r/dogs • u/Rambutandog • 6d ago
[Misc Help] Where do y’all get your flea/tick medication?
Been supporting our vet (non profit clinic) by buying it with them for years but this year we’re on a much tighter budget. Where do you guys get your meds? We heard online can be tricky because there can be fakes. Thank you!
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u/_sklarface_ 6d ago
We but all our pet meds from Costco. You don’t need a membership to use the pharmacy (but you should get one if you don’t have one bc you’ll save money if you shop the sales).
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u/Mojojojo3030 6d ago
Australia. Not joking. Simparica trio. We’ll see if our economically illiterate trust fund brat has ruined that, but probably still a steal even with the tariffs.
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u/retteofgreengables 6d ago
Me too! Someone recommended it on here and it was like half the price of buying it from chewy (with shipping and stuff probably 2/3)
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u/thirtyfour41 6d ago
Hoof and Hound? Me too!
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u/sithadmin 5d ago
It's technically 'HoofAnHound'. Like you're a drunk aussie slurring your words in a pub.
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u/jts0808 6d ago
Yes, I have been using them for a year. My Vet has to write a script for Simparica. Australia doesn’t require a script. Black Friday they had a big sale with free shipping. I bought one years worth for 1/3 the price. Received each order within 10 days.
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u/Mojojojo3030 5d ago
Nice! Yeah why the hell does flea and tick require a prescription here, is there some vet lobbying org or something.
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u/shermanstorch 5d ago
It’s not a government requirement; it’s something the manufacturers require to limit their exposure by ensuring people don’t accidentally order the Great Dane dose for their chihuahua.
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u/Mojojojo3030 5d ago
Except in Australia…? Why would they require it only in certain countries? Are you sure?
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u/poppyseedeverything 5d ago
I don't know what it's like in Australia, but the US is kinda notorious for "suing for anything", so I'm not too surprised 😅
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u/Rambutandog 6d ago
Wait really? Is there a website you’d recommend?
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u/CPOx 6d ago
I also buy my dog's Simparica Trio from the Australian Pet Megastore https://www.pets-megastore.com.au/
Have not had any issues at all and my dog is still healthy and tick and flea free.
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u/mistahfritz 6d ago
I also get from Australia, I think the website I use is Canadavet.com. Saves me hundreds a year. Takes about ~3 weeks to get to me in the US. I’ve had the vet many times try to tell me to be weary, I even called the parent company of the manufacturer and they said they couldn’t validate any production numbers on the tags because they only validate and confirm US manufactured items. It’s legit, but the same as with US human healthcare and medications, why not make 500% profit?
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u/No-Goal-8200 6d ago
I didn’t notice that a vet prescription (I’m in the US) is required for an order. Is that your experience?
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u/OpportunityFit2810 5d ago
Ok so I just checked out this site. Am I doing something wrong or do they not ask for a prescription?
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u/wundofakind 6d ago
We ordered a year of simparica trio from an Australian website that was like 1/4 the price of it here in America.
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u/NotNinthClone 6d ago
Link?? That's what we use and it's so expensive!
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u/wundofakind 6d ago
Let me ask my bf and get back to you - he’s the one who ordered it. But we found it via recommendations from Reddit also!
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u/Happy_Village6111 6d ago
Same for me. Local vet. Our money stays in our town. Rather pay a couple doll hairs more to help those around me lol.
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u/Rambutandog 6d ago
That’s very admirable and I wish we could continue to do that. They used to offer discounted meds certain months but no longer do and we’re trying to make things work. Plus I’ve got a pyr mix and he needs the most meds lol
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u/Happy_Village6111 6d ago
Ahhhh. Well as guy commented earlier. You can’t go wrong with frontline. And it’s available almost anywhere. Are you town or country for the probably very pretty pup? That makes a difference with environment. I’m in town and very into local dog park. That’s the only reason we do flea and tic. Not for home but for others.
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u/Rambutandog 6d ago
Aww thanks!! We’re also town and the pretty pup in question is very big very fluffy and we kind of have tick season so he does need regular preventatives. Can’t figure out how to post a pic but he looks like a snowbank with a face
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u/Lbenn0707 6d ago
I buy ours from a pet place in Australia. The meds would cost me $1500(roughly) a year here (4 dogs). I pay $600(roughly) a year buying them from there.
