Can I get my dog's flea, tick, and heartworm meds without a vet visit?

You will need to go to a vet as it requires a negative heartworm test before it can be prescribed. This is a simple, fast blood-test that will let the vet know it is safe to start preventive medication. Why this is required is if your pet already has heartworms and is given the medication, it can kill the worms too quickly which can cause blockages of the blood vessels leading to potential stroke or death. Making sure your pet is negative first will ensure it is safe to administer.

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The heartworm preventatives typically do require a prescription from your veterinarian which may require an exam initially if this is Annie's first time visiting her veterinarian. There are some over the counter flea preventatives such as Advantix and Advantage or Frontline. However, these may not work as well as prescription flea preventatives from a veterinarian. There are no over the counter heartworm preventatives- this does require a prescription with Annie's veterinarian. I hope this helps!

If you have proof that the dogs have a current negative heartworm test (current means a test within the last year) then you can get the product at any one of our VETCO vaccination clinics. If you do not have proof of a negative heartworm test, you can get the test done at the clinic and then you can buy the Interceptor (or any type of heartworm prevention). ( https://www.vetcoclinics.com/services-and-clinics/clinic-locations-and-schedules/?zip=95758 )

I do recommend monthly heartworm prevention starting at 8 weeks of age. It is a prescription so a veterinarian does not have to personally give the pill but you need to either buy it from a vet or get a prescription from a vet. The only medication that needed to be at a veterinarian's office is Pro-heart. This is an injectable heartworm prevention that lasts for 6 months. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there. Unfortunately, there are no heartworm preventatives that are available over-the-counter - by definition, these are prescription products. But, you can certainly choose to order them through an online pharmacy like 1-800-PetMeds or Chewy.com if you like, as these may be less expensive than purchasing through your vet's office. Your veterinarian should be able to give you a prescription to have filled at any pharmacy you choose, as long as your pet has had an exam within the past year. :)

you can have all these done at a VetCo clinic. Here is a price list: https://www.vetcoclinics.com/services-and-clinics/vaccination-packages-and-prices/ and here are locations and schedules: https://www.vetcoclinics.com/services-and-clinics/clinic-locations-and-schedules/

Heartgard plus is a prescription only medication, so you need to get a script from Akita's vet in order to get it. You can call and ask them to write a script for it if she's been seen by the vet within in the last year. Otherwise, you will have to make an appointment.