as well get a prescription from the vet before you leave.
So, we’ve determined that buying Rimadyl without a prescription is possible and that you should never give your pets this medication without prior approval from a vet. But, what if your vet has approved the use of Rimadyl for your dog and you decide to shop for it online because you don’t have a prescription?
Is this an acceptable practice? The answer is, it depends. The fact is, when you decide to shop online without a prescription, there are things you need to watch out for. If you decide to do this, always follow these guidelines:
Make Sure That You Get Your Vet’s Approval First
This is the most important tip to remember. Even if you’ve given your dog Rimadyl or another medication in the past and everything went well, you still shouldn’t order it now without checking with your vet first.
You should also be familiar with your dog’s drug history to make sure that any medication you purchase online will not cause adverse side effects. All of these things are good tips to make sure that you’re giving your pet the right medication at the right time so that it isn’t harmful to them.
Look for Third-Party Verification
When it comes to the legitimacy of an online pharmacy, any type of third-party verification is a good thing. Companies such as Bizrate allow real-life customers to leave reviews on all types of companies, not just online pharmacies, and they publish these reviews for everyone to see.
If you’re looking for these reviews, you can visit Bizrate itself, but keep in mind that a few negative reviews aren’t a concern. A lot of negative reviews are a completely different story, though. Oh, and look for the Bizrate logo on the pharmacy’s website, too!
Make Sure That Your Personal Information Is Safe
Before you pay for your medications, you’ll want to make sure that the checkout process is secure and that your personal information will is safe. For the best results, look for a site that is “Verisign secured,” which means that your address, credit card number, and contact information will all be safe.
You want the site to be as secure as possible, so any reassurance they give you that they’re legit and safe will make you feel better about ordering from them.
Contact the Company with Any Concerns
Finally, if you are unsure about the online company’s certification or any aspect of their business doings, contact them with your questions. They should have a toll-free phone number, email address, or even an inquiry form that you can fill out and ask for the information you need.
A legitimate company will never mind you doing this and will reply right away with the information you’re looking for. If they don’t respond or they’re vague in their answer, you should consider this a red flag.
What If You Don’t Have a Veterinarian?
Ideally, all pet owners need a regular vet to take care of their beloved animals. But what if you just became a pet parent and you don’t have one yet? The truth is that you can now consult with a virtual vet and receive the prescriptions you need, provided that you live in one of the following 32 states:
● Alaska
● Arizona
● Arkansas
● Delaware
● District of Columbia
● Hawaii
● Idaho
● Indiana
● Iowa
● Kansas
● Kentucky
● Louisiana
● Maine
● Massachusetts
● Michigan
● Minnesota
● Missouri
● Montana
● Nebraska
● New Hampshire
● New Jersey
● New York
● North Carolina
● North Dakota
● Ohio
● Oklahoma
● Pennsylvania
● Rhode Island
● South Dakota
● Vermont
● Virginia
● Wisconsin
In these states, the veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) has to meet certain requirements before the vet is allowed to write a prescription for you. If you don’t live in one of these states, it means that the VCPR has to be established in person only.
In addition, not all online veterinarians are able to write prescriptions, but if you live in one of the states mentioned above, you can receive a prescription if you locate a vet that is allowed to do so. Online vet help is available in nearly all the states, but some of them allow general questions, first aid help, and triage assistance only.
Indeed, telemedicine is becoming more and more popular all the time for both humans and pets. When COVID-19 came on the scene, many telemedicine professionals relaxed some of their rules temporarily so that more pet parents could get the help and the prescriptions they needed to keep their animals healthy. If you live in one of the states on this list, you can start looking for an online vet if you need a prescription for Rimadyl or anything else because one should be easy to find.
Preparation for Your Virtual Vet Visit
Just the same as a doctor's appointment for a human, vet visits require a little preparation. If this is going to be your very first virtual visit with a vet, keep the following things in mind:
Document Everything with Photos If You Can
If your dog has itchy skin or something else that can be documented, make sure that you have a few photographs and maybe even some videos for the doctor to look at. This will help tremendously with the diagnosis.
Write Down All of Your Pet’s Symptoms
Lest you forget, be sure that you write down all of the symptoms your pet has. This will speed up the visit and help the vet narrow down the possible diagnoses.
Have Your Pet’s Medical History Ready
Hopefully, you’ve kept a record of your pet’s medical history, and it’s important to share this information with your online vet.
Establish a History and Timeline of the Symptoms
The vet will want to know how long these symptoms have been there so they can establish if this is an ongoing problem or something out of the ordinary. If you write down the timeline of your pet’s symptoms, this will help establish this.
Let the Vet Know About Your Pet’s Medications and Allergies
Your vet needs to know not only your pet’s medical history but all of their current medications and any allergies he might have. This is crucial if you want the vet to write the most appropriate prescription.
In addition, it might be a good idea to have a friend with you on your virtual visit, just in case you need any assistance in holding your pet up to the camera, getting together any paperwork or documentation, or even jogging your memory in case the vet asks a question and you’re unsure of the answer. Having someone with you at least for that very first visit can be a huge help.
Conclusion
Rimadyl is one of the medications that might be prescribed for your pet to help ease pain and inflammation. While it’s best to have a prescription from your veterinarian, some online companies will provide the medication even without one. As with anything else related to the care of your beloved furry family member, you’ll want to consult with your veterinarian if you need any help whatsoever with any of the items described in this article. Remember, your vet is the expert when it comes to these things.
That being said, it has to be a reputable pharmacy verified by third-party information, such as Bizrate, and a company that will respond to you quickly and professionally if you have any questions or concerns. To be sure, you need to check out the online company as much as you do the medication you’re being prescribed. You should try to get a prescription every time you need a medication such as Rimadyl, but in some instances, you can get it without one.