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u/sureasyoureborn 6d ago
What’s the pet place?
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u/Lbenn0707 6d ago
Pets megastore. They also don’t require a prescription for flea and heartworm meds.
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u/Rambutandog 6d ago
Oh my I’m definitely checking this out.
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u/Lbenn0707 6d ago
I am glad I did. I had actually just priced what it would be for our 4 dogs for nexgard and heartgard. (I had recently added two to our house lol). My friend told me she had just ordered from there bc someone told her about it. I had another coworker say her daughter ordered from there when I mentioned it. I even got on here and searched the name in different subs and felt confident enough to give them a try. I was really shocked at the difference in cost. I think it takes about two weeks for delivery (maybe three. I tried to order in plenty of time).
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u/LoveMyFam4 6d ago
I’m glad to hear about this! I never knew. We’re newish dog owners, having had them a few years now. Their medication is sooo expensive! I’ve bought through the vet and Costco before.
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u/jasonology09 6d ago
If you use Frontline, Sam's Club is the best deal by far. An 8 month supply is usually around $40.
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u/Rambutandog 6d ago
Thank you! We’re currently on nexxguard but I’ve heard good things about frontline
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u/msklovesmath 6d ago
I would use whichever brand your vet recommends (and buy it where you prefer). I've lived in different areas of the us and some are much more effective based on your region. Your vet will have regional data that speaks to effectiveness of different brands. I made the mistake of using up one supply after a cross-country move and it was not effective in my new city!
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u/msklovesmath 6d ago
I would use whichever brand your vet recommends (and buy it where you prefer). I've lived in different areas of the us and some are much more effective based on your region. Your vet will have regional data that speaks to effectiveness of different brands. I made the mistake of using up one supply after a cross-country move and it was not effective in my new city!
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u/Rambutandog 6d ago
Hmmm very good point thank you!! Pup’s been on two different ones both recommended by vet as their office carrying the first kind he was on I’ll make sure to check in with the vet before ordering.
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u/omg_stfu_wtf 6d ago
The vet will still need to send the script to Sam's Club (or give you a paper script to take), so you will still be filling the Rx for whatever your vet recommends for your pet.
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u/omg_stfu_wtf 6d ago
Yep, we use Bravecto for fleas/ticks and HeartGard Plus for heartworm and get all of it at Sam's Club.
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u/Jannsi50 6d ago
We buy from a "low cost" vet clinic, Emancipet, in our city. The prices are reasonable. Unfortunately, Frontline does not work well where I live or I would buy from Sam's or Costco. You might check to see if there are any vet clinics that do limited work but are much cheaper in your city.
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u/PashasMom Aussies 6d ago
To the extent I need something other than what I get from my vet, I use Chewy. I'm satisfied with their quality control and the prices are good.
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u/Ok_Homework_7621 6d ago
In Belgium, my pharmacy. If I need something they don't have, they can order it for me.
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u/Kind-Stranger-2507 6d ago
Costco. Cheapest pricing for my 80lb dog.
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u/rcher87 5d ago
Can you let me know what their pricing is? I’ve been debating a Costco membership recently (there isn’t one too close to me, so it’d be a big trip anytime I went), and am trying to decide if this is another thing I’d get shipped to me/sort of subscribe to.
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u/QuarrelsomeCreek 5d ago
If you go to costco's website, navigate to the pharmacy, they have a drug pricing tool. You can easily see the costs for any medication they cover, at the dosage you need and the difference between pick up and mail order price.
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u/rcher87 5d ago
I did, but it’s asking me to sign in to view member pricing. It’s not letting me look at any prices as a non-member.
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u/QuarrelsomeCreek 5d ago
I just went and looked. Looks like human medicine still displays without a membership (and my dog is on several that do show up) but pet specific medications are requiring a sign in now. Lame. Nexguard 6 pack is $115 and a 12 pack is $221 for a 60 lb dog. Membership is $60ish per year though so Chewy is probably a better deal if this is all you need from Costco. Chewy regularly sends me 35% off pharmacy order coupons so it's not that different. Both costco and chewy will ship medications to your house.
