I have been trying to decide whether to go to Pet Prescription for my Basset's ongoing use of Metacam.  I paid my vet �61.84 last week, for a new 180ml bottle, which included VAT of �10.31 which is way above what I could pay Pet Prescription which would be �23.98 including postage but ? VAT?    I was told my vet charges �18 for a prescription so when you start to add that up, it's 'only a saving of some �20 - and the 180ml bottle he has lasts roughly 4 - 5 months.  

My normal vet wasn't on duty last week but I had to by some more as I was running out (much as you can't SEE in the bottles!!).  I am seeing him in the morning to discuss his thoughts with how my lad is doing and whether he needs to be kept on Metacam (or something different) and for how long.   I did take him off for a week not so long ago, but it was pretty obvious after that time, that he was feeling some discomfort, so I put him back on it.  

Advice re VAT specifically please?

I've never used Pet Prescription, but VAT is normally included in the price on prescription sites.

It's cheaper elsewhere in any case - e.g. Animed Direct it's £18.29 + £1.99 postage.

Thanks K.   I'll have to check it out!!

> Animed Direct

I've just run off their prescription form which I'll take with me to my vet tomorrow.   Thanks!  I'd forgotten about them - have bought, non prescription, from them before.

I've bought prescription stuff from them and had no issues.

Ask your vet to put two repeats on one prescription. I buy Metacam from petdrugsonline this way and it is sooo much cheaper.

Update.    I had a discussion about this with my vet on Monday, basically putting him on notice that if my boy's blood tests came in fine so he could continue with Metacam, I'd be asking him for a prescription next time I needed more.   He was fine about that and asked what the online prices were - he was amazed and said he quite understood why I'd prefer to buy that way!   The prices were backed up by the vet nurse who helped take the bloods from Frankie.   Those tests came back normal btw, so he's continuing on the Metacam, for now.

Thanks for the help.

I found it much cheaper to get Busters Metacam from an on-line company and just pay the vet for a prescription. The 'script cost about �12 (icluding VAT), but this covered 3 repeats (so 4 x 180ml bottles in total). The cost of the Metecam on-line is �18.18 (including VAT) + �2.50  postage, compared to my vets price of over �60.
Massive saving, especially as Buster was taking a dosage to 70kg mark, so the bottles didn't last long.

I used petdrugsonline, I found them the cheapest for Metecam and never had a problem with them.

As the Metecam lasts you a while, your vet may only do 1 or 2 repeats on it (I think the dog needs a vet check every 12 months on Metecam, before a 'script can be given out), but the cost of the 'scrip then effectively becomes cheaper per bottle (if that makes sense)

Sorry if this has not answered your question, but I was not sure what you meant about just asking about VAT.

ETA, sorry, only just noticed your update! My vet was amazed at the price I was paying for Metecam, he says it's much less than the his surgery can get it for!

> but I was not sure what you meant about just asking about VAT.<br />

Just to say I was asking whether the prices quoted by online companies included VAT or not.

My vet charges £18 for a prescription, but it's still, as you say, a huge saving!!   And he did do bloods on Monday re using Metacam - as said, they came back normal.   I've been able to drop Frankie's dose from the 35 kg equivalent his weight suggests he should have, to around 25.  Again this makes the bottle last longer (I wish these bottles showed how much was still in them!!) and he's fine on the smaller dose.

Thanks for the information, much appreciated.

I agree about the bottles. For Metacam and Propalin I have found that you can keep track of the content level if you shine a LED torch through the bottle. Hope this helps.