As a dog mom to a rescue pup with chronic allergies and anxiety, keeping my furry friend happy and healthy often means trips to the vet for medications to manage his conditions. But between expensive office visit fees and high prescription costs, it started taking a real toll on my wallet!
On a friend‘s recommendation, I decided to give online pet pharmacy 1800PetMeds a try for convenience and potential savings on the costly medications my pup depends on.
In this detailed review, I‘ll share my first-hand experiences of ordering from 1800PetMeds after months of use, including:
- How the ordering and approval process works
- An inside look at their prescription selection and prices
- How my costs and convenience compared to local pet stores
- Key details about their shipping, returns and customer service
- Whether I feel 1800PetMeds is ultimately worth recommending
Let‘s dive in!
Overview of 1800PetMeds
As one of the first online pharmacies focused specifically on pet medications starting in 1996, Florida-based 1800PetMeds has grown exponentially while securing their reputation for quality service and affordability.
They now serve over 11 million pet parents across the US and Canada with a immense catalog of vet-prescribed medications for dogs, cats and horses. Their prescription and over-the-counter remedies treat everything from fleas, ticks and heartworms to skin conditions, arthritis, anxiety and more.
What sets them apart from other outlets is offering convenience and reasonable prices on the same FDA-approved formulas sold at vet clinics. Read on for my first-hand take after entrusting them with my pup‘s care for nearly a year now.
How Ordering My Dog‘s Medications Works
Getting started with 1800PetMeds takes a few simple steps…
First I needed a written prescription from my vet outlining my dog‘s breed profile along with the name, strength and dosage instructions for the Apoquel he takes for allergy flareups.
- I entered this prescription information when checking out on 1800PetMeds to submit for review by their pharmacy team. This ensures each animal is matched with the clinically-appropriate formula.
- Within a business day, my vet received and responded to their request to approve dispensing my dog‘s medication.
- Once given the green light, my order shipped out quickly with free standard shipping kicking in at $49+ orders.
One difference from using a local pet store is 1800PetMeds doesn‘t auto-renew medications. So I do need to re-purchase whenever I‘m running low on my pup‘s pills to avoid any gaps in coverage.
But they make reordering a piece of 🍰 with their mobile app saving all my information, and offer a nice $10 refill coupon to incentive returning customers like me.
Inside Look: Pet Medications Carried & Pricing
Sourcing my pup‘s Apoquel anti-itch tablets often left me 😫 choosing between sky-high vet markups or the limited, questionably old stock at my neighborhood pet store.
After browsing 1800PetMed‘s huge catalog with over 300 pet-specific drugs and supplements, it felt like a whole new world opened up!
Beyond Apoquel, you can find all the top flea, tick and heartworm brands like Revolution, NextGard and more at impressively low rates. They also carry specialty meds vets prescribe for arthritis, anxiety, diabetes management and much more.
Here‘s a pricing comparison on some of their current top sellers:
| Medication | 1800PetMeds Price | Local Pet Store | My Vet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simparica Trio (6 mos) | $137 | $152 | $196+ |
| Apoquel 16mg (100 tabs) | $92 | $125 | $140 |
| Galliprant Arthritis (60 chews) | $94 | $105 | $130 |
They beat local pricing 9 times out of 10 in my experience. And offer engraved tabs and flavorings my picky pup loves.
Beyond fair rates, I appreciate how they encourage customers to price match and request discount codes for even more savings on repeat purchases. This attention to affordability makes them a winner in my book!
How My Overall Experience Compares to In-Person Shopping
Like many pet owners, making frequent trips to my local pet store or vet office to grab prescription refills took time I didn‘t always have. And it meant coordinating trips around their inconsistent stock and limited business hours.
Here‘s how utilizing 1800PetMeds instead has impacted my life as a pet parent:
Convenience: No driving, waiting around in store for assistance or getting told to come back another day. Fast home delivery means meds arrive right as we need them.
Cost Savings: My 6 month supply of Apoquel cost $92 with 1800PetMeds, whereas my vet charged $140+ for the exact same tablets! Their prices seriously can‘t be beat.
Seamless Reordering: With previous purchase info saved in my online account, re-purchasing my pup‘s usual medications takes just a few clicks on desktop or through their handy mobile app.
Customer Service: Connecting with pharmacy reps by phone when I had an issue was quick, and they resolved my problem promptly and politely. Much better than frustrating vet office staff!
Selection: Special diet kibble, dental treats, calming anti-anxiety chews – you name it, they carry premium brand names at impressively affordable pricing in one convenient spot.
Adding it all up, I can definitively say making the switch to fulfill my pet‘s prescription needs through 1800PetMeds has had a hugely positive impact with no downsides to speak of.
Key Delivery, Return & Contact Details
Two other questions I always get asked from fellow pet parents considering using an online pharmacy for the first time are around shipping and returns.
Here‘s an overview of how 1800PetMeds handles such logistics:
Shipping Policy
- Free on orders $49+
- Standard delivery in 3-5 business days
- Expedited 2 day shipping available
Return Info
- 100% customer satisfaction guaranteed
- Notify within 30 days for exchanges/refunds
- Can return most unopened items
Contact Details
📞 Phone: 1-800-738-6337
✉️ Email: [email protected]
📍 Head Office: 420 S Congress Ave #100, Delray Beach, FL
I only had to contact their customer care team once about a damaged product. But they made the return and exchange extremely easy to deal with over the phone.
The Verdict: Am I Pleased With My Experience?
Considering their 20+ years in business and impressive reputation, I went in with high hopes… and 1800PetMeds still managed to exceed my expectations across the board!
-
10/10 Pricing: Serious savings over 50% versus vet markups on costly pet-specific drugs my dog depends on
-
9/10 Selection: From dental sticks to prescription antihistamines, they carry premium brands my local stores lack
-
10/10 Service: Quick shipping, helpful reps and an easy reorder process ticks every box for convenience
While an initial vet appt is ideal for evaluations and treatment planning, services like 1800PetMeds take prescription fulfillment off your plate at an undeniable value.
I plan to continue relying on them to conveniently deliver my pup‘s medications straight to my door – and highly suggest my fellow pet parents give them a shot too!
