Buying Prescription Pet Medications
Any of our products marked with a red icon is a prescription-only product. We can only dispatch these products once we have received a valid vet's prescription. Prescription products may still be added to your basket and purchased but will not be dispatched until we have reviewed your prescription. This can take up to 2 days.
Veterinary prescriptions must be written per UK regulations and signed and dated by a veterinary surgeon registered in the UK. We can only send prescription medication to the country where the prescription was issued.
A prescription is a legal document containing written instructions from your vet outlining what medication is needed, the amount to be supplied, the dosage, whether it is eligible for repeats or not, details about the intended animal, the veterinary surgeon who has prescribed it, and confirmation that the animal is under their care.
How to Order Prescription Medications Online
1. Receive Your Prescription
Visit your vet for a consultation to receive a prescription. If prescription medication is required, your vet is legally obliged to write you a prescription on request. Your vet is allowed to charge a reasonable fee for writing a prescription which may vary depending on your vet.
2. Place Your Order & Send Us Your Prescription
Place your order for your pet's medication. Please ensure you purchase the correct medication as stated on your prescription and only the amount stated. We can only dispatch what has been prescribed by your vet.
Before your order can be processed, our team needs to check your prescription to ensure the right medication is being dispensed and in the correct dosage and amount.
Send us your prescription in one of the following ways:
Option 1: Upload a Photograph at Checkout
You will be prompted to upload a photograph of your prescription at the checkout. This is the quickest and easiest way to send your prescription, and these orders receive priority during the fulfilment process.
Make sure the picture of your prescription is clear, easy to read, and contains all the necessary pages and information.
Prescription Upload Tips to Speed Up Your Order
-
Upload all pages of your prescription (including final pages with ancillary information).
-
Don't crop your prescription. We need to see all four edges and corners.
-
Make sure all the text is readable. We cannot accept blurred images.
If the image does not match these requirements, a team member will call to request a new image. This will delay your order as we must hold a document that meets legal requirements before dispatch.
Option 2: Send Us Your Prescription by Post
This method is slower as we need to wait for the prescription to arrive via post and then check the prescription manually. This process is only required for specific medications. You must write your order number on your prescription (Post-Its or paperclips can easily get separated) and then post it to our business address:
Direct Online Deals Ltd
13 Malkin Way
Watford
WD18 7AT
United Kingdom
3. Sit Back & Relax
Once your prescription has been received, our team will check it to verify authenticity and ensure you are receiving the right medications for your pet before we dispatch your order. You will receive a confirmation email once your order has been dispatched.
Important: It is a criminal offence to alter a prescription, and we take a zero-tolerance approach to any forged or altered prescriptions. If we receive any prescriptions that are invalid, forged, or altered, we have no choice but to deactivate the user's account and report the offence to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and charge a reporting fee of £50.
Exceptions (Controlled Drugs)
For a small number of our prescription products (known as Scheduled or Controlled medications), we are required by law to obtain the original physical copy of your vet's prescription. You will be informed if this applies to your order either at checkout or over the phone. In this instance, you'll need to send the original prescription written by your vet with your order number written on it (Post-Its or paperclips can easily get separated) to our business address listed above.
There are time limits on these prescriptions, so make sure you send it as soon as possible after placing your order, or we won't be able to fulfil it. For peace of mind, send your prescription to us via a signed method so you can check that it arrived.
Human Medicines
In some instances, your vet may prescribe a non-veterinary medicine for your pet (they will use the word "cascade"). Please note that we do not sell these items at present.
Repeat Prescription Information
Some pets require long-term or even lifetime medication. In these cases, vets will typically write an ongoing or repeat prescription, which can be used more than once. The number of times a repeat prescription can be used will be written on your prescription.
We are happy to accept repeat prescriptions for your pet's medication, and these can be added to your account to prevent you from returning to your vet's surgery and paying for another prescription. Two limits apply to repeat prescriptions:
-
The total amount prescribed—You can only buy the maximum amount of medicine shown on the prescription.
-
Time—Prescriptions are standardly valid for up to 6 months from the date of signing unless the prescriber specifies a shorter period. However, if the first dispense takes place during the prescription validity period, the remaining repeats may be dispensed beyond the validity period up to a maximum of 1 year from the signed date.
Once either of these limits is reached, the prescription is deemed to be exhausted, and we will be unable to process your order without a new prescription from your vet.
Once your prescription has been authorised, it will be saved under the "Prescriptions" tab on your Account Page.
Prescription Allowance
You'll see two numbers alongside your saved prescriptions under the "Prescriptions" tab on your Account Page. These are:
- The total amount prescribed
- The amount purchased so far
For repeat prescriptions, you will also see the expiry date of the prescription. This means you don't need to buy all of your pet's medication in one order but can order it as and when you need to in manageable, affordable chunks.
