Is Your Vet Reluctant To Work With You?

[gryhnd_adoptee]

Our heart girlie LuLu was diagnosed with bone cancer on January 2nd. To say this has turned our world upside down, inside out, and back asswards is an absolute understatement. She started with a limp which got worse over a few days around x-mas eve. On the initial visit to the vet, we thought we were dealing with a knee injury perhaps from running through some deep snow drifts in the yard with Kare Bear. After 10 days of Rimadyl and limited activity, we saw no improvement. The next obvious step was x-rays which showed some grey areas in the bone just above her left rear knee. The vets were somewhat surprised to come to this finding being as our girlie is only 6, and was a flunkie who never raced. We adopted her as a bounce at the tender age of two.

 

We decided we would not amputate, and will cherish what time we have with our wild child Lu Belle. We will keep her comfortable for as long as we can throughout this nightmarish journey. The day of diagnosis, we were sent home with more Rimadyl and added Tramadol for pain. After a week of not being able to get the pain under control, we then removed the Rimadyl from the equasion, and put her on a steroid to flush her of the Rimadyl while continuing with the Tramadol. After a week of going backwards again on the steroid/tramadol combination, we immediately moved to Deramaxx and Tramadol and finally we were seeing much improvement after only two days. Her spirits are high again, and you can just tell she hurts much less than on the prior med combinations.

 

So after a trial week of the Deramaxx/Tramadol combination, we decide to stay with the Deramaxx and got a script for more. Now anyone who has had to use Deramaxx knows it is a pretty pricey med to buy. Being as this is going to be long term, I will go broke at the vets prices which is $4.05 per 100mg tablet. I did not do a lot of digging due to time constraints, but I did find an online source where I can get the same pill for only $2.18 each. That's $1.87 less per tablet which is a tremendous savings!

 

So I go to place my order online today for the Deramaxx, but when I ask the vet to please fax, or call in the script so my order can go out right away, they were reluctant to do so. They totally understand my position on the affordability of the med, and were more than happy to give me the script for the online purchase, but that's as far as they would go. It has been a very frustrating day to say the least. I can understand their reasoning for this policy, but did not realize it would be this way before todays conversation with the vets office.

 

So now I have to snail mail the script in to the company before my order can finish being processed. This can take an additional 10-14 days due to the speed of snail mail. I had to buy some Deramaxx anyway from the vet today, along with all the other meds she needs, just to get me through the time frame of the online order processing.

 

So is your vet one that will work with you with regards to online meds, or do they draw the line like mine did today?

 

Edited January 20, 2009 by gryhnd_adoptee

[Guest houndlover]

My vet is very, very good about writing scripts for my animals or calling/faxing them in if it is needed. I have been with the same vet for about 5 years and have gotten to be fairly good friends with them so I think that helps but they also have a very small office so I think that they are more willing to do faxing and calling for rx's if it is needed. Do you go to a big vet practice or a small private one?

 

I am so sorry that you are dealing with this. Lulu is absolutely beautiful and I am glad that she is comfortable right now. Spoil her rotten for as long as you have with her.

 

 

[Guest EmilyAnne]

I am so very sorry to hear of Lulu's diagnosis. I am not sure about Deramaxx, but I know some drugs cannot be called in. My hound is on Phenobarbital, and I have to go in and personally pick up his script. But other meds my vet has been able to call in. Different rules for different drugs that are beyond the control of the vet.

 

Lulu is a beautiful girl.

[DunesMom]

Lulu is beautiful! I am so sorry to hear about her cancer. The last thing you need now is roadblocks from your vet.

 

My vet's boss/clinic also refuses to fax prescriptions. The owner says they lose time to fax and pay the cost of the fax, in addition to losing a drug sale. (In their defense, their costs are higher for drugs because they can't order bulk quantities like online pharmacies can.)

 

Try calling the online pharmacy. I had the same situation when my souldog was near the end, and customer care had me fax the scrip with a signed note that I was mailing the hard copy. They filled a partial order that day, with the rest when the original was received.

 

It's worth asking.

[Guest LindsaySF]

I don't see why they would give you a paper script but not call or fax it? Did they give a reason for that?

 

[Guest DebR]

I'm familiar with Tramadol, and not sure if you know this, but it is one of those $4 drugs that so many places have now ($10 for 3 months) My vet didn't tell me that, I found out from my Pharmacist, I was there a LOT when Sexi was so ill, and she told me it was one of the low cost drugs. Hope this helps save you even more. My vet charged MUCH more than $4. I'll keep Lulu in my prayers.

[gryhnd_adoptee]

My vet is very, very good about writing scripts for my animals or calling/faxing them in if it is needed. I have been with the same vet for about 5 years and have gotten to be fairly good friends with them so I think that helps but they also have a very small office so I think that they are more willing to do faxing and calling for rx's if it is needed. Do you go to a big vet practice or a small private one?

