I've had the same problem (I'm in another state entirely) where a local vet did the same thing to me: refused to write a prescription for medication my dog needed...
they actually claimed they were unable to even write a prescription (!?!?) and could ONLY supply the needed medication, forcing me to buy it from them. Another
claim they like to make is the uncertain purity of prescription drugs from online sources, but basically it's all about them lining their own pockets. BTW, I changed vets
& told them why in a letter after that incident. Really ticked me off too...apart from that, they seem to be good vets, but!!!
I agree, it's exactly the same thing as if your own physician was essentially "pushing" drugs to you to line their own pockets! WT....? Seems very unethical to me too,
& I hope you do file a complaint for malpractice (to the board of veterinary medicine, I'd guess). Please let me know how it goes? I don't have that problem currently,
but this is a small town where I live & I've heard complaints from others about "price fixing" etc. (Some vet practices are all owned by one, so presumably managed
the same way too.) It's very frustrating, & in your case, that amount of "mark-up" is frankly obscene.
The ethical (& hopefully legal) issue is- how can you trust that a doctor has your best medical interests when they are clearly profit-motivated as the only
source of the treatment medication? I call b.s. too...good luck! I don't know where the law stands on this, but clearly some doctors/vets are taking advantage
of people & their pets. Now that you've brought it up (it's been some years since this happened to me) it makes me want to research it more also.
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