CVS is now filling prescriptions for dogs and cats. Here’s what pet owners need to know

Next time you need to fill your pet’s prescription, you might be able to pick up your own at the same time. Tuesday CVS Health announced plans to carry dog and cat medications alongside human ones in its pharmacies.

Medications such as antibiotics, allergy, flea, and tick control, insulin, pain relievers, and more will be available at around 9,000 CVS Pharmacies nationwide. Those prescriptions will also be eligible for automatic refills, prescription syncing, as well as delivery (for some medications). 

“We’re proud to be a trusted partner in our patients’ health care journeys,” Sid Tenneti, Senior Vice President and Interim President, Pharmacy and Consumer Wellness, CVS Health, said in the release.

Tenneti continued, “With the addition of pet medication dispensing, CVS Pharmacy can now serve every member of the family. Combined with our convenient locations, extended hours, and broad range of health and wellness products, we offer a true one-stop destination for care.”

When it comes to filling a prescription, it’s not dissimilar to how it works for human medications. Pet owners can bring the physical paper slip to the pharmacy to have it filled or have their pet’s veterinarian contact the pharmacy directly. The pet owner can pick the medication up at the pharmacy or opt for delivery (when eligible).

In order to help streamline the process, pet owners can also add their dogs and cats to their CVS profile, just like any human family member, to manage their prescriptions online or through the CVS Health app. CVS says that soon, the app will offer even more customer control. 

“Additional enhancements to help make the new service even more convenient for pet owners and veterinarians, including electronic prescription capabilities, will be added in the coming months,” the announcement explains. 

CVS is not the first major pharmacy to add pet prescriptions to its list of offerings. Costco, Walmart, Walgreens, and Publix already offer the service.

In recent months, CVS has made other major changes, too. The company just underwent a major rebranding, altering its packaging on thousands of health products. CVS previously told Fast Company the rebrand is part of the pharmacy’s plan to become customers’ go-to store for health and wellness products.

In a statement, Mike Wier, VP of store brands at CVS Health, said, “With this evolution of the CVS brand, we’re not only simplifying shopping for customers, but we’re also aiming to become the health and wellness brand they think of first when seeking trusted solutions that deliver value and convenience.”