 

I am so sorry that you are dealing with this. Lulu is absolutely beautiful and I am glad that she is comfortable right now. Spoil her rotten for as long as you have with her.

 

Our vets are a fairly large practice with several practicing vets there. They are also very grey savvy and do many of the spay neuters for our local adoption group. Their reason for drawing the line is because they say they get many calls from online pharmacies, many for meds they have not even prescribed. I really do understand their policy....I really do, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating.

[gryhnd_adoptee]

I'm familiar with Tramadol, and not sure if you know this, but it is one of those $4 drugs that so many places have now ($10 for 3 months) My vet didn't tell me that, I found out from my Pharmacist, I was there a LOT when Sexi was so ill, and she told me it was one of the low cost drugs. Hope this helps save you even more. My vet charged MUCH more than $4. I'll keep Lulu in my prayers.

 

Yes, I was made aware of the low cost of the Tramadol by another member of our group. Tramadol is also a people drug which is why our pets med can be filled at a regular pharmacy. The tramadol however is not of real concern with regards to the cost. It probably is a bit higher from the vets office, but for the couple of pennies difference, it's not even worth the gas to a drugstore to get it. The tram comes in at .11 per tab at our vet.

[ahicks51]

Would they be receptive to meeting you halfway, and match the price?

[gryhnd_adoptee]

Would they be receptive to meeting you halfway, and match the price?

 

That's a good thought, but I hardly think they would sacrafice over $1.80 per tablet to get the business. Now that I have the script I should be set for a while. It is a 30 tablet script which is good for 60 days of dosing, and has two refills. Now that I know the rules, I will be able to act sooner when a refill is needed.

 

An added note is they also mentioned that if a script is faxed, it shows up as "VOID" on the receiving end. The scripts have a security feature just like that of bank checks. The void is hard to detect unless copied. It prevents fraud to some degree with todays copiers and printers. If it were not for the security feature, the copy would look just like the original.

 

[ahicks51]

An added note is they also mentioned that if a script is faxed, it shows up as "VOID" on the receiving end. The scripts have a security feature just like that of bank checks. The void is hard to detect unless copied. It prevents fraud to some degree with todays copiers and printers. If it were not for the security feature, the copy would look just like the original.

 

Easy enough to get around. Take a digital photo of it, print it out, and FAX that. You can probably obviate the need to print it by just FAXing the image, in fact. Microsoft XP (and other OS'es, I'm sure) have FAX capability built in.

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306550

 

Good luck, and best wishes for your hound.

[Guest MAXNAV]

Yup. I went through the same thing with my collie. My vet actually would not give an rx for deramaxx or his thyroid meds, cancer meds, heart meds, etc. The only thing he would give me a rx for was hw meds. From what I've been told by him and some friends (I don't believe it though), is that when we order from these different on-line places, we never know where the meds are coming from, and if indeed they are the exact medication. Hey, how do we know where the vet is getting his meds from?

[Guest houndlover]

From what I've been told by him and some friends (I don't believe it though), is that when we order from these different on-line places, we never know where the meds are coming from, and if indeed they are the exact medication. Hey, how do we know where the vet is getting his meds from?

 

My vet has told me that also BUT she will still give me a script. It really is my choice who/where I get the meds from, not the vets. My vet said that the only place that she trusts for on line meds is Drs Foster and Smith and they seem to be the cheapest so that is where I order from. I do get Casey's arthritis meds through the $4 program at Walmart and my vet was more than happy to do the script for that for me also.

[Batmom]

Your vet is being a total pinhead. I'm sorry that's the case, and sorry you're dealing with a cancer diagnosis in your sweet pupper.

[racindog]

All the vets I have dealt with- and I have dealt with a lot of them- are "reluctant" ,to say the least, to give a script or call/fax anything in. It is like twisting their arm to get them to do it. They want that high profit margin of theirs and either don't understand or care about our finances and in some cases I think it even trumps the patients well being. I am dealing with one vet now who holds my 12 year olds Enalapril kidney medicine "hostage" and refuses to even give me a single refill unless I bring her in and pay $32 for a "blood pressure check" every time she needs more. (She is healthy, blood values are all wonderful, and she is in great shape by the way.)This is obviously a tactic to pay for the new bp machine. I am thinking about moving her to a more resasonable (?) vet but then would have to pay for all the original diagnostic work all over again- so they know they've got you between a rock and a hard place. Sad to say but I really don't think the majority of them care about the dogs-certainly not like we do anyway. Just like the one that let the greyhound escape recently and neglected to even notify her Mom in a timely fashion. That vet let all those critical valuable hours immediately after the escape go by. Thats how much that vet cared about the poor greyhound and her mom and this is what I have found to be the norm. This has been my honest experience-wish it could have been better.

