New Brunswick is one of several provinces that limits the sale of pet medications to veterinarians only — and the Competition Bureau of Canada said that needs to change. It’s pushing for provinces to crack down on the exclusive distribution practices to give pet owners more choice, at a time of soaring expenses.
Pharmacies often provide significant savings compared to veterinary clinics, Competition Bureau says
Allyson McCormack · CBC News
· Posted: Jul 02, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago
Leslie MacLaren keeps a close eye on the price of pet medications when she travels, and said it’s disappointing to see how much more those drugs cost in Canada. (Shane Fowler/CBC)
Leslie MacLaren makes a point of giving her one year old Bernese mountain dog, Lola, lots of exercise to keep her pet happy — and healthy.
But another part of that care includes a monthly vet visit for an oral tick, flea and worm medication. It’s a preventative measure that costs about $60 per visit.
“If you look at other countries [those costs are] lower,” she said, speaking to CBC News from a dog park in Fredericton. “It seems to be what the market will bear in Canada.”
In the United States, and other countries, pet owners can buy pet medications from large companies like Chewy, Walmart and Costco,
This story was brought to Nouzie by RSS. The original post can be found on https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-not-among-provinces-increasing-competition-for-pet-medications-1.7570725?cmp=rss