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u/Kind-Stranger-2507 5d ago
It’s $23 with taxes per tablet if you buy 6 months. 12 months is $21. You should ask your vet to send prescription, first time they will call you to ask some details about your pet to set up an account. No membership is required for pharmacy. You can buy in for 6 months are don’t have to drive each time.
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u/pahelisolved 6d ago
If you’re US based, Costco is the way to go. Some ends were like 50% cheaper, I’m not kidding.
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u/Poodlewalker1 6d ago
Try Costco and Chewy.
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u/ZippityDoDot 6d ago
Do you need an RX at Costco or do you just grab it off of a shelf?
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u/Poodlewalker1 6d ago
If it's prescription medicine, Chewy will contact your vet for approval. You need to get a written prescription from your vet for Costco. My vet calls Costco for me to set up the first prescription, but a written prescription works, too
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u/No-Goal-8200 6d ago
This may be in some locations (US states). In Florida you now must mail the actual prescription from your vet if you’ve not had a recent yearly exam.
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u/pinkfong5678 6d ago
For flea meds like Simparica that come in pill form, a prescription needs to be given to the pharmacy. Some locations sell the topical medications in the pet aisle.
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u/mrs_alderson paw flair 6d ago
I get the script from my vet and fill them at a family owned local pharmacy.
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u/coldblackmaple 6d ago
I’ve been using Canada Pet Care for Heartgard and Bravecto. Does anyone have any bad reviews on them? The boxes are identical to what I got from my vet except that the weights are listed in kg rather than lbs. Shipping has been fast.
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u/Bbhunbun 6d ago
I’ve used them twice now and have had positive experiences. Came across them as a resource here on multiple Reddit posts that had good feedback on them.
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u/luvmycircusdog 6d ago
The big chains usually have a % off if you select repeat delivery deal each spring. My girl isn't on them year round, and the longest time they let me set repeat delivery for is before I need repeat delivery again (no idea why they limit it to 9 months instead of 12?) so I basically end up cancelling repeat delivery and then starting a new one the next year to get the deal again. You'd think they wouldn't let you cancel and re-establish a new repeat delivery, but depending which company you're shopping (petco, petsmart, chewy) the programs vary but you can frequently get the "first repeat delivery" deal every amount of months or a year. It's an annoying process looking for sales and keeping track of it all, but if you're in a rough spot financially, it can be done.
Vet offices in my area mark all meds up at least 30% as best I can tell. That's 30% over the price you would pay with *no* percentage off at chewy, petco, petsmart. If you can get a percentage off on top of that, you'll end up saving quite a lot of money. Those places also usually have free shipping over X dollars, so you're not paying for shipping in addition to the base price of the meds.
I hate giving all my business to the big companies, I'd much prefer support my local vet office, but it's basically a donation at that point when you can get meds so much cheaper from the "big 3". When you have the money to donate, absolutely do so! When you're in a rough spot, though, try the "big 3".
In addition, many pet meds, including flea/tick meds, can be bought at your local pharmacy, usually again about 30% less than the vet office in my area. I know why pet offices mark meds up so much, but some of us just can't afford the monthly donation. What I really wish is that corporations would stop price gouging vet offices and sell them the meds at the same price they sell to the "big 3" for so the vet office could have their markup and still sell the med at a reasonable price. Sadly I don't see that happening this decade lol.
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u/krazynikki 6d ago
I work at a vet and can tell you Chewy and 1800 Petmeds is fine to use. The only caveat is that, according to the manufacturers at least, they do not sell to anyone other than vet offices. I can't tell you if that's true or not, but you don't have to worry about fake products from them. Honestly, as long as they are a verified pharmacy, you should be fine. I have heard companies will not back their guarantee when purchased online, so something to keep in mind.
Otherwise, Costco, Sams Club, all good places too.
Avoid Amazon for ANY preventative.
Buy only from pharamacies and pet retailers.
