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Cat got your wallet?

November 28, 2007

The Show

What you should know before you let your veterinarian fill your pet's prescription

The world of people medications is simple enough. You see your doctor, you get a prescription, and you get the pharmacist to fill it.

It usually doesn't work that way for pets. If your dog or cat needs medication, the vet writes the prescription and fills it too. You may be surprised to learn that the prices vets charge for the drugs are unregulated and vary widely across the country (and even from one neighbourhood to the next).

As Erica Johnson reports, pet owners may have choices.

November 28, 2007
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What do you do when your pet needs medication?

Animals and people may go to different doctors, but many of the same medications can be used to treat both humans and their pets. For example, Tapazole is a drug used to treat overactive thyroid in people, and it is also prescribed (in appropriate doses) for pets.

Here are the key things you need to know:

Prices of drugs for pets are NOT regulated in Canada.
Remember you can shop around.
If your pet is on a long-term medication you can call different vets and compare their prices for the drug(s).
Call your local pharmacy to check if they carry your pet's drug. They may sell it for less.

November 28, 2007
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Talking points from the CVMA

On Nov. 27, the day before our story aired, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association circulated a a set of key messages for veterinarians. Click the thumbnail picture below to read the document (Word format).

November 28, 2007
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Links to more information

Notes from inside the clinic:
The issue of fair mark-up is debatable, and usually determined by what a market will bear. This article, called "Don't believe everything you hear about fees," provides some insight into veterinary mark-ups. It's from Veterinary Economics, a magazine that advises vets on running their practices. It advises vets to "[a]dd an average markup of 150 percent to the standard cost of medicine, including sales tax and shipping, along with a dispensing fee of $9 to $12."

UK Commission’s Report on Veterinary Medicines:
This is a report that resulted from an in-depth investigation by the British government which declared that there was a monopoly in the UK industry of pet prescription medications.

Consumer Reports: "What if Fido or Fluffy Gets Sick?" (From Feburary 2006)
Consumer Reports: "Veterinary Care without the Bite" (From July 2003)

Contact and Resources:

Canadian Veterinary Medical Association
Tel: (613) 236-1162
Fax: (613) 236-9681

British Columbia Veterinary Medical Association
Tel: (604) 929-7090
Toll Free in BC: 1-800-463-5399
Fax: (604) 929-7095

November 28, 2007
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The survey

Marketplace called 100 random veterinary clinics across the country to find out the price for 100 pills of Tapazole 5mg.

Both the lowest price ($26.25) and the highest ($110) were in Toronto. But as you'll see, there's a great deal of variation right across the country. Some of this can be explained by the higher or lower costs of business in certain cities such as Whitehorse, downtown Toronto, or southern Manitoba. Still, the range is significant.

A distribution pricelist for vets quotes the drug price at $25.91. Though some clinics were only charging a small markup, the highest markup in the test was more than 300%.

Here's a quick look at average prices for the Tapazole, broken down by province.

For a list of all 100 prices, broken down by province and location, here's a spreadsheet.

November 28, 2007
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Pet meds credits

"Cat got your wallet?"

Producer
Sylvène Gilchrist

Researcher
Habiba Nosheen

Senior Researcher
Marlene McArdle

Editor
Robert Megna

Field Associate Producer
Jennifer Leask

Camera
Bill Arnold
Jim Hoffman
George Laszuk
Neith MacDonald
Ed Middleton

Sound
Dave Fox
Karndeep Jassal