Should I buy flea, tick, heartworm medicine online or from my vet?

This is true! I’ve heard of counterfeit flea medication being sold on websites like Amazon. PetCo will have the real stuff, so it’s safe to buy from them. I do think getting it from the vet is best, as they have the prescription treatments that are the best on the market. I hope this helps!

It depends on the brand of flea and tick preventative and heartworm preventative. The best thing you can do is to check with your local PetCo or see if PetCo.com carries it online to order as a prescription. I hope this helps!

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!

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. :)

If possible I recommend products available at your vet's office. These products are usually more effective than over the counter products and have undergone more extensive testing/safety trials. Often your vet's office will also have rebates or coupons available when you purchase the products that will help decrease the cost to you.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. You need a script because the medication is prescription only. Even if you tried to buy the heartworm medication online, it still requires a script. Should you find heartworm medications that do not require a script, they are counterfeit. I hope this helps!

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. On the contrary! The over the counter flea and tick preventatives tend not to work as well as the prescription strength ones do. The active ingredients in the over the counter medications have been around for a very long time and fleas have built up a resistance to them over time so they may not work as well. These ingredients also tend to have higher rates of reactions in pets. Over the counter flea medications and preventatives can be toxic to cats especially. The prescription preventatives, however, have been rigorously studied for safety and effectiveness whereas the over the counter products may not. Therefore, it is really best if Gruber get a flea preventative from his veterinarian. That is the most effective and safest bet. I hope this helps and thanks for posting!