Pet Pharmacy
in Kitchener
Our Pharmacy
You and your pet will benefit from our well-stocked pharmacy at Wilmot Veterinary Clinic in Kitchener, ON. We maintain a large inventory of veterinary pharmaceutical products and medications, including flea, tick, and heartworm preventive products. You can rely on us whether your pet requires medication for a chronic medical condition or needs short-term medication while recovering from an illness, injury, or surgery. When you purchase medications from our pharmacy, you can be assured that your pet’s medications were obtained from safe, reliable sources and stored under optimal conditions. Our trained staff will fill your prescriptions with care as well as attention to detail and your pet’s specific needs. We will also provide you with accurate information about your pet’s medications, including proper dosing information, and alert you to any potential drug side effects or interactions. We are also here if you experience any problems with your medication after you return home. Help is only a phone call away!
For information regarding the common side effects and any serious risks associated with the prescribed medication and for information on the proper storage, handling, and means of administration of a medication click on this weblink.
Be Aware of the Risks Online Pharmacies
Medications purchased from other retailers, such as those operating online, may be counterfeit, the wrong dose, expired, subjected to inappropriate storage and transportation, contain additives that may be toxic to animals, or may be a substitution for the originally prescribed product. In some cases, online retailers may be located in other countries. When pharmaceuticals are diverted from the veterinary channel to other pharmacies, many medications are no longer subject to the manufacturer’s guarantee that applies when they’re sold through a veterinary hospital. So please don’t assume that you will be paying less for the same product. Additionally, when comparing fees, most online pharmacies will charge a dispensing fee and a shipping fee. Please visit Health Canada’s Website regarding the risks of buying drugs over the Internet.
How Do I Get A Prescription or Medication for my Pet?
In Ontario, a veterinarian must have a Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) to write a prescription or dispense a prescription drug. To maintain a VCPR, your veterinarian must see your pet regularly. How often they need to see your pet depends on your pet’s health. If your pet is on prescription medicine, we may need to reexamine your pet, check blood work, or perform other tests to monitor your pet’s response to treatment and determine if the medication needs to be changed. For example, a dog being treated for hypothyroidism needs to be reevaluated regularly to make sure the dosage of medication prescribed is effective.
If we write a prescription to a pharmacy of your choosing, we will charge a nominal RX fee of thirty-five dollars. This fee covers the professional time required for Dr. Lofsky to review medical records, authorize the script, and respond to pharmacy follow-ups to ensure the request is filled accurately.
Preferably, we can also dispense the medication from our in-house pharmacy. By choosing our in-clinic pharmacy, you support the local team that knows your pet best, ensuring seamless medical oversight and immediate support should any concerns arise.
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What are the Differences Between an External Pharmacy and our In-Clinic Pharmacy?
External pharmacies are not full service veterinary hospitals. They operate with high-volume sales and a low overhead business model that allows for lower upfront product costs. External pharmacies lack the personalized medical gatekeeping essential for your pet's safety. Our hospital team remains responsible for the clinical oversight that a pharmacy does not provide, including:
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Comprehensive File Review: We cross-reference every request with your pet’s full medical history to prevent dangerous drug interactions.
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Dosage Auditing: We calculate precise, weight-based dosages and confirm that the specific treatment is still appropriate for your pet’s current health status.
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Regulatory Compliance: Our team ensures every prescription meets the strict legal standards set by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO).
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Quality & Safety Guarantees: Medications purchased directly from us are sourced from authorized distributors, ensuring proper storage and temperature control. Many manufacturers only guarantee their products when sold through a licensed veterinarian (especially heartworm and flea preventatives).
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Veterinary Training: Human Pharmacists are not trained in veterinary medicine while veterinarians have specific knowledge regarding species-specific dosages, drug metabolism, and toxicities for animals.
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Adverse Drug Reaction Support: If your pet has a adverse drug reaction (ADR) a prescribing veterinarian must be available during both regular and after-hours to address ADRs or treatment failure.
As a result of all this oversight, gatekeeping and time we charge a nominal dispensing fee of ten dollars.​
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What are Off-Label or Extra-Label Medications?
Many medications that are prescribed for pets are being used off-label and thus are not approved by Health Canada to be used on your pet for this purpose. However, these drug products are either approved veterinary or human drugs with a drug information number (DIN) that have undergone rigorous testing for efficacy and stability. Off-label usage of a human or veterinary drug means that this product is being used in a way other than its intended use or against the recommended instructions and diagnostic testing suggested by the drug manufacturer. However, often with most off-label usage, there is considerable evidence in the veterinary literature on how to properly administer these medications to your pet. Reasons for utilizing this off-label drug product outweigh the potential risks and other alternative treatment(s) and the probable consequences that may occur if the proposed medication is not administered according to the drug manufacturer. As such we may prescribe and dispense this medication with the best intentions for your pet. Please contact us if you have any concerns concerning using a product off-label.
What are Compounded Veterinary Drugs?
Compounding is the creation of a pharmaceutical preparation—a drug—by a licensed pharmacist to meet the unique needs of an individual patient when a commercially available drug does not meet those needs. A compounded preparation is not approved by Health Canada and consequently, may be associated with greater risk. This preparation has not undergone rigorous testing for efficacy and stability that an approved veterinary drug product has gone through. The reasons for utilizing a compounded preparation outweigh the potential risks and other alternative treatment(s) and the probable consequences that may occur if the proposed medication is not administered. As such we may prescribe and dispense this compounded medication with the best intentions for your pet. Please contact us if have any concerns with regards to using a compounded preparation.
Knowledgeable Caring and Kind Vet...
"I found it hard to find a new vet when my previous vet of many years retired....I was fortunate to find Dr Loftsky and find him a knowledgeable caring and kind vet. I do find the prices high at this time ...but I am a believer that in most cases you get what you pay for. The clinic is efficient, clean and well organized. Staff is courteous and efficient. Location is great (for me!). I am very happy with my choice... and like all pet owners we want the very best for our pets."
~ J.Irving