April F.

I have a dog with severe arthritis in his back. He is on 3 different prescriptions to keep him as comfortable as long as possible. Because my vet's office was so expensive (over $200.00+ per month) for these meds I tried 1800PetMeds. They had what I needed at a cheaper price than my vet. They also always seemed to get them ready for shipping in a timely fashion. The trouble came with their shipping provider, the US Post Office. I couldn't pick a different carrier so was stuck with the post office. No matter how quick my dogs meds were packaged and given to the carrier by 1800PetMeds, the meds were ALWAYS late. Always. I would get an email from the US Post Office informing me that there had been a delay in my shipment and that they would update me. There was never any explanation given and in tracking all it would ever say was "in transit" but never give me a location as to where. This email came usually 3-4 days after the meds had been picked up from 1800PedMeds. Generally the meds were anywhere between 2-3 weeks late. If I could have picked a different carrier to deliver my meds, I would likely still be using 1800PetMeds. However, when one of the items I have to order for my dog is a controlled substance, I can't order large quantities to ensure that this shipping delay won't result in a shortage of meds. The shipping delay always resulted in him being out of his meds for a minimum 2-3 days, there was one time he was without for over a week. I had to call the vet for a small supply just to get him through. But given that the "tracking" I was provided never gave me a location or actual delivery date (after the "this will be late" email) I always hesitated to buy more from the vet because I had no idea when the meds would show up. Today? Tomorrow? At the end of time? This was again more money and a lot of hassle- one that I shouldn't have had to deal with. That is the whole point of ordering meds online, right? Ultimately I started using Valley Vet for the meds. They have a larger selection of brands and prices for each medication and offer free shipping via UPS. Not one order has been late, the meds usually arrive early, and are still much cheaper than my vet's office. I am going to continue to use them as I have had nothing but positive experiences with their online pharmacy. I cannot say the same for 1800PetMeds. I would recommend that if 1800PetMeds wishes to remain competitive in this market they consider using a different package carrier.