Pet meds

[DawnM]

UGH.

 

I took my dog to the Vet yesterday and they tried to sell me over $150/mo in meds for my dog.

I DO love my dog, but we like to eat too.  

 

She insisted that I needed to buy from the Vet's office because she doesn't know what I will get online and it is safest directly from them.  She basically called me a bad pet owner.

 

She wanted me to get:

 

Sentinel for heartworm

Remidyl for arthritis

 

and something else for fleas and ticks.

 

My dog needed her shots, we were overdue, so we took the dog in.  Dog is a lab mix, 10 years old.

 

What do you use for heartworm, flea/tick, and arthritis?  I need it to be a LOT less.  

 

I think we have discussed arthritis before since my last dog had it too (the one that just died in April.)

 

 

[Pawz4me]

Those are all standard medications for those conditions.

 

There's a generic for Rimadyl called Novox. And several years ago the manufacturer of Rimadyl had a pretty good rebate program--for each prescription filled you earned $$ back that got put on a debit card that could be used at your vet's office for any product or service. I don't know if that rebate program is still in effect or not. I gave our previous dog Rimadyl (brand name) for his arthritis. In his last few months we had to add in Tramadol.

 

Our current dog gets Heartgard Plus for heartworms/intestinal worms and Comfortis for flea prevention. He's had reactions to other flea/tick preventatives so our options are limited. Neither of those are likely to save you any money, though.

 

I wouldn't let a vet bully me about prescriptions (and I really do think that's what she was doing). If she didn't want you using an online pharmacy she could have offered to price match. or at the very least offered Novox. Maybe it's time to find another vet who will be more understanding of budget constraints?

[DawnM]

Oh, it is definitely time for a new Vet, but I don't even know where to find one that is better or cheaper.

 

So you spend over $150 on meds per month for your dog?

[Pawz4me]

Oh, it is definitely time for a new Vet, but I don't even know where to find one that is better or cheaper.

 

So you spend over $150 on meds per month for your dog?

 

Not now.  Our current dog is only four (no arthritis medication needed). Plus he's smaller. The smaller the dog the less expensive the medication.

 

But when our older dog was alive that was probably about right per month for the last few years of his life. He was on Rimadyl (and eventually Tramadol, too). Plus heartworm and flea/tick preventatives and some OTC supplements (glucosamine/chondroitin, acid reducer, fish oil, Vitamin E). Altogether I'm sure we probably spent more than $150 a month for his last year or two. Old dogs are expensive, especially if they're on the larger side.

[happypamama]

For fleas, maybe ticks too (I can't remember), we use Advantage II for our cats, and it works well.  A 6-pack runs $52 from Amazon (but that's for cats above 9 pounds, so dogs might be slightly better).

[Beaniemom]

Our vet actually advised us to look at 800-Pet-Meds and Drs. Foster and Smith. We were able to get his seizure meds for half what the vet sold them for.

[DawnM]

Our vet actually advised us to look at 800-Pet-Meds and Drs. Foster and Smith. We were able to get his seizure meds for half what the vet sold them for.

 

 

But you need a script, right?  She says she won't write one to order online.

 

And the arthritis meds are still over $60.  Just looked.

Edited June 9, 2016 by DawnM

[itsheresomewhere]

My old dog ( giant breed) is on Rimadyl and it is 26 for a 30 day supply at the vet. I use good rx to price check the area and 1800 pet meds for anything else.

[Beaniemom]

But you need a script, right? She says she won't write one to order online.

 

And the arthritis meds are still over $60. Just looked.

Yes they do get a script from the vet. If you have other vets in the area you may want to look into them. No one should be made to feel bad because they try to get their pet meds the most affordable way.

[TrixieB]

I don't know anything about the meds you listed, so the following may not apply, but I thought I'd share in case anyone finds it helpful.

 

You can get pet meds that are also human meds at Costco.  They have (or at least they had several years ago, when my cat was still alive) a "prescription discount club" for people who don't have Rx coverage.  My cat had his own membership card. :)  And yes they knew he was a cat.  One of his prescriptions was $6/month there, compared to $30/month at the grocery store pharmacy.

 

They didn't have animal-only meds, though.

[Spryte]

But you need a script, right? She says she won't write one to order online.

 

And the arthritis meds are still over $60. Just looked.

