<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-01-23</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001040130</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PETMED EXPRESS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PETS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001251339</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PULEO MARC MD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1441 S.W. 29TH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>POMPANO BEACH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>30069</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001336534</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARPUL INVESTMENTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1441 S.W. 29TH AVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>POMPANO BEACH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33069</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Partnership for Marpul Trust</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001336797</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SOUTHPAC TRUST INTERNATIONAL, INC. / MARPUL TRUST TRUSTEE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>P.O. BOX 11</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RAROTONGA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>G1</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>00000</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>COOK ISLANDS</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Trustee of Marpul Trust</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001336798</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARPUL TRUST / SOUTHPAC TRUST INTERNATIONAL, INC.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>P.O. BOX 11</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RAROTONGA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>G1</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>00000</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>COOK ISLANDS</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Trust for Dr. Marc Puleo</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-01-23</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>16.01</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>585286</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The reported transactions are pursuant to a pre-arranged structured sales plan that is in accordance with both the Securities and Exchange Commission's Rule 10b5-1 and the PetMed Express, Inc. insider trading policy.  The shares were sold from the Marpul Investments Limited Partnership, a Nevada limited partnership.  Mr. Brian Mason, Managing Director of Southpac Trust International, Inc., a corporation established under the laws of the Cook Islands, holds voting and dispositive power over the securities owned by Marpul Trust.  Dr. Puleo is the sole General Partner of Marpul Investments Limited Partnership and Marpul Trust is the sole limited partner.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Marc A. Puleo, M.D.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-01-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
