How To Order A Prescription Veterinary Medicine

1. Ask your vet for a written prescription for the medicines that your pet needs. Your vet will still need to see your pets just as often for health checks and monitoring BUT the medicines will be much cheaper if you buy online.

**Open or Download a Blank Prescription **

You can start to fill out some of the details and then ask your vet to complete it, by signing, dating and stamping it with their veterinary practice stamp.

2. Place your order with MyPetsVet

3. Upload your prescription online where our vets check and authorise your order. 

Please note, we only require the original prescription for schedule 3 drugs.

Please post original prescription form to:
MyPetsVet, VETSbarn Veterinary Centre,
Harts Barn Farm,
Longhope,
Gloucester
GL17 0QD
Gloucestershire
United Kingdom

4. Complete an Animal Health Form 

5. As soon as we receive your pet prescription, we will dispatch your order to you – it couldn’t be easier!

Prescriptions Frequently Asked Questions 

WHY IS A PRESCRIPTION NECESSARY?

Certain medications such as antibiotics, painkillers, and heart and kidney medicines are authorised in the UK as Prescription Only Medicine - Veterinary (POM-V). Much like certain human medications, veterinary medicines categorised as POM-V require a prescription from your veterinarian for procurement.

POM-V medications are designated as such to ensure they are administered under the close supervision of a veterinary professional, guaranteeing the correct dosage tailored to your pet's specific needs. Prescription medicines are subject to stringent regulation to ensure proper storage, supply, and administration.

HOW CAN I OBTAIN A PRESCRIPTION?

You can obtain a prescription from the veterinarian who oversees your pet's care. Simply request a written prescription for the necessary medications. Since 2005, veterinarians are mandated to allow their clients to purchase medications from their preferred supplier. While your vet will still need to conduct health checks and monitoring for your pets, purchasing medicines online often presents a more cost-effective option.

For many veterinary medications, particularly those used for chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart issues, kidney problems, hormonal imbalances, or allergies, substantial savings upwards of 60% can be achieved by procuring them from our online pharmacy. You can begin the process by downloading our prescription form, filling in relevant details, and requesting your vet's signature, date, and practice stamp.

With your prescription in hand, you can proceed to place your order with MyPetsVet!

WHAT IS THE COST OF A PRESCRIPTION?

Your vet may charge a fee for prescriptions, the amount of which varies from practice to practice. On average, you should expect to pay between £10 and £17. However, it's worth noting that there might be a reduced charge for multiple medications. It's advisable to consult with your vet to ascertain their specific fee structure.

HOW MUCH MEDICATION CAN I OBTAIN WITH MY PRESCRIPTION?

Each veterinary practice has its own policy regarding prescriptions, but typically, vets can provide prescriptions for a duration ranging from 3 to 6 months. The duration of the prescription may also be influenced by your pet's condition and the frequency of necessary re-evaluations by your vet. For example, prescriptions for flea and worming medications often have longer durations, sometimes exceeding 12 months. It's prudent to discuss with your vet the possibility of obtaining the longest duration prescription, especially for pets requiring long-term medication.

HOW DO I SUBMIT MY PRESCRIPTION?

Our website clearly highlights all POM-V products. When selecting a POM-V item, you'll be prompted to upload your prescription from your phone or computer. Prescriptions can be submitted in various formats including scanned documents, JPEGs, or PDFs. If you don't have the prescription at hand, you can email a copy at a later time to prescription@mypetsvet.co.uk.

Please note that medication will not be dispatched until the prescription is received. We can only dispense up to the total quantity specified on the prescription. Any excess ordered will be refunded, subject to a £5.00 handling charge.

WHAT IS THE VALIDITY PERIOD OF THE PRESCRIPTION?

The validity period of the prescription varies depending on the policy of the veterinary surgery. Many vets issue prescriptions valid for 6 months, while others may opt for 3 months. Additionally, the severity of your pet's condition may influence the necessity for your vet to conduct a re-evaluation before authorising a repeat prescription, ensuring the appropriateness of treatment and dosage and monitoring for adverse effects.

For further information on prescriptions, including restrictions for controlled drugs, precautions against fraudulent prescriptions, and procedures for reporting adverse effects, please see below:

Special Restrictions for Controlled Drugs (e.g., Buprenorphine or Phenoleptil)

Certain medicines are subject to different rules. These medicines, classified as "Schedule 3", have distinct regulations:

All prescribed medication must be purchased within 28 days of the prescription date; the 6-month rule does not apply. The original prescription must be physically mailed to us; faxed, emailed, uploaded, or photocopied prescriptions are not accepted. Repeat prescriptions are not permitted; each order requires a new prescription. Misuse of Prescriptions

It is illegal to use a fraudulent prescription to obtain veterinary medicines, or to alter a prescription without proper authorisation from the prescriber. Suspected cases of prescription fraud or unlawful alteration will be reported to the appropriate authorities. If any concerns arise regarding the validity of a prescription, the details will be verified with the issuing veterinary surgeon.

Reporting Adverse Reactions

No medicine is without risk, and all medications have the potential to cause adverse effects. If you suspect that you or your pet have experienced an adverse reaction to any medicinal product, please contact your vet immediately and report it to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) using the provided form on the government website here.

Veterinary Medicinal Products (VMPs) are authorised by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA)

They are assessed for safety, efficacy and quality
All must have a Marketing Authorization (MA)
Authorized VMPs must display a VM or EU code
There are four main categories of authorised veterinary medicines:
POM-V medicines can only be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon
POM-VPS medicines can be prescribed by a vet, pharmacist or suitably qualified person (SQP)
NFA-VPS medicines can be supplied by a vet, pharmacist or SQP
AVM-GSL medicines can be sold by anyone

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and is the UK’s regulatory authority for veterinary medicines with responsibility for development of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR). The VMR regulates the authorization, manufacture, distribution and use of all veterinary medicines in the UK.