That does seem like bullying.

 

Can you get your records from that vet, to show that your pup has been tested for heartworm as well as shots and see another vet?

[PinkTulip]

My local Costco does sell animal-only meds, so it is worth checking into. And their prices are waaaaay less than our vet - we recently bought our dog's pain reliever, anti-inflammatory and flea/tick stuff for one-quarter the price our vet was charging. The vets office was extremely reluctant to give us a written script, but I basically told them I wasn't leaving until I had one in hand.

[zoobie]

Our vet actually advised us to look at 800-Pet-Meds and Drs. Foster and Smith. We were able to get his seizure meds for half what the vet sold them for.

 

Ours too. They tell us when there's something that's much cheaper online. If the med is also a human medication, you can often get that cheaper from a regular pharmacy.

[zoobie]

But you need a script, right?  She says she won't write one to order online.

 

And the arthritis meds are still over $60.  Just looked.

 

Check if what's she's doing is legal in your state: https://www.avma.org/Advocacy/StateAndLocal/Pages/veterinary-prescription-orders.aspx

[Innisfree]

Oh, it is definitely time for a new Vet, but I don't even know where to find one that is better or cheaper.

 

So you spend over $150 on meds per month for your dog?

 

Some years back, my elderly mother's cat needed bloodwork, and I was shocked at what the vet said it cost.

 

I found out exactly what was needed, went home, and called every vet in the area asking for a quote. Some gave us a price, others refused. Most were pretty high (and, to be fair, I know bloodwork does get expensive).

 

But we did find one place that was lower than the rest. It's in a decidedly less ritzy part of town. We tried them out and have been consistently impressed over a period of years now. They are kind, responsible, and clearly have the animals' best interests at heart.

 

Vet care is still expensive. It just is. These days it's possible to do so much for animals, and as responsible pet owners we want to do it. But you may find, as we did, that there are different vets catering to different markets in your area. You don't need to go to Trickie-Woo's Spa and Pet Resort if Dr. Goodvet out in the county is available.

[Guest]

Well, we were planning to use 1800PetMeds, but our vet seems cheaper. I am actually going tomorrow and filling 4 (!) year long rx for Sentinel. For my lab and larger dogs, it is $89 FOR 12 MOS (per dog). I have no idea about the arthritis one, but the arthritis pill they were giving one of my dogs was $70 for approx 3 mos and I'm switching to human next time for about $19/3 mos. Also, not sure if this is nationwide, but in May, our vet did free heartworm testing if you buy a year's rx. June, you pay half for the testing. Two of my dogs need testing so that is some savings, for future knowledge. Generally, our office visits are about $50, just to go in. Vaccines are around $20/ea. So, I guess I could see quite a bill if you got vaccines and heartworm and arthiritis meds, but I'm not against looking elsewhere, and maybe even for a different vet if they're super pushy. :(

 

Pawz - you were the one who helped me out with the OTC glucosamine in another thread; I called my vet to see what she said, and she was totally pro OTC human pills! I was floored, because i had just spent so much on the vet med, but OK!

[Night Elf]

My dogs get Heartguard Plus and Frontline Tritak (it's a 3 dose package but I always get a deal where I buy 3 doses and get 1 free).

 

My dachshund gets Dasoquin for joint health and a chiropractic treatment every other month.

 

If I'm adding correctly, that is about $25/month for my Beagle mix who is 11 years old, and $65/month for my dachshund who is 8 years old. That means I'm spending about $90/month.

 

[DawnM]

Well, we were planning to use 1800PetMeds, but our vet seems cheaper. I am actually going tomorrow and filling 4 (!) year long rx for Sentinel. For my lab and larger dogs, it is $89 FOR 12 MOS (per dog). I have no idea about the arthritis one, but the arthritis pill they were giving one of my dogs was $70 for approx 3 mos and I'm switching to human next time for about $19/3 mos. Also, not sure if this is nationwide, but in May, our vet did free heartworm testing if you buy a year's rx. June, you pay half for the testing. Two of my dogs need testing so that is some savings, for future knowledge. Generally, our office visits are about $50, just to go in. Vaccines are around $20/ea. So, I guess I could see quite a bill if you got vaccines and heartworm and arthiritis meds, but I'm not against looking elsewhere, and maybe even for a different vet if they're super pushy. :(

 

Pawz - you were the one who helped me out with the OTC glucosamine in another thread; I called my vet to see what she said, and she was totally pro OTC human pills! I was floored, because i had just spent so much on the vet med, but OK!

