Dear Dr. Forsythe: I am confused about which flea product to use on my dog. I have been using Frontline for many years, but now I also see that there is Advantage and Advantage Multi at my veterinarian’s office as well. In the store, I also saw Biospot, which was much cheaper. With so many different choices, how is anyone supposed to know which product to use?
Pam, Sonoma
Dear Pam: There are many different flea products for use in dogs and cats, and sorting out which one is “the best” can be a daunting task for a veterinarian. We have drug reps coming into our clinics every day of the week offering us specials on existing flea and tick products, newly launched products and combinations of products that are designed to accomplish so many things, I once asked the drug salesman if the flea medication could also “dice and slice and make julienne fries?”
At my practice, I sell Frontline Plus, a really good flea and tick medication that has Fipronil as the active ingredient. It is a topical medication that is applied to the back of the dog or cat and spreads out along the skin under the fur. It works very well because it is water-repellent and lasts for about a month on the pet. The other main flea medication, Advantage, also works very well; it is applied in a similar fashion and formulated to stay on the pet’s skin and not get absorbed into the bloodstream.
I have had some clients report that their pets became sick after they used Biospot on them. This flea medication is packaged to look almost identical to Frontline – but that is where the similarity ends. After Biospot is put on the animals’ skin, it gets absorbed into the bloodstream, and once in the bloodstream, it kills fleas and ticks after they bite the treated pet. Like any systemic drug, adverse side effects are possible.
With the cornucopia of flea meds available and different marketing techniques used to attract pet buyers, not to mention perky Betty White urging us all to forget going to the vet in favor of calling the online pharmacy for products, it may actually be time to sit down with your trusted veterinarian and have the “flea talk.” Ask which product is really the best product for your particular pet and then stick to it!
Good luck this flea season.
Dr. F
Dear Dr. Forsythe: I am very happy with the products I get from a pet pharmacy. I have been getting the majority of my pet’s medication from PetMed Express for several years now, and I have not had a problem, except once when they sent the wrong size tablets. They were very willing to replace that shipment with the correct one, and even credited my shipping fee. My vet always rolls his eyes when I ask for a prescription, like I am doing something I shouldn’t. Other doctors send out prescriptions all the time, so I don’t know why there is such a resistance.
Dr. L, Sonoma
Dear Dr. L. I can tell you that I do send out a few prescriptions, and when I do, I worry that the client may not receive the correct medication, or they may receive expired or bootlegged or improperly stored medications. That is why I have any clients who request medications from an online pharmacy sign a waiver understanding that I do not guarantee those medications for quality or accuracy. Also, I give out a brochure that explains the potential problems of the online pharmacy businesses that have sprung up in recent years to capitalize on the pet market.
Veterinarians belong to the only profession that still keeps a pharmacy inside the office – and it is hard work to do so. While it is not a large profit center, it does offer convenience to the customer to receive medication quickly and at the time of diagnosis. In-hospital pharmacy and refills also allow veterinarians to maintain close contact with patient’s conditions and progress, or deterioration, whichever the case.
Unfortunately, one of the major problems that happens when people replace the doctor/patient relationship with a patient/PetMeds relationship is that the close contact and ability for the veterinarian to manage and oversee patient care is diminished. This is partly due to the fact that the client calls less frequently and simply does not come in as often as they did when they were getting their medications from the veterinarian. Betty White sums it up best in her ever-popular PetMeds commercial when she spouts off the benefits of “saving another trip to the vet.”
There is no question that owners’ frustrations about the high prices of medication in their veterinarian’s office is a valid concern. It is also really distressing to veterinarians when WE have to pay more for the wholesale cost of a package of Heartgard than our customers pay online. Obviously something is wrong with the pricing system at the level of the major pharmaceuticals for this to be happening.
Thanks for your question and good luck.
Dr. F
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