The answers pet parents ask for most.

Most flea & tick preventives are monthly — one dose every 30 days, year-round. Some newer oral chews (Bravecto, NexGard Spectra) last 12 weeks per dose. Always follow the label interval for your specific product: skipping a week opens a gap where fleas can complete a life cycle. If you're not sure which schedule fits your pet, our pharmacists will walk you through it at 1-800-738-6337.

Yes, when used as directed and matched to the right species and weight. Two rules matter most: never apply a dog product to a cat (permethrin, common in dog spot-ons, is toxic to cats), and wait until the application site is dry before letting children or other pets touch it — usually 24 hours for topicals. Oral chews have no topical transfer risk at all.

Give the missed dose as soon as you remember, then resume the normal schedule. Don't double up to "catch up" — that can cause reactions. If you're more than two weeks late on a topical or oral chew, your pet may have been unprotected for part of that window; do a quick flea comb check and call us if you see live fleas or flea dirt.

Run your fingers slowly over the whole body — ears (inside and out), between toes, under the collar, armpits, groin, and around the tail base are the spots ticks prefer. Feel for small bumps the size of a pinhead or a sesame seed. If you find one attached, remove it with fine-tipped tweezers, pulling straight up without twisting, and clean the area with rubbing alcohol. Watch the bite site for 2–3 weeks.

Three common reasons. One: fleas are still in the environment (carpet, bedding, yard) and re-infesting your pet — the product kills what's on your pet, not what's in your house. Two: your pet has flea allergy dermatitis, which means a single bite triggers days of itching even after the fleas are dead. Three: the itch is something else entirely — seasonal allergies, food sensitivity, or a skin infection. If scratching continues past 7 days, book a vet visit.

Yes. Fleas survive winter indoors — central heat keeps them active year-round, and they breed in carpet and bedding. Ticks go dormant in freezing temperatures but re-emerge on any mild day above 40°F, which most of the U.S. gets at least a few times each winter. Skipping winter is the single most common reason pet parents see a spring infestation.

They target completely different parasites. Flea & tick preventives kill external parasites on the skin. Heartworm preventives work internally — they kill heartworm larvae transmitted by mosquitoes before they reach the heart and lungs. Most pets need both. A few combination products (like Sentinel Spectrum) cover heartworm, fleas, and intestinal worms in a single monthly chew. See all heartworm preventives

Yes — most pets take both on the same day with no issue, and many vets recommend giving them together on a calendar day you'll remember. The exception is a pet already on multiple medications or with a known sensitivity: check with your vet before layering new products. Our pharmacists can look at your pet's full medication list and confirm compatibility in a single call. See heartworm preventives

Give it as soon as you remember and resume the normal monthly schedule. If you're more than 2 weeks late, call your vet — they may want to test for heartworm before restarting prevention, because giving a preventive to a heartworm-positive dog can be dangerous. This is the one preventive where "just take it late" isn't always the right answer. Learn more about heartworm

The American Heartworm Society recommends year-round prevention for all dogs and cats in the U.S., even in cold climates — infected mosquitoes travel indoors and survive in garages and basements. Year-round dosing is also simpler to remember and cheaper than treating an infection. See heartworm preventives

Many flea & tick products are over-the-counter (Frontline Plus, Advantix, Seresto collars) and need no prescription. Others are prescription-only (Bravecto, NexGard, Simparica) because they're newer orals with stricter dosing requirements — your vet has to authorize them. If a product needs an Rx, you'll see "Prescription Required" on its product page. See prescription flea & tick options

For OTC products, yes — you can switch between brands anytime. For prescription-only products, you need a new authorization from your vet, because the prescription is tied to a specific medication and dosage. The good news: it's one phone call. Your vet can authorize the new product in minutes, or you can transfer the Rx to us using the instructions on our Prescriptions page. See how Rx transfers work

Oral flea chews are usually best given with a meal — it improves absorption for some products and reduces the chance of an upset stomach. Topical spot-ons go on the skin between the shoulder blades and have nothing to do with food. Read your specific product's label; if it says "with food" or "with a meal," follow that. If your pet is a picky eater, our pharmacists can suggest a different formulation. Browse food & treats

Some help a little; none match veterinary-grade preventives. Diatomaceous earth (food-grade) and regular vacuuming genuinely reduce environmental fleas. Essential oils like cedarwood or lemongrass can repel some fleas but don't kill them, and many oils are toxic to cats (tea tree, peppermint, eucalyptus). If you want to add a supplement to support skin health alongside a real preventive, that's a reasonable layer — but it isn't a substitute. See skin & coat supplements

There are three ways to order: online at PetMeds.com, by phone at 1-800-738-6337 seven days a week, or through AutoShip for automatic refills. Prescription orders need a valid prescription from your veterinarian — over-the-counter products don't.

Only for prescription medications. Flea and tick preventives, heartworm preventives (oral), food, treats, supplements, dental chews, and most other over-the-counter products don't require a prescription. If a product requires an Rx, you'll see "Prescription Required" on the product page.

If your order hasn't left our pharmacy yet, yes — call us at 1-800-738-6337 and we'll adjust or cancel it. Once a package has shipped, we can't cancel it, but you can return unopened, non-prescription items within 90 days of delivery.

Yes, where FDA-approved generics exist for veterinary use, we carry them — usually at 20–40% less than the brand-name equivalent. Ask your vet if a generic substitute is appropriate for your pet, or call our pharmacists and they'll tell you on the spot.