 

 

What are you switching to?

[Murphy101]

But you need a script, right? She says she won't write one to order online.

 

And the arthritis meds are still over $60. Just looked.

And that's when I moved over to your side of the argument. I'd be livid if my physician of any kind refused to write a Rx unless I bought from them. And I'd be telling them I thought it was price gouging scummy of them and I'd have no problem mentioning their name on social media when I complained about it.

 

Not okay at all.

 

That said, don't just look at the initial cost. Look at how long the medication will last.

 

Sure $150 is still a $150 and try to find a better deal, but if that $150 is 6 months or more of medications, that really is not that tragic a price.

 

I can't remember the name of our meds, but we get flea/tick/mosquito/heartwarm and a generic of the arthritis medication for anout $200 -$250 a YEAR. I think he is due for his shots ... I usually use southern agriculture bc it's half the cost of the vet, BUT you need to know what shots your pet actually needs or they will just redose them with everything, which is not good for the pet long term. I have a shot record book thingy that we log it into each time no matter who we use so we don't have to rely on memory.

[DawnM]

And that's when I moved over to your side of the argument. I'd be livid if my physician of any kind refused to write a Rx unless I bought from them. And I'd be telling them I thought it was price gouging scummy of them and I'd have no problem mentioning their name on social media when I complained about it.

 

Not okay at all.

 

That said, don't just look at the initial cost. Look at how long the medication will last.

 

Sure $150 is still a $150 and try to find a better deal, but if that $150 is 6 months or more of medications, that really is not that tragic a price.

 

I can't remember the name of our meds, but we get flea/tick/mosquito/heartwarm and a generic of the arthritis medication for anout $200 -$250 a YEAR. I think he is due for his shots ... I usually use southern agriculture bc it's half the cost of the vet, BUT you need to know what shots your pet actually needs or they will just redose them with everything, which is not good for the pet long term. I have a shot record book thingy that we log it into each time no matter who we use so we don't have to rely on memory.

 

 

NO!  The $150 is PER MONTH!  For one dog.

[Murphy101]

NO! The $150 is PER MONTH! For one dog.

Yikes. That's a lot of money. That's more than we pay for my dh's insulin and equipment. Granted we have to buy it fm London or Toranto to find it affordable.

 

Hey - look to online out of the USA distributors?

 

I wouldn't order from... Oh I don't know somewhere known for not being on the up and up. But we have had zero problems so far with human medications from the UK or Canada despite the fear mongering about how it wouldn't be the same quality of meds.

[ktgrok]

NO!  The $150 is PER MONTH!  For one dog.

 

That's insane. 

 

One month of heart worm meds isn't that much, and arthritis meds come in generic now. I'd insist on a script. There is truth to the fact that many of the major brands do NOT sell directly to say, 1800 pet meds, so there is question as to how they are getting the product, and the company won't guarantee it if you buy from them. BUT...it's better than not getting it. We would have people sign the chart saying we'd informed them of that, and then they would get a script. 

 

We always gave a script, even at the ritzy clinic in Palm Beach. 

 

And do check Costco, etc. There are generic heart worm products as well. You can get it much cheaper. 

[Pink and Green Mom]

We have had dogs for the past 18 years, but in the last few years I have noticed vets really pushing so many meds and procedures and "extra" stuff.  We have been to 4 vets in the past 2 years because some of them have become impossible to deal with.  One wanted to charge me $75/month to have my dog's phenobarbital levels checked before they would write a prescription for seizure meds the next month.  We have been able to test in yearly and now you are telling me monthly?  Um, no.  It reminds me of all the newer dentists who tell people with no cavities that they suddenly have 15 that need to be filled right away.

 

If my vet told me they wouldn't write me a prescription to get filled elsewhere I would ask for my records and leave that practice. 

[stephanier.1765]

For fleas, maybe ticks too (I can't remember), we use Advantage II for our cats, and it works well.  A 6-pack runs $52 from Amazon (but that's for cats above 9 pounds, so dogs might be slightly better).

