Frequently asked Questions - FAQ's

Our customer service team answers all emails in the order in which they are received so you should expect a reply within 24 hours. Please be aware however our Customer Service desk is closed on weekends.

I have a products question

I can't find what I'm looking for
If you are searching using the quick search box it is better to type fewer words. For example if you are looking for Royal Canin Sensitivity Control food, typing sensitivity will provide you with all matching items. If the item(s) is not there please Contact Us and we will endeavor to find the product for you.

I have a question about my account

How do I register with VetUK?
Registering with VetUK is easy. Simply click on the "New Account" tab at the top of the page and enter all of your details. Once you have successfully submitted your information you will receive a confirmation email welcoming you to VetUK. If you do not receive this email please check your Junk Mail inbox and if you are still unable to find it please contact us at info@vetuk.co.uk

How do I login?
When you created your account with VetUK you provided us with an email address and a password, to login you need to click on the "Login" tab at the top of the page and enter these details.

I have forgotten my password?
If you have reached the login page and have realised you have forgotten your password you will need to enter your email address and click "Forgotten Password."

A new password will then be sent to your email account. You may need to check your Junk Mail box if it doesn't appear in the inbox, if this has happened please add us to your known/safe contacts to avoid any future problems.

Copy and paste the new password to log into your account. Once you have logged in you will be able to change your password back to something unique to you.

Please only make one request for a new password as repeated requests must be cancelled and superseded before the password will arrive with you, this can delay you receiving the email. Depending on your connection there can sometimes be a delay in receiving your new password but we will send it to you.

Please be aware that for security reasons the Customer Service team cannot change your password for you; however they can delete your account allowing you to create a new one with the same email address.

How do I change my address?
To change your address you will need to log into VetUK and go into "My Account." From here you can modify your address by clicking on "View or change entries in my address book."

From here you can add more addresses or edit your existing address, you can also search for an address just by entering the postcode.

Why do I need to register my pet?

To sell licenced veterinary medicines we are required by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) to collect information about the animal the product is being purchased for. We have tried to make it as simple as possible for you to register your pet. The main details we require will be:

• Age
• Weight
• If your pet is healthy
• If your pet is on any prescription medication

For prescription only medications the receipt of a valid veterinary prescription will still be the criteria for the order being processed. For other licenced products, you will receive guidance in the shopping cart, but on some occasions a qualified member of our staff may need to contact you before your order can be processed.

It is important that you register all the pets you intend to treat with the medication and link them all to the products in the shopping cart. Failure to do so will result in delays with your order.

How do I unsubscribe from emails and newsletters?
We are very sorry that you no longer wish to receive emails from us. To unsubscribe from the emails you need to scroll to the bottom of the homepage and click on unsubscribe and then follow the instructions on the next page. You may also need to go into your account settings and unclick the subscription button from there.

I have a question about placing an order

Can I place my order over the phone?
We do not have a telesales team for taking phone orders. However, if you prefer to place orders over the phone the Customer Service team can do this for you, but there is a £3 admin charge for this service. Please note you do have to have an email address in order to place orders with us. If you are experiencing difficulties placing an order our Customer Service Team are on hand to help.

How do I place an order?
Orders can only be placed through our secure website.
Firstly input your details to Create an Account with VetUK or Log In if you have already completed this step. Find your product(s) using either the search box (top left) or through the categories (left).
When you have located the item(s) you are looking for, click its 'Add to Cart' button.

Prescription Medicines are all contained with the Pet Meds section and require an original veterinary prescription being forwarded to VetUK before we can dispatch.

You will now be on the Shopping Cart page and depending upon your purchase will be required to accept certain legal obligations (red or orange banners will appear if this is required). If you wish to change the quantity of anything in your shopping cart, simply click on the Quantity Box, alter the quantity and press Update Cart. Once you are happy press Checkout.

You are now on the payment screen, please enter your card details then press Continue. Please ensure you enter your details correctly and as they appear on your payment card.
Your order details are now displayed, please check them and press Confirm Order when you are happy. If your bank has activated 3D security on your card you will now be directed to either Verify by Visa or MasterCard Secure websites. Please then enter you security pin or create one if this is your first time using 3D security. VetUK does not see nor store any details from this page, the pin number/name you create is the equivalent of the pin number you enter when using your chip and pin card on the high street. Once your payment details have been submitted and verified the website will then show you a Checkout Success page advising you that your order has been received together with your unique order number; please make a note of this. An email will also be sent to the email address registered for the card to confirm your order.