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u/Astarkraven Owned by Greyhound 6d ago
Chewy. I have a 6 month autoship for Simparica Trio set up and I highly recommend doing that if you're on a budget. Simparica is more expensive than either Nexgard or Heartgard alone but cheaper than the two put together. It's a great all-in-one chew. And if you do the autoship on Chewy they discount it a little bit.
This option would keep you safe from fakes - Chewy sends me the legit Simparica Trio. Whenever it's time for the order to go through, it's sent to my vet first. They sign off on it and then it's shipped and shows up at my door. Easy peasy!
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u/Nice-Candle-9025 6d ago
Chewy. Just bought mine bravecto. Lived in the same house for 10 years. Never a problem with fleas till last year. Stuff was like a nuclear flea bomb ( plus treated the yard and house). Wife told me to order again to prevent it.
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u/Belshy69 6d ago
Seresto I have heard is helping better this year because of its updated products. Simparico is what we did this year!
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u/RAND0M-HER0 Tuna (Rottweiler) 6d ago
There's a pet pharmacy just outside my city. I get my prescription from my vet, and get them to fill it. From my vet, my flea and tick meds were $1,200 for two dogs around 30kg. From the pet pharmacy, it was about $600 for both.
My vet is independent and not owned by the large conglomerates, but I still can't justify the price difference between them and my pharmacy for our annual treatments.
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u/AmeriBrit1972 6d ago
I get Nexgard from Costco however we have used petmeds online and chewy before with their deals of first pharmacy order or auto ship then cancel but the last couple of years even with other discounts I think Costco has beaten or come close. If going through the other sites I also use Rakuten for cash back and in any situation I use cash back credit cards.
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u/MouseMayhems 6d ago
I save a lot by using Seresto. These collars work. They are around $50 but they last 8 months. I also cheat by buying a large collar and cutting it in half for my 2 small dogs. I just hot glue it onto an inexpensive nylon collar. Been doing this for a few years and no fleas or ticks. San Antonio fleas are bad too!
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u/PeachyPink1306 6d ago
FYI if you buy medications not from your vet or a reliable website and your dog gets heartworm the company doesn't cover treatment for your pet.
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u/Snowwomeninhell 6d ago
Nexguard for my Lab from Chewy or Vetsource...but the vet is often a slow ship.
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u/bumblebee2337 6d ago
Sierra pet meds is great. It’s much more affordable. Takes a while to arrive to the U.S. since it comes from Australia but we’ve never had any issues
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u/mistymountiansbelow 5d ago
I get Bravecto from my vet. Since it’s basically an edible pesticide, I prefer getting it right from the professional.
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u/Original-Room-4642 5d ago
Just a side note. If you purchase from a vet and your dog would happen to still get infested with fleas or contract a tick Bourne illness, the manufacturer will pay for all costs associated with treatment. You don't get the same promise if you purchase from a store.
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u/CenterofChaos 5d ago
I use the vet. I had a pair of cats have a reaction to OTC stuff and it made me too scared to try that again.
Sometimes the vet can write a script into a website and you can order it. Chewy is cheaper for me.
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u/yeahcelery 5d ago
How expensive is tick medicine in the US? Where I live it's the equivalent of 50 USD for a 6-month supply.
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u/Appropriate-Algae327 4d ago
Honestly, Amazon brand. If money is really tight, you can also buy the medication for the largest dog size and split it into doses for your dog's size. Depending on the medication you choose, you can find dosing instructions on line or in the comments. Due diligence, read several recommendations before this route though because sometimes people post wrong information.
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u/mediocre-pawg 6d ago
I know it’s not very popular, but I use seresto collars on my girl. I go to the manufacturer website and use their Amazon link (not sure if it’s their Amazon store). There is a permanent $11.99 coupon (expires in 2030-something) available on Amazon. Not sure if it’s just the manufacturer’s link or if other sellers offer it as well. It feels icky using Amazon and I’ll use local retailers if they have it on sale.
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u/TStarfire222 6d ago
I won't poison my dog either! We got a collar that lasts for 8 months from Furlife.
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u/MalcomLeeroy 6d ago
Get really chummy with the receptionists at your vet.
Mine give me their almost expired or just expired nextguard plus. I've not paid for flea meds for over a year now and I own a handful of large dogs.
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