Vet Prescription Markups: Your Rights and How to Save

Prescription medication is one of the biggest sources of overcharging in the UK veterinary market. The CMA's investigation documented markups of 500–1,400% above wholesale cost at some practices. A tablet that costs the practice 50p being sold to a pet owner for £5 or more.

The good news: you have had the right to take your prescription to an independent pharmacy since 2012. Most pet owners do not know this.

The law

Under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013, any vet must provide a written prescription on request for any medication that requires one. The practice can charge a reasonable fee for writing it (typically £10–20). But they cannot refuse to issue it, and they cannot make it a condition of the consultation that you buy the medication from them.

The RCVS Code of Professional Conduct is explicit: vets should not withhold prescriptions to prevent clients from seeking competitive prices.

What the savings look like

These are real prices from March 2026, comparing a corporate vet practice with an online pharmacy using a written prescription:

• →Apoquel 16mg x 100 tablets: £185 at practice vs £72 online
• →Advocate spot-on, large dog, 3-pack: £42 at practice vs £19 online
• →Metacam oral suspension 100ml: £38 at practice vs £14 online

A dog on long-term allergy medication could save well over £1,000 a year simply by asking for written prescriptions and ordering online. The prescription fee is usually £10–15 and typically recovers itself in the first month.

Which online pharmacies to use

Stick to pharmacies registered with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). Good options include Viovet, PetDrugs Online, and MedicAnimal. All three are VMD-registered, have large product ranges, and offer next-day delivery on most items.

Avoid pharmacies that offer to dispense without a valid prescription. Beyond the legal issues, there is no guarantee the product is genuine or correctly stored.

How to do it in practice

At your next appointment, tell the vet you would like a written prescription. You do not need to explain why. Pay the prescription fee. Most online pharmacies let you upload a photo of the prescription via their website; some require a physical copy.

For medications your pet takes regularly, ask whether the practice will issue a 6-month or 12-month repeat prescription. Many will, for a single dispensing fee, which makes the whole process considerably more convenient.

One thing to know: your vet may ask you to bring your pet in for a check-up before issuing a long-term repeat prescription. This is clinically reasonable for many medications and is not an attempt to obstruct your rights.