Godly3vil Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Hey guys rang a few of the local vets today to try to get some metro to have on hand for my discus especially as I am about to attempt breeding them and was aghast when I got told the prices not to mention all 3 vets said I have to bring a fish in so they can diagnose it or pay them to do a home call and even then they may not write me a prescription for it, if I did get a prescription and get it in liquid form each 500ml will cost $15 each or $11-13 each per 400mg tablet, is this normal or are my local vets just trying to earn a pretty penny at my expense? I find it ridiculous that this is even a prescription medication in NZ when you can buy it off the shelf nearly anywhere else overseas for a fraction of the price we have to pay here! example; I found 100 400mg tablets for less than $25 nzd online. Is there anywhere else I can get some of this from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zayne Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 only get liquid the tablets are useless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Try Hollywood fish farm as they sell liquid prazi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted February 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Already got prazi, after metro lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Metro is by prescription only. I have never purchased it but I do remember being told about 7 years ago it was expensive then. Most people, when dosing move the fish into a much smaller tank so they do not need to use so much each dose. If you are taking the fish to the vet get as much documentation off the internet as possible showing that this is what you need Perhaps try the vets attached to animates, they may see fish more than most vets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted February 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 No vets down here will be associated with animates I would think considering there isn't an animates store within 600+km of here lol. Sad thing is if I did actually need it right now it would be cheaper financially to just let the discus waste away and die than get a prescription and treat them, to me this is wrong. Reading up on it might have to get my partner to ask her doctor for a prescription, cheaper that way lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunbird73 Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Metronidazole is a prescription antibiotic, so asking for it over the counter is like going to your local chemist and saying "winter is coming up and I just know I am going to get a throat infection, give me some augmentin please". They can't sell it legally, without prescribing it to you. They can't prescribe it, legally and professionally, without some form of formal consultation with the patient. Metronidazole is used in human medicine so the ramifications of overuse in animals could then affect human health (drug resistances) so that is why it is prescription only. Vets have been given licenses to use human equivalent drugs on animals - but if it is found that these drugs are being over-used in animals, and if this does impact on human health, then the right for vets to treat animals with these drugs could be revoked. Re: the price - antibiotics are expensive. For humans they are subsidised by the government, the real cost (ie. the cost you would pay from the vet) is actually quite expensive compared to other drugs. If I was you, I would call a large animal vet, they may be slightly more amenable to diagnosing and prescribing on photos and history with you, and to prescribe preventatively. But it will still be expensive. Metronidazole is not a common antibiotic to give to humans either, and doctors are also liable to get in a lot of trouble if they prescribe for animals (same as a vet prescribing for a human!). The only way I can imagine your doc will dispense it for you is if you managed to contract Giardia. So you could go drink some duck pond water, but it probably wouldn't be worth it :sick: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 PM'D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunbird73 Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 PM'D and I have forwarded your PM to Godly3vil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted February 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Cheers guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovmoller Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 I unknowingly ordered metronidazole from the us once in the form of API general cure. Bio security had inspected the package but let it go through. It was only later I realized metro is not allowed to be sold over the counter here which is why I couldn't find API general cure in the shops. I'm not saying this is legal or that it would work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 :oops: :gigl: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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