Your Vets markup on medications

Hero4u2b

New member
Aug 24, 2012
180
4
Palm Beach County Florida
Bulldog(s) Names
Buddy
I took my Puppy to the vet yesterday and she sold me something for his ears called. Posatex for his yeast in his ears. I know there are other things on the market because I have something called Malacetic ultra and ordered the regular Malacetic octic but after getting home I looked up how much I can buy it for retail online and she charged me $45.00 for a 15 gram bottle when the first place I checked I found it for $25.00 ( same size) thats a huge markup. especially if she gets it at wholesale prices. I am just wondering if there is a standard as to mark up and honestly feel like calling the office ( vets) and complaining. Ofcourse I do not want a bad relationship with my vet but wondering others opinions are on this. Thanks everyone. Hero
 
Last edited:

BullDogGunner

New member
May 2, 2012
43
5
Bulldog(s) Names
Gunner
I would mention it in a non-threatening manner. I have done this with my vet. I ask before they are giving me anything if it is something I can order off line since we are all watching our pennies. That sort of alerts them to the fact you are a shopper. My Vet will give me an rx for things to order either at the pharmacy or online. Just my 2 cents.
 

Danielle

New member
May 2, 2012
422
19
Quincy, Florida, United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Herschel and Fiona
My mother's vet is horrible with the price mark-up on scripts! I used to love this vet but when he told her that she shouldn't order from Dr. Foster and Smith (where she could get the same script for a fraction of a price) because they are usually "fake" or "black market" meds I was furious! Needless to say, Mom is now ordering the meds online from them and couldn't be happier. As for the vet, he has always been good to her pets but there is NO WAY I am taking Herschel there.
 

Bella'sMom

New member
Community Veteran
Jun 23, 2010
3,256
168
Eau Claire WI
Bulldog(s) Names
Abby 13 (RIP), Bella (6), Betsy( RIP), Frenchie: Oliver
Terri once took our dog (non-EB) to a store vet, after $40 for Pen VK, I told her NO MORE! At our office we get it from our distributor for $8 a bottle of 500! The markup is amazing and it goes from Vet to Vet. I have heard of $80 for Rimadyl before, they know we will do what we can for our pets.

I know Target will fill animal prescriptions if they carry is for humans, ask your vet for a Rx from now on.
 

Scueva

New member
Sep 27, 2012
738
22
Chicago, IL
Bulldog(s) Names
Duchess
@heroforu2b Profit isn't a dirty word! It isn't cheap to run a good practice. Rent factor, insurance, employee compensation, etc.... They are making a living just like the rest of us! You ever realize the mark up on clothes? How about groceries? If you are unhappy with his prices ask for a discount and explain why he should offer you a discount. If you don't ask you won't get anything, most of the time if you do ask they will give you something even if it's only 10%. That's if they own the practice though, I doubt an associate vet can offer a discount. Or you can always find a more reasonably priced vet. Or you can just ask for a written prescription and go to your local pharmacy, they tend to stock almost all pet meds. I'm lucky my vet will match the price from petmeds.com for anything he sells. Ask your vet if maybe they can match those prices. Just my 2 cents
 
OP
H

Hero4u2b

New member
Aug 24, 2012
180
4
Palm Beach County Florida
Bulldog(s) Names
Buddy
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #6
That is a GREAT idea without having to discuss the markup. Just ask . Is it possible to get a perscription for this so I can save on some $? Great idea.. Thanks
 

Bizzymammabee

Well-known member
Jan 12, 2012
1,350
90
New York City
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Raven (2011-2016), Tyson (2014-2023) & Bella
I think all vets have a huge markup on stuff. If it is something that has to be taken like heart worm pills I get them to do a price match. I forget how much they told me it was one time and I asked if they would price match from Dr. Fosters and they said yes, they are still making something on it, just not as much as they would have made before. It's crazy the cost. I took my cat the other night and he gave her an antibiotic shot that he charged me $53 for...now you know that was probably the cost of the bottle.
 

BruceP

..........
Aug 12, 2010
0
505
Milwaukee, WI
Bulldog(s) Names
HRH Princess Gracie, aka: HRH; Princess Amelia Pond, aka: Amy
Vets are doctors of sorts... they know medical issues and the treatment for them. They are NOT retailers and do not know the market value of items; therefore they charge medical industry pricing. They also are not nutritionists and that is why they usually sell crap food... but thats another topic.. LOL You most always can find their meds cheaper online if you do a little work.
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,581
3,673
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
Yep mark ups just like any other retail or profit making company..... we are lucky as our vet will give us samples as often as he can and he is great with giving us the option "I can give you a script or you can just go get X product which will do the same thing"
 

Danielle

New member
May 2, 2012
422
19
Quincy, Florida, United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Herschel and Fiona
There is a difference in marking something up for a profit and more than tripling the price then attempting to scare the consumer into paying that price with blatant lies about a reputable company.
Just sayin'.