I've made an error with my order, what do I do?
Errors can happen and occasionally the wrong item can be ordered or you may forget to place an item in your cart. Our Customer Service team cannot add items to an order once you have confirmed it. If you have ordered something in error we can remove it from your order and refund the item back to you so long as your order has not been processed, please note this may cause shipping charges to also change. Alternatively we can cancel your entire order. If this problem arises please contact our Customer Service Team at as soon as possible: info@vetuk.co.uk

I have a question about Priority Processing

What is Priority Processing?
Priority Processing jumps your order to the front of the processing queue and uses the fastest appropriate shipping method for your order. This means you should get your order 2 days faster than our standard processing and delivery times.

If all items are in stock and the order is placed by 1pm your order should be despatched the same day. If the order is placed later than this or if stock is due the next day, then your order will be despatched the next working day.

If an item that you have ordered is out of stock we will contact you by email to ask how you want to proceed with the order and refund your priority payment.

Priority processing is not available on prescription medication.

I Didn't Select Priority Processing during Checkout, Can I Upgrade?
If you didn't select this option during checkout don't worry, you can upgrade your order. Please call our Customer Service team on 01845 591040 and they can take a payment of £2.99 from you and reset your order as a Priority.

I have a question about payment and security

My payment won't go through?
Many different things can prevent your payment going through, sometimes it can be something simple such as you may have incorrectly entered your address or card details. If this is not the case and you have been presented with an Error Code please make a note of it and contact our Customer Service team who will be able to assist you further. Please be aware that if your payment fails at the 3D secure page you will need to contact your bank as this is not information we are able to access.

How secure is the VetUK website?
We have invested in the best e-commerce security available for the safety of all our customers. Whenever you enter a password or enter your card details on our site you will see a padlock symbol somewhere on your browser screen and "https://" at the front of the website address. Please note that these symbols may not appear if you are purchasing using a Smart phone or Safari.

We never see nor store your card details; card processing is performed automatically between our Payment Service Provider GlobalPay and your issuing bank. Further information can be found on our Privacy & Security page.

I have a question about Prescription Only Medications

In 2003, the law changed to allow pharmacies to dispense pet meds; the purpose of that was to create competition and to reduce the price of pet medicine for the public. In October 2005, the law was changed again to allow other veterinary surgeons to dispense pet meds from a written veterinary prescription. VetUK started to offer a pharmacy service to allow pet owners to purchase their pets medication cost effectively online.

How do I get a prescription?
You will need to ask your vet to provide a prescription for your pet's medication. However, it is up to your vet which medication they deem is appropriate as your pet is under their care. Your vet will also indicate on the prescription the quantity of medication they are prescribing.

How do I place an order for a prescription only medication?
To order prescription only medications you need to place an order on the website in the normal way. When you proceed to the checkout you will be able to upload your prescription or advise us that we already hold it or that you will upload or send it at a later date. You will be required to register your pet and assign the pet to the appropriate medication in the shopping cart. To complete your order, you will need to read and agree with the advisory notes at the bottom of the shopping cart. Prescription medications can only be shipped to the address provided on the prescription so please ensure you provide this as your delivery address before placing your order. Failure to do so will result in delays with your order

Will my vet charge me for providing a prescription?
Yes, veterinary surgeons can now charge a "reasonable fee" for writing a prescription. As you are being charged for the prescription we would suggest you make the most of the fee by ensuring all your pet meds are on one prescription and that repeats are allowed where possible. Some vets will try and charge a "Medicine Determination Fee" or other similar fee in addition to the prescription fee. If they do wish to apply such fees they MUST be applied to ALL prescriptions from that practice and not only to those clients who choose to take the prescription elsewhere. Further information can be sought from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Can my vet refuse to issue a prescription?
Whilst the answer is strictly speaking 'no', it may not always be appropriate to have a prescription. If your pet is suffering from an acute condition you would be best to obtain the medicine directly from your vet for immediate treatment. However, if you are recommended by your vet to use any prescription veterinary medicine in the treatment of your pet's problem, then you are entitled by law to ask to be issued with a prescription if you wish.

If I get a prescription from my vet can they then insist my animal has more frequent check-ups?
No, that would be illegal. A vet cannot discriminate between customers purchasing animal medicines from themselves and elsewhere. i.e. your pets` check-up interval cannot be altered just because you ask for a prescription, an alteration of check-up interval is a clinical decision and must be justifiable on that basis only.

Do I need to purchase everything on the prescription at the time of order?
No, you can buy the initial quantity prescribed and then order any repeats later, up to the expiry date of the prescription. Each prescription is valid for a maximum of six months from the date it is signed, or less if indicated so by your vet. This is restricted to 28 days for Controlled Drugs. You may wish to ask your vet to put repeats on the prescription so that it can be used more than once. These repeats can be order upto 12 months from the issue date of the prescription.

VetUK can only issue up to the quantity of medication indicated on the prescription. We are unable to issue repeats against a prescription for controlled drugs unless it is written as an instalment prescription.

Why do you need my prescription?
It is a legal requirement that we receive a valid veterinary prescription to dispense products classified as Prescription Only Medicines.

