I'm looking on line for new heartworm meds. I'm comparing price and see Sentinel for 148.42, but they have heartguard for 54.99. They seem to be identical to each other. Any thoughts?

Sentinel has additional drugs to eliminate roundworms and to control fleas.

Heartgard is a heartworm-only med. There are generic equivilants to it.

Comparison of various hearworm meds.
http://www.discountpetmedicines.com/heartworm-pills-chewables.htm

I'm curious, (and I hope I'm not hijacking a thread or anything...this is my first time posting here) how satisfied are you using heartworm meds that you've bought online? I'm considering doing the same but as you probably know, Vets tend to advise against purchasing the products online.

I would ask your vet if s/he will match web prices. Mine will, if the web page is printed out and brought in.

There are many reasons not to buy heartworm meds online, including the heartworm guarantee (only with vet-purchased products), counterfeits, and long-expired shelf dates.

JMO!

Good idea about the price matching. I think I will explore that option.

Thanks!

this is the first time I have purchased on line. I have not received my order yet. I never thought to ask the vet to match the online price. I cant believe what I am reading. Do you mean that I can order on line what seems to be the same product I would get from the vet and find out that it is not the same or inferior in some way?

 Quote: alec s. garrison

... I cant believe what I am reading. Do you mean that I can order on line what seems to be the same product I would get from the vet and find out that it is not the same or inferior in some way?

Oh no, of course not! You mean would an entity that had no physical address, but just a web site, and no way to confront them or even find them, actually try to sell expired or counterfeit pet meds?!

Perish the thought! (Just teasin' you.)

There are ways to identify both expired and counterfeit meds, and I can post some links if you like.

Of course you can buy online, but I would exercise caution, and if my vet will sell at the same price, that's my preference.

I pretty much don't worry about the vet's office for fakes because I figure it's more likely that actual salespeople from the manufacturers call on the vets to re-stock or that the vet orders from the actual manufacturers, rather than from a "warehouse" in we-don't-know-what-country at a great price.

There is also suspicion that vets want us to buy from them so they can get the markup and charge for a visit (and there is probably some truth to it), but mine will match online prices and there is no vet visit except for a once-a-year blood draw for a heartworm test that I would do anyway.

I have bought products from online pharmacies, but I do some research first, such as making sure that they are U.S.-licensed.

http://www.fleaandtickprevention.com/counter.html

http://www.wate.com/global/story.asp?s=10237960

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/692323/dangers_of_online_pet_medication_pharmacies.html

I guess I a being naive. I placed the order yesterday on line. When I get the products I will check them carefully. I am also going to talk to the vet and make a deal so I can order from them

 Quote: Alec S. Garrison

I guess I a being naive. I placed the order yesterday on line. When I get the products I will check them carefully. I am also going to talk to the vet and make a deal so I can order from them

Well, there are reliable online vet pharmacies, and there are even reliable ones for meds for humans, too. It's not always easy to weed out the ones that are in a country we might not want our meds to come from, but it can be done. Again, there are precautions you can take for a human-med site, for example, and number one would be, find out if the site dispenses the meds through licensed U.S. pharmacies.

The FDA estimated in 2000 that about half of online dispensing pharmacies (of all types: animal and human meds) were U.S.-based.

Here are some other precautions you can take:
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4568771_buy-pet-meds-online-vet.html