Probably shouldn't be writing this while I'm in a freak out state, but hey, I've been in a hold my breath holding pattern for nearly 2 weeks and apparently I will be for the foreseeable future.
Trying a new treatment that would determine quality of life issues for a horse. Vet did not carry the med, so we had to go online. It was very expensive, and probably I should have saved the cost ($418 BTW) for something else, but I wanted to try one more thing for this senior boy who I have loved for more than 20 years. I usually use a different pharmacy, but this time I had to shop by price. Turns out, cheaper is not better.
So here is the tale of woe:
Order was made on October 8.
My vet texted me twice, advising me both times she spoke to Entirely Pets, October 10 and October 15. In her October 15 text, she commented we may be dealing with someone working out of their house because they had no record of having spoken to her on the 10th, and that the person she spoke to sounded as if they had never done this before.
I can't remember if it was the 15th or 16th, but having been unable to even get a voice mail calling, I did an online chat asking the status. I was told it would be shipped within the next 24 to 48 hours.
Ok, so separate from all of this, there was an emergency and I did not check e-mails until today, October 20. When I did so, I found an e-mail from Entirely Pets from October 16 saying the medication is on back order (?!?!?!)
At no time, the original order, the 2 conversations with my vet, or in the chat session, did Entirely Pets say that the medication was on back order with only "soon" as an estimated time of receipt. [Incidentally, Even today, if I go to the web site, that particular medication is showing as available and ready to ship.] And, unlike any other professional pharmacy, rather than call to say there was a problem, they e-mail. (Not everyone is tethered to their computer, but everyone is tethered to a phone. I would *think* a "pharmacy" would understand that medications just might be time sensitive).
I can not get the medication from anyone else until I get my money back from Entirely Pets. It was money I didn't have to spare to begin with, so coming up with more right now isn't possible. I have to wait until Entirely Pets refunds me to try again. Given their top notch service so far, I'm not getting my hopes up.
What I do know for sure is that Entirely Pets is absolutely responsible for prolonging stress related to determining if now is the time to say goodbye or if we can preserve quality of life. All they had to do is reflect back orders on their web site at the time of order, or call to say they didn't have the medication. Either action would have resulted in a no harm no foul, and I may have tried them again in the future.
If you don't care if or when you get your meds, sure, cheaper may be better, but if you require meds for a medical condition, pay more for a professional pharmacy.