An increasing number of horse owners are turning to on-line pharmacies to purchase products for their horses. If you’re considering using one of these services, heed these guidelines—which form the acronym AWARE—provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

1. Ask your veterinarian.

Your veterinarian may be able to provide valuable guidance about specific on-line pharmacies and whether their medications are reliable. Also ask if there are any sites she would recommend.

2. Look for red flags.

Take a close look at the site, focusing on signs of legitimacy. Legally, on-line pet pharmacies must require prescriptions from a veterinarian for specific medications, so avoid those that do not—no matter how good the prices. Also, determine whether the service has a physical address in the United States and an 800 number to reach a licensed veterinary pharmacist if you have questions or problems with your order.

3. Check the site for accreditation.

Pharmaceutical sites can opt for voluntary certification through a program called Vet-VIPPS (Veterinary-Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites). To achieve certification, the site must meet several criteria, including ensuring patient confidentiality, being appropriately licensed in the state where they ship drugs and having quality assurance procedures in place.

4. Report problems and suspicious on-line pharmacies.

If you experience a problem with an on-line pharmacy or your horse has an adverse reaction to a medication purchased through one, immediately report the incident to the Food and Drug Administration.

Educate yourself about on-line pharmacies. Before making an order, do your homework about the site, the medication’s purpose and what the drug should look like.

For information about safely storing your horse’s medication, click here.