Prescriptions, Refill Requests, Return & Written Prescription Policies

Prescription Medications

At Carolina Animal Hospital, we are proud to serve as your pet’s medical home. Our primary focus is providing high-quality medical, surgical, and dental care, supported by safe and reliable access to medications when appropriate.

We stock many veterinary medications and products in our hospital for two main reasons:

• Many medications are animal-specific and not readily available at traditional pharmacies

• Having medications available onsite provides convenience and continuity of care for our patients

All medications we dispense are obtained directly from manufacturers or trusted distributors and are properly handled and stored to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Who We Can Prescribe and Dispense For

• We only prescribe and dispense medications for current Carolina Animal Hospital patients

• Your pet must have been examined recently, as determined by the veterinarian (never exceeding one year)

• We do not prescribe or refill medications for conditions that have not been evaluated or diagnosed by our doctors

• We do not fill prescriptions written by other veterinary hospitals or for animals that are not our patients, in accordance with Veterinary Medical Board and Board of Pharmacy regulations

Prescription Refills

Prescription refills are provided when medically appropriate and when your pet has been examined within the required timeframe.

We recommend contacting our office in advance to confirm medication availability and allow time for staff and veterinarian review. Special-order or temporarily out-of-stock medications typically arrive within one business day.

Medication Returns

State and federal regulations prohibit the return or resale of prescription medications once they have left the control of the veterinarian. For this reason:

• We cannot accept medication returns

• We do not offer refunds or credit for unused or unwanted medications once dispensed

This policy applies to all prescription medications.

Written & Outside Pharmacy Prescriptions

We fully support your right to choose where your pet’s prescriptions are filled and are happy to provide written or electronic prescriptions at your request.

• Written prescriptions are provided at no charge when medically appropriate and when your pet has been examined within the required time frame

• Prescriptions are issued on official prescription forms to ensure accurate documentation and verification if questions or concerns arise

• Prescriptions may be picked up or mailed to you, or sent directly to the pharmacy of your choice

If you choose to use an outside or online pharmacy, we encourage you to:

• Verify the pharmacy is properly licensed

• Confirm medications and instructions match the prescription exactly

• Be aware that some manufacturer guarantees (including certain heartworm and parasite protections) may only apply when products are purchased through approved veterinary channels

Prescription Transfers & Repeat Authorizations

The North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board and the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy advise that when a valid prescription already exists, it should be transferred directly between pharmacies at the pet owner’s request. This is the approved and intended process and does not require involvement from our office.

• Initial prescription authorization to one pharmacy is always provided at no charge

• Repeat authorization requests from additional pharmacies for an existing prescription will incur a $10 Repeat Pharmacy Prescription Authorization fee

• These fees are added to the client account and invoiced at the next visit

• Clients may avoid these fees by requesting a pharmacy-to-pharmacy transfer when changing pharmacies

Our Commitment

These policies allow us to follow state regulations, protect patient safety, and use staff and doctor time responsibly—so we can continue providing timely, high-quality care for our patients.

If you have questions about prescriptions or pharmacy options, our team is always happy to help.

Thank you for trusting Carolina Animal Hospital with your pet’s care.