Sent from my HTCEVODesign4G using Tapatalk 2
 

bullmama

Owner/Administrator
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jan 28, 2010
24,756
1,251
Tucson, Arizona
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
The Home of the Desert Sky Pack
I get a lot of my stuff online. For example, I get eye ointment for $11.99 and my vet charges $28.95

I get the shampoo for $8.00 that my vet charges $25.00

Luckily I just ask for scripts and he gives them to me or calls them in to A to Z vet supply.


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk :)
 

RaRett

Oogle Me on Google
Community Veteran
Apr 15, 2012
1,475
194
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Missi -- With Gizmo and Hershey never far from my heart
Well, you need to look at it this way.... The vet is in the business to help the animals AND to make a living - part of that markup pays for the front desk staff, for the Vet Tech who assists the vet, for the roof and electricity and all of the insurances etc. If it costs $5000 a month to run a practice, that would be 142 office visits ($35 a visit) that needed to be done, before the vet owner even starts to get paid.

If he doubles the cost of something - a 2.00 pill becomes a 4.00 pill, but in the same instance a $.30 pill becomes a $.60 pill (sure is a big difference isnt there? $2.00 markup vice $.30 Cent markup.)

If you really want to know who is putting the screws to you, take a look at a simple fountain soda say from McDonalds, the cost of the cup is more than the cost of the actual soda they put in, and they charge you what ? $1.50 ? for something that actually costs them a few pennies.

And dont even think about the wedding ring on your finger, Jewelery is marked up not in the 10's but the 100's even the 1000's percents (hell some even MORE!)

Online shopping, they do not have to pay for alot of the costs a Brick and Mortar store has to pay, so that savings is passed off to the consumer.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Be an informed shopper, if you think its too much, then take your business else where, and that merchant will eventually go out of business for the lack of business.

Stay informed, but also keep it in perspective too :)
 

Twice

My Bully Gave Me Wings
Feb 3, 2012
2,686
311
Woodbridge Township, NJ
Bulldog(s) Names
Abby (my Sweetie Head 10.24.11-11.23.12) and Otis
My vet will do price matching and will discount her maintenance drugs. Abby's kidney specialist was charging me 20.00 per bag of lactated ringers solution plus 10.00 per admin set. At 2 bags per week I was quickly headed for bankruptcy court. I mentioned it at her regular vet and the tech told me that I could get a case at Walgreens for 23.00. Her doctor spoke to the office manager and they offered to match Walgreens price of 23.00 plus for an extra 5 bucks they will give me 12 admin sets (the iv tubing) and 100 needles.

Some of her drugs are canine only but they do give me price discounts because she needs these meds to live. The cheapest online price I've found for her Cerenia is 10.00 for 4 pills. The vets office gives me 24 pills for 96.00. She is also taking Reglan. At the vets office it is 28.00 for 12 pills. But I can get a generic at Target for 4 bucks. They have no problems giving me or calling in a script.

I think most if not all vets are willing to work with their patients if you just ask them.
 

izstigspunks

Moderator
Sep 16, 2010
5,939
336
Toronto, Ontario
Country
Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
The Stig Racecar Driver and (Sweet Angel) Punkin Brutus
I sincerely understand that vets need to markup their prices in order to keep their doors open. But I was so surprised that I paid $65 for Punks' chewable glucoseamine supplements that's only about $15 online in the U.S. that I'm now ordering everything from a U.S. online store that ships to Canada for a reasonable shipping fee. No way I'm paying that amount for something that Punks needs daily. I'll go to my vets for meds that I can't get online, but for others I've learned my lesson. Oh my pocketbook! lol.
 

Gunny B

New member
Jul 19, 2012
348
14
Marysville, Wa
Bulldog(s) Names
Gunny Beaufort & Denali (Boxer)
As Gunny's meds are 90% covered by insurance, I happily pay the vets retail price for the convenience. Now, if I was paying the full price, I would certainly be doing some negotiation and price shopping.
 

Most Reactions

📰 Latest posts

Members online

No members online now.
Top