The manufacturing and distribution process of animal medications is regulated by the FDA in the U.S. in order to ensure safe treatment. Today, a lot of us rely on online stores even for our own medicines, and don’t pay attention to the credibility of the seller in the face of a good deal online. However, when you choose to buy medications online, it is important that you keep certain things in check to ensure the safety of your pets and your transactions.

If not, you could end up with counterfeit products that are not approved by the FDA or safe for use:

1. Is the online pharmacy licensed?
Before you make a purchase online, ensure that the website or pharmacy is licensed. Ask your vet to suggest a reliable online source that you can buy pet meds from. Beware of any red flags from sellers, as they could be fraudulent. You always need to vouch for the site yourself by looking for its accreditation credentials that are usually displayed on the website. If you come across any discrepancies, make sure you report the website to the authorities to ensure you or others are not.

2. Check state regulations
Check which state the pharmacy is licensed to (is it the state that you live in or is it another state). Sometimes, you might face issues with companies or dealers from another state, which could take time to be dealt with, especially after a transaction.

3. Do they ask for a prescription?
If the online pharmacy does not ask you for a prescription from a registered veterinarian, this is the first red flag. This may very well question the credibility of the seller.

4. Vet-VIPPS seal
Check if the online pet meds seller bears a Vet-VIPPS seal and if the pharmacy website ends with the pharmacy address. This is a mandated system by authorities to ensure that all the sellers are verified. This prevents unverified sites from mimicking the verified ones.

Just as the pharmacies for humans, vet pharmacies also undergo various levels of inspection to ensure that they sell only authentic and verified drugs and practice safe sales. However, online pet pharmacies don’t receive the same treatment. One wrong move and you could end up being swindled and you could lose your money or get medicines that are harmful to your pet’s life. Always practice caution before buying pet meds online. This will ensure that you do not fall into any obvious traps.