Yikes! Flea and Tick season is truly upon us!

Not only irritating and capable of causing skin problems for your cat or dog, fleas and ticks can also transmit tapeworms to your dog and cause sickness in humans. When you catch sight of a tiny dark speck then it disappears, on your pet or - horrors! - on the rug, it is probably a flea. A tick can also appear as a small black dot, but when it has latched on as a parasite it will fill with your pet's blood and appear much larger and brown or white.

At the first sight of this kind of invader, or preferably before the first onslaught, ask our staff to help make sure that you're prepared! There are several proprietary brands of medications that can prevent infestation on your pet. Be sure to compare our prices on preventatives to those of online companies. We can ship your medications directly to you and, in most cases, we are less expensive than the on-line merchants! We also offer some rebates from the manufacturer which can save you additional money!!

However, price is not the only reason why you should purchase your pet's medications directly from your veterinarian. Safety is a VERY important factor. The Food and Drug Administration has warned that buying drugs online can be risky. Did you know that the manufacturers of Frontline, Advantage, Heartgard, Interceptor, Sentinel, Revolution, etc., DO NOT guarantee products purchased from online pharmacies? Despite what the online vendor may advertise, these manufacturers do not and will not sell their products to online distributors. The proprietary products are only guaranteed "when purchased from a licensed veterinarian and where there is a valid doctor/patient relationship". You may see that some of these online stores offer a guarantee, but it's not a guarantee of the actual product, nor is it backed by the manufacturer.

Some of these merchants purchase medications from overseas, and there are several risks associated with that - one being that the drug may not be FDA-approved. There have also been several reports of counterfeit products, products sold with an expired shelf-life, and products that haven't been labeled, stored, or shipped correctly. This is a great concern because the average consumer can not then be sure that the dosage inside of the box is for the animal pictured on the box. And in several cases, products meant for cats have been mislabeled and sold in boxes labeled for dogs, and vice versa. And there are several more reports of additional problems with medications purchased online, and problems with the companies that sell them.

As you can see, there are definite risks involved when purchasing medications online for your beloved pet. Also, keep in mind that it is safest for your veterinarian to have current and accurate history of all medications your pet may be taking.

To sum it up - there is no substantial money saved when ordering online and there are many more risks associated with online pharmacies. We ask that you think about what you've read and consider what is in the best interest of your pet's health and comfort.

For a price on your pet's medication please contact us at 770-889-2521 or crestviewah@comcast.net You can view a list of the preventatives we carry on our VETSHOP page. Don't forget, we are less expensive in most cases and we can ship your medication directly to you! Thank you.

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