Third Party Pharmacies
Third Party Pharmacies
Effective January 1st, 2026 we will no longer be accepting requests from third party pharmacies which include Chewy, 1800PetMeds, Amazon, etc..
We understand that cost and convenience are the two primary reasons that our clients purchase from outside pharmacies and online retailers. That’s why County Line Animal Hospital has partnered with Vetcove to offer an online pharmacy option that offers the same pricing structure and shipping options as any other major online pharmacy. Because our online pharmacy is part of our clinic infrastructure, you will not need a written prescription if you order this way. Our hospital and online store’s supply chain is 100% secure, and from the time the medication you order is manufactured all the way to when you are going to give it to your pet, it has been handled, stored, and packaged in compliance with manufacturer guidelines. The product you receive is guaranteed to be the name-brand medication in the proper dosage and packaging. Medications purchased directly from us and our online store are guaranteed by the product’s manufacturer and most importantly by us, your pet’s veterinarian.
If you chose to use a third-party pharmacy, we will provide you with a written prescription which can be submitted to the pharmacy of your choice. The written prescription(s) can be picked up from our hospital.
We have several reasons for this policy change:
-We believe in safe products. There may be a significant percentage of online medications that may not be safe. Many online pharmacies are selling products that the manufacturer has not sold directly to them. Some medications may even be counterfeits which can be dangerous to our pets. They may not have been stored properly or even near or exceeding expiration. These products may then be ineffective or dangerous to our pets.
-We have found numerous issues with medications filled by third-party pharmacies. There have been times where they fill the incorrect dosage or the incorrect drug. We have also found third party pharmacies filling drugs that were not approved by a veterinarian.
-It is taking away from patient time. Online pharmacies send us requests to approve a prescription and they often send it multiple times daily via fax, email, and sometimes even phone calls. Their fax machines sometimes do not work when we send in approved prescriptions nor do they process our approvals when we call them directly to their pharmacist. Many online pharmacies will request refills from us when the owner has not. All of this requires more staff time reviewing patient charts and less time treating our patients. It also leads to frustration for you and us when a prescription is not filled quickly due to all the extra steps involved.
-Dosing Safety. We are not able to track refills well which leads to patient safety concerns.
We do caution you to be wary of where you order from online, as pharmaceutical products may be marketed through third-party sites and unverified vendors. In order to ensure that you receive the proper prescription for your pet, we strongly advise ordering directly from our online pharmacy or from a reputable local pharmacy, such as Wegmans, CVS, or Costco.