How and where do I send my prescription?

Prescriptions can be uploaded when you place your order or uploaded to your order in your VetUK account after the order is placed (except for Controlled Drugs or prescriptions stating "Only the original prescription is to be accepted" where we are legally required to be in receipt of the original prescription):

Original prescriptions for controlled drugs or those stating "Only the original prescription is to be accepted" needed to be posted to us at:

VetUK

PO Box 9101

Dumfries

DG2 0NU

Other prescription should be posted to:

VetUK

Unit 7&8 Europark

Station Road

Thirsk

YO7 1GQ

Please ensure that your order number is written on the prescription as this will avoid any unnecessary delays.

What are the differences when ordering Controlled Drugs (Epiphen, Tramadol, or Phenobarbitone)
If you are ordering Controlled Drugs (CD3) we must receive your original prescription through the post as these drugs are subject to strict regulations. Your vet will be able to advise you if the medications you wish to order are a Controlled Drug but we will also prompt you to post your prescription to us if necessary when you view the item description.

Prescriptions for Controlled Drugs are only valid for 28 days from the day that they are signed by the vet, or less if indicated by your vet. No repeats can be issued for Controlled drugs. Please ensure that you write your order number on your prescription to avoid any delays when processing your order.

Can I cancel a Licenced Medicine or Prescription order?
Licenced medicine or Prescription orders can only be cancelled as long as the order has not already been processed and dispatched. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept returns of licenced or prescription medications for refunds. This is due to the regulations concerning these medications.

For more information about Prescription Only Medications please visit the About Veterinary Medicines page.

I have a question about delivery

How much does delivery cost?
Delivery charges start at £1.99. Please visit our delivery page for full details of delivery charges.

How long does delivery take?
The delivery time of parcels being sent via Royal Mail Second Class Post is dependent on your location. Orders that are being sent by the standard courier delivery service are usually delivered the next working day after dispatch. Delivery dates are all just estimated dates of delivery and are not guaranteed. Deliveries are made between Monday and Friday, however please note that deliveries are not made on Bank Holidays.

What do I do if my parcel hasn't arrived?
All orders are despatched on a tracked service and so you should be able to determine the location of your order using the tracking provided by our couriers. If you are unable to find the tracking or resolve with the couriers, please contact our friendly Customer Services team who are happy to help at: info@vetuk.co.uk

Only part of my order has arrived?
Depending on the size of your order and the items it contains, it may have been split into two packages. You should receive tracking information for all parts of your order.

Please note that all parts may not be received at the same time, so check the relevant tracking for additional parts.

Where does VetUK deliver to?
For a full list of our delivery range please visit the Delivery page.

I have a question about my order

When will my order arrive?
Orders are estimated to be delivered within 3-5 working days depending on the shipping service used. Surcharge areas will take longer to arrive.

You will receive a despatch email when your order is despatched.

Can I track my order?
All our orders are shipping on a tracked service. You will receive tracking emails from our chosen couriers when you order is despatched.

I haven't received an email confirming dispatch?
Please double check that the email has not been sent to your spam folder, this may happen if you have high security settings on your email. If your confirmation email has been sent to your spam folder please add us to your contacts to prevent future emails being there.

At VetUK we dispatch orders between Monday and Friday, any orders placed on a Friday will not be processed until the following Monday.

I have a question about Refunds and Returns

What is your returns policy?
If you do not wish to keep any of the items you have purchased you are welcome to return them to us, with the exception of Licenced Medicines, for a full refund as long as they are unopened and in a re-saleable condition. Returns must be made within 14 days of receiving your order; you must also notify us in writing (email) if you wish to return your order. For more information please visit our Returns page.

Do I have to pay to return my order?
If you wish to return items to us you must arrange this yourself and the cost of the return will be payable by you. If you wish for VetUK to arrange for a courier collection there will be a charge of £10 which will be deducted from your refund. If you would like to arrange a collection please contact the Customer Service Team at: info@vetuk.co.uk.

For further details please read our Terms and Conditions

Can I exchange a product?
We treat each order as an individual purchase as we do not have the facilities to "exchange" items. The items in question would need to be returned to us in their original and unopened packaging and refund would be issued, a new order would need to be placed for the correct item.

How long does a refund take to process?
If a refund needs to be issued by VetUK it will be done so immediately by our Customer Service Team, however it can take up to five working days for it to show on your bank statement.

I have a question about Faulty Goods

What happens if I receive a faulty/defective item?
All our products are checked before they leave the warehouse so it is very unlikely that you will receive a damaged item from VetUK. We do ask that all damages are reported to us within two days of your order being received. Dependent on the item and the damage you may be asked to send the item back to us, if this happens we will be arrange the return with you. If you would like any further information please read our Terms and Conditions or contact our Customer Service Team.