Depending on the medication prescribed, it may be possible to fill your pet’s prescription at a local human pharmacy. However, some veterinary-specific or compounded medications are not available at human pharmacies and must be ordered through a pet pharmacy or veterinary clinic.
Veterinarians may decline to substitute human medications for pet-specific prescriptions because human formulations are not always safe or appropriate for pets. Some human medications contain ingredients that pets cannot tolerate, or they may not match the required dosage or concentration for pets. Always consult your veterinarian before considering any substitution.
Your veterinarian will be able to advise where the medication can be filled during your appointment and whether it’s recommended to call ahead to confirm a clinic’s policies on accepting outside prescriptions. If the pharmacy cannot fill the prescription due to stock issues, it is important to know that the pharmacy becomes the legal holder of the prescription once it is sent. Only the pharmacy can initiate a transfer to another location, so ensure you communicate directly with them to expedite the process.
If you’d like to send your pet’s prescription to a local pharmacy, you can do so through the Vetster mobile app. You can find further instructions in these help articles:
If your pharmacy doesn’t have the exact pet prescription, you can consult your veterinarian through Vetster. Follow these steps:
Log into your Vetster account.
From the left menu under Dashboard, select Appointments, then Past Appointments.
Scroll to the Appointment Notes section and select Add entry on the right.
Click Direct Message, write your question, and send it.
This allows you to ask your vet whether a human-form medication is acceptable or if an alternative is available.