[GreyKarma]

Hey, how do we know where the vet is getting his meds from?

 

Licensed Veterinarians are monitored and licensed with their state pharmacy board. Most medicines are ordered through Veterinary Distributors. That being said, some of the major manufacturers Novartis, Merial, & Bayer pulled everything back "in house" a couple of years ago. This is to track the illegal selling of products to online pharmacies.

 

I do not want to debate this subject, but I worry that some day because of these pharmacies Vets will no longer carry meds in house. This will mean for whatever drug a pet needs, they will have to wait for a script to arrive. Me, if my pet is sick I want the medicine to start immediately.

 

That said, the pharmacy income helps your Vet open his doors each day, and be there for his patients with a staff and the diagnostic equipment needed to run a hospital. He is not a warehouse with people taking phone orders.

[LBass]

I am blessed with a vet who calls in prescriptions quite willingly--I've never had to ask for a fax. I'm glad you've got things settled for the moment but it is a shame your vet added to your stress at a time that is already difficult for you and your sweet hound girl.

 

It's been anti-epileptic drugs that I've dealt with but I think that the info holds true for all meds. I've found a staggering difference in pricing between various pharmacies. Apparently each pharmacy/chain decide how much markup to take on each drug. I found Gabapentin for $125 at Eckerd and the same med was $35 at Costco.

 

The moral of the story is to call around local pharmacies and to chack out the discount places like Costco. Costco has an on-line presence and you do not have to have a membership to fill prescriptions by mail.

 

Best wishes for you and your girl.

 

--Lucy

[CaliforniaGreys]

I'm very lucky with my vet. They will price match.

You have enough to deal with just with such a devastating dx, the least the vet can do is help with the expense!

I hope he's willing to price match

[PatricksMom]

When I asked about ordering Deramax online, my vet was willing to do it--she knows us, we spend an awful lot of money there, and I really believe she has my dog's best interest at heart.

 

In our case (arthritis), she recommended that since cost was an issue, we consider switching to Tramadol, which she now calls into Target (it costs 1/3 the price there and is closer.)

 

So in short, yes, I would be annoyed at your vet, especially given the circumstances.

 

I am glad you found a pain med combo that is working for LuLu.

[Guest greytmonty]

Hey, how do we know where the vet is getting his meds from?

 

Licensed Veterinarians are monitored and licensed with their state pharmacy board. Most medicines are ordered through Veterinary Distributors. That being said, some of the major manufacturers Novartis, Merial, & Bayer pulled everything back "in house" a couple of years ago. This is to track the illegal selling of products to online pharmacies.

 

I do not want to debate this subject, but I worry that some day because of these pharmacies Vets will no longer carry meds in house. This will mean for whatever drug a pet needs, they will have to wait for a script to arrive. Me, if my pet is sick I want the medicine to start immediately.

 

That said, the pharmacy income helps your Vet open his doors each day, and be there for his patients with a staff and the diagnostic equipment needed to run a hospital. He is not a warehouse with people taking phone orders.

I agree that veterinarians need to dispense meds so they are immediately available, and that meds help pay for the cost of running the business, but in my experience there are GREEDY vets who charge a mark up of 500% or more per pill, and generous vets who try to work with their patients to make care affordable. I am lucky to have the latter kind of vet. They will do online scrip faxing, call my human pharmacy, price match U Penn, etc. I am lucky because the cost of Monty's care is already out of our reach.

[Guest KennelMom]

Our vet has always been wonderful about calling in scripts for us. I usually buy everything from him, but somethings they just can't price match or they don't stock so I've bought from another pharmacy. I our vet. A good, trusted vet is priceless.

[carronstar]

I am so sorry about Lulu's diagnosis. My vet was perfectly fine with faxing the scrips to the online pharmacy when I was going through this 5 years ago with my first girl, Scarlett. He even went over (he's homecare) on his own a few times to give her the glucosamine injections at no charge when we were hoping it was advanced arthritis.

 

I'm holding you and Lulu in my thoughts and prayers.

[iluvgreys]

That's a shame. My vet charges $6 to write/fax a prescription for on-line meds, or even for meds that I can get through Costco. Expedites the process tremendously and saves bucks for other essentials. I've gotten a large bottle of 100 mg. Deramaxx for a very reasonable cost. Can you offer to pay a small fee to your vet for their time to fax?

[Guest LovesDoggies]

I am very sorry that LuLu is going through this too. She is a very very beautiful girl. That picture of her is wonderful. She looks so happy.

 

Sending thoughts of healing and comfort to LuLu and your family.

[Charlies_Dad]

I am very sorry to hear of Lulu's diagnosis. Please give her a big hug from me.