Itchy Bites or Sudden Hives? Get Assessed Online in Ontario

Bites and hives are both the same basic thing: your skin reacting. A mosquito or blackfly bite that puffs up bigger than a coin, or a crop of raised itchy welts that appear and move around over hours, is uncomfortable but usually not dangerous. In Ontario, insect bites and hives (urticaria) are a minor ailment a pharmacist can assess and prescribe for online.

Can a pharmacist prescribe for this?

A licensed Ontario pharmacist reviews your symptoms, how fast things came on and what you have tried, then treats when it is clinically appropriate - which may mean a prescription, an over-the-counter recommendation, or a referral. A prescription is never guaranteed. The assessment also helps sort a plain reaction from something that needs different care, such as a tick bite or an infected bite.

What helps while you wait

Cool compresses, loose clothing and keeping the area unscratched do most of the work. For hives, note anything new in the previous day - a food, a medication, a detergent - because the trigger is often more useful than the treatment.

When to see a doctor instead

Call 911 immediately for signs of a severe allergic reaction: swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, trouble breathing or swallowing, a tight chest, dizziness or fainting, or hives spreading rapidly all over after a sting. See a doctor if a bite becomes hot, spreading and painful with pus or a fever, if hives last more than about six weeks, if you have joint pain or fever with the rash, or if you found an attached tick - that is a separate, time-sensitive assessment.

How to start

1. Open the insect bites & hives assessment - a short, secure questionnaire (about 5 minutes).
2. A licensed Ontario pharmacist reviews it and follows up within 24 business hours (our average is about 2 hours).
3. If treatment is appropriate, they prescribe or recommend it and can send a prescription to the pharmacy of your choice.

Is it free?

The assessment is free with a valid Ontario health card, or a flat $30 without one. Any prescribed medication is billed at its usual price, which your drug plan may cover.

Common questions

I pulled off a tick - is this the right assessment?

No. Use the tick bite assessment instead, and start it promptly - timing matters for Lyme prevention.

See what we treat and start a free assessment →

Pharmly is operated by Citrus Pharmacy, accredited by the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP #306740). A prescription is never guaranteed - a pharmacist prescribes only when it is clinically appropriate. Not for emergencies: call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department for urgent symptoms.