Controlled Medications
As well as veterinary medicines, vets in the UK may also prescribe controlled medications (CDs), which are managed and regulated by The Home Office, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). More information about the rules and regulations of controlled drugs can be found on the RCVS website.
What Are Controlled Medications?
Controlled drugs or medications are drugs or chemicals that are regulated by the government for their manufacture, possession and use, as per the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.
Can a Vet Prescribe Controlled Medications?
Yes, controlled drugs may be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon where necessary. Vets, pharmacists and anyone involved in prescribing, supplying, keeping records of, storing, disposing or destroying veterinary medicines that contain controlled drugs (CDs) must comply with the law on the misuse of drugs and veterinary medicines.
Can You Buy Your Pet's Controlled Medications Online?
Yes, you can buy your pet's controlled drugs online with a valid prescription from an RCVS registered Veterinary surgeon. Due to regulations on controlled drugs, there are rules you must follow when buying your pet's controlled drugs online which are outlined below.
General Rules
For us to process prescriptions for controlled drugs, you must abide by the following rules, as per the regulations set by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. These rules are as follows:
- You must send us the original prescription with your veterinarian's signature by post. It must be the original prescription, not a copy.
- The RCVS number for the prescribing vet must be present on the prescription.
- The delivery address must match the address on the prescription.
- The name on the account must match the name stated on the prescription. (Exceptions may be made if the surname matches)
- We must phone the prescribing vet to confirm the prescription, regardless of whether we have contacted them before.
- All controlled drug prescriptions are only valid for 28 days from the date of issue.
- Controlled drugs are not available on repeat prescriptions.
- No more than a 6 months supply of controlled medications may be issued.
- Installment prescriptions can be accepted.
If the above rules are not met, we cannot process the prescription.
Direct Online Deals has a Suitably Qualified Person (SQP)
Designated SQP: Manju Rabheru (SQP Code: VP1566C)
This can be verified by visiting the VMD Register of SQPs (MAKE THIS A HYPER LINK https://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/register/sqps).
Veterinary Medicines Directorate Accredited Retailer
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is the government agency responsible for issues concerning the use and manufacture of veterinary medicines in the UK.
Registered SQP Internet Retailer: Direct Online Deals Ltd (Premises Number: 2046529)
The Summary of Product Characteristics (SPCs) for all the medicinal products sold on this site are available from the Veterinary Medicine's Directorate Product Information Database.
Guidance for Animal Owners
For guidance and advice for animal owners, please visit the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) website.
Complaints About Veterinary Medicines
If you have a complaint about a veterinary medicine that you do not feel Direct Online Deals has resolved satisfactorily, you can contact the VMD.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Vet Insist I Post the Original Prescription to You?
Yes. If the prescribing vet stipulates on the written prescription that the original must be presented (such as in some of the cases mentioned above), then we cannot accept any scans or photographs of the prescription. You will need to post your prescription to our business address listed above.
Can I Drop Off My Prescription?
Absolutely! If you live locally and it's easier for you to drop your pet's prescription off in person, then that's fine with us. Simply post the prescription through our letter box, but make sure you include all the details we ask for with postage prescriptions.
Please note you cannot pick up your prescription from us.
Can I Change Any Information on My Pet's Prescription Without Going Back To the Vet?
The prescribing vet is the only one who can amend your pet's actual prescription. However, you can alter some of your order details, such as your delivery address and the amount you order.
It is against the law to alter a veterinary prescription, and any instances of such will be promptly reported.
Is it Normal for a Vet to Charge for a Prescription?
Yes. While your vet must write you a prescription for off-site fulfilment if requested, they are within their right to charge a reasonable fee for doing so. The amount varies but is usually between £20-£35.
If you want to get your money's worth, you can ask your vet for a repeat prescription, which can be used multiple times.
How Long Does a Prescription Last?
The time a prescription remains valid varies. In most cases, a prescription is valid for 6 months from the date of issue.
There are certain prescriptions that must be dispensed within 28 days after the date of issue, so we need these prescriptions well in advance. Your vet will tell you whether this applies to your pet's prescription.
Repeat prescriptions, however, have two limitations applied:
-
Time - Most prescriptions are valid for 6 months from date of signing, unless the prescribing vet has specified a shorter period.
-
Maximum amount of medication - All prescriptions will specify the maximum amount of medication that can be purchased using it. Once this maximum amount is reached, the repeat prescription is deemed "exhausted" and cannot be used again.
However, if the first dispense takes place during the six month prescription validity period, the remaining repeats may be dispensed beyond the validity period up to a maximum of 1 year from the signed date.
Once either the 6 month validity window or the maximum amount of medication has been "exhausted" you will not be able to buy medications without a new prescription from your vet.
What if my Pet Has Adverse Reactions to their Medication?
No prescription treatment is entirely risk-free, and all medicines have the potential to cause adverse reactions. Some of these reactions are known about when the medicines are first licensed. These will be detailed in the datasheet for your pet's medication and should be discussed prior to treatment with your vet.