Absolutely. You can add as many pets to your PetMeds account as you want, and order for all of them in a single checkout. Prescriptions are tracked per pet, so you'll never mix up medications. Set up pet profiles in your account dashboard.

Three ways: ask your current pharmacy to transfer the prescription to us (they'll need our license number from the Pharmacy License page), have your veterinarian call us at 1-800-738-6337, or upload a photo of your written prescription through your PetMeds account.

Most new prescriptions are filled and shipped within 1 business day of us receiving your vet's approval. Compounded medications or special orders can take 2–3 business days. You'll get an email the moment your order ships.

Yes — and there's no charge for it. Call 1-800-738-6337 during business hours and ask for the pharmacist on duty. A licensed PharmD can talk through dosage questions, side effects, interactions, storage, and anything else about your pet's medication.

Call your veterinarian immediately if your pet shows any signs of an adverse reaction. You can also call us at 1-800-738-6337 and a pharmacist will help you understand what you're seeing. We report all adverse events to the manufacturer and the FDA.

Yes. Our pharmacists compound medications into forms that are easier for pets to take — flavored liquids, transdermal gels, chewable treats, and custom dosages. Ask your vet to prescribe the compounded form, or call us and we'll work with your vet to set it up.

AutoShip is our subscription program. You choose how often you want each product delivered (30, 60, or 90 days) and we handle the rest. You save 15% on every AutoShip order, shipping is always free, and you can skip, delay, change, or cancel any shipment from your account with one click. Learn more about AutoShip.

Log into your account, open AutoShip, and click "Reschedule" on any shipment. You can skip a delivery, push it back by weeks, or move it up. No phone call required, and no penalty for changes. If it's already shipped, call us and we'll see what we can do.

Anytime, no questions asked. Log into your account and turn AutoShip off for any product — or pause it entirely. You can also call 1-800-738-6337 and we'll do it for you. There's no cancellation fee and no minimum commitment.

Yes — AutoShip orders save 15% on every product, every shipment, plus always ship free with no minimum. Over a year, that adds up to hundreds of dollars in savings for most pet parents. There's no joining fee and no lock-in.

Yes, from your account in two clicks. Head to Account → Payment Methods and update the card on file. Your AutoShip orders will use the new card starting on the next shipment. You can also add backup payment methods in case one card expires.

Standard shipping is $5.99 and arrives in 3–5 business days. Orders over $49 ship free, and AutoShip orders always ship free with no minimum. Most orders placed before 4 PM Eastern leave our Delray Beach pharmacy the same business day. Track any order here.

Tracking sometimes goes quiet for 24–72 hours while a package is between carrier sorting facilities — that's normal. If it's been more than 5 business days with no update, call us at 1-800-738-6337. We'll file a carrier trace and, if the package is lost, ship a replacement at no charge.

First, check around your property — carriers sometimes leave packages in unusual but safe spots like behind a planter or under a porch bench. Check with neighbors too. If it doesn't turn up within 24 hours, call us. We'll open a carrier claim and either refund or reship.

Most orders don't require a signature. Prescription medications over a certain value or controlled substances do require an adult signature at delivery. If your order needs a signature, you'll see "Signature Required" on your tracking page and in your shipping confirmation email.

Every PetMeds package ships in a plain, unmarked box with no indication of what's inside or where it came from on the exterior. Prescription medications arrive with a tamper-evident seal on the inner packaging.

Missing, damaged, or incorrect items must be reported within 72 hours of delivery. Unopened non-prescription products — including food — can be returned within 90 days of receipt for a full refund. Prescription medications qualify for prorated refunds up to 30 days after ship. Full details on our Returns page.

Once we receive your return at our Delray Beach facility, refunds are processed within 3–5 business days. Your bank may take an additional 2–3 business days to post the refund to your account. You'll get an email the moment we issue it.

Log into your PetMeds account and open Order History. Click "Return" next to any eligible order and we'll email you a prepaid return label. Drop the package at any USPS location. No printer? We can mail you a physical label — just call 1-800-738-6337.

Prescription medications cannot be returned to inventory once they've left our pharmacy — that's a federal regulation. But PetMeds offers prorated refunds up to 30 days after ship — a policy that's genuinely rare in pet pharmacy. If your order arrived damaged or incorrect, call us and we'll replace it. Full details on the Returns page.

Report within 72 hours of delivery. Call us at 1-800-738-6337 right away. If a shipment arrived damaged or with the wrong item, we'll ship a replacement at no charge and you don't need to send the damaged item back. We'll also file a report with the carrier.

On the login screen, click "Forgot Password." Enter the email on your account and we'll send a reset link within a minute. If you don't see it, check your spam folder. Still stuck? Call 1-800-738-6337 and we'll reset it for you after verifying your identity.

Yes. We're PCI DSS Level 1 certified — the highest standard in the payments industry — and HIPAA compliant for all health information. Your card details are encrypted end-to-end and never stored in plain text. We never sell customer data.

Log into your account and open Account Settings. You can update your name, email, phone number, shipping address, and billing address from there. Changes take effect immediately for all future orders, including AutoShip.

No. We don't sell, rent, or trade customer data to third parties. Prescription information is visible only to the pharmacists and care team members who need it to fill your order. Full details on our Privacy Policy page.

Call us at 1-800-738-6337 and we'll close it for you. We'll first confirm you have no active AutoShip or pending orders. Prescription records are kept for the length of time required by state pharmacy law — usually 5 years — even after the account is closed.