 

I don't know why I never thought of Amazon before for flea meds. This is a much better deal than Petsmart. Thank you!

[KarenNC]

Agreed to check out Costco. You don't have to have a membership to use the pharmacy (you get a little more of a discount if you do have one). My cat was recently prescribed an antiviral that the vet didn't carry. Walgreens wanted $250 for the generic (one month). For the exact same generic, Costco charged $25! This was a human med, but they do carry pet meds as well.

[DawnM]

That's insane. 

 

One month of heart worm meds isn't that much, and arthritis meds come in generic now. I'd insist on a script. There is truth to the fact that many of the major brands do NOT sell directly to say, 1800 pet meds, so there is question as to how they are getting the product, and the company won't guarantee it if you buy from them. BUT...it's better than not getting it. We would have people sign the chart saying we'd informed them of that, and then they would get a script. 

 

We always gave a script, even at the ritzy clinic in Palm Beach. 

 

And do check Costco, etc. There are generic heart worm products as well. You can get it much cheaper. 

 

 

Looks like Costco is about the same as the Vet for Remidyl.  I may have to see about just getting a different medication for that one.  

 

http://www.costco.com/wcsstore/CostcoUSBCCatalogAssetStore/rx/internet-pet-med-prices.pdf

Edited June 9, 2016 by DawnM

[ktgrok]

Looks like Costco is about the same as the Vet for Remidyl.  I may have to see about just getting a different medication for that one.  

 

http://www.costco.com/wcsstore/CostcoUSBCCatalogAssetStore/rx/internet-pet-med-prices.pdf

 

Ask about Novox, which is the generic. 

[hornblower]

Oh, it is definitely time for a new Vet, but I don't even know where to find one that is better or cheaper.

 

So you spend over $150 on meds per month for your dog?

 

More. 

[hornblower]

Sentinel is available at 1800 pet meds for $56.69 for a 6 months supply. 

Rimadyl is harder to price out without knowing your dosage but if you go to a generic I think you'd be looking around 1-1.50 / day.   If you can try meloxicam that one is even cheaper in generic & can work out to less than $1/day 

For fleas I like Revolution but it is expensive. Usually costs about 15-20/month 


Do find a vet that will be willing to write a prescription. Some meds can be acquired from the human pharmacy. Sometimes 1800petmeds.com or other online pharmacies have the best prices.  1800 pet meds is a publicly listed & trades on the stock exchange. It's not a shady business. 

 

[TammyinTN]

Our dog was just diagnosed with arthritis last week.  Our vet prescribed Dermaxx for 12 days ($40 bucks)  to get the inflammation down in her joints.  Then told us to start her on glucosamine with chondroitin from Costco or buy it online.   I got a 2 month supply from amazon for 30.00 bucks..here' the link if it helps.  http://www.amazon.com/Glucosamine-Advanced-Supplement-Chondroitin-Hyaluronic/dp/B013MML2BI?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

 

I buy Frontline at Costco in 6 month supplies and we don't do heart worm.....she's healthy with no parasites.

 

 

I'd be shopping for a new vet.  

[hornblower]

Ask about Novox, which is the generic. 

 

 

Yes, I find the vet formulations are more expensive. If you can get the human generic, that's when the price really drops. Assuming your dog is lab enough that she'll eat anything it's usually not necessary to get the 'beef flavoured' chewable vet version.

 

 I put dog meds in their food or wrap in Pill Pockets.  Cheese can work too. 

[hornblower]

Whether you need to do heartworm is really dependent on the prevalence in your area. If risk is low to medium, Revolution would take care of both fleas & heartworm prevention - double the bang for the buck. 

If it's a high prevalence area I'd use a specific hw prevention. 

[DawnM]

Ask about Novox, which is the generic. 

 

 

They don't carry it from what I can see.

 

I thought Carprofen was the generic, but maybe it is just the same thing.

Edited June 9, 2016 by DawnM

[DawnM]

That's insane. 

 

One month of heart worm meds isn't that much, and arthritis meds come in generic now. I'd insist on a script. There is truth to the fact that many of the major brands do NOT sell directly to say, 1800 pet meds, so there is question as to how they are getting the product, and the company won't guarantee it if you buy from them. BUT...it's better than not getting it. We would have people sign the chart saying we'd informed them of that, and then they would get a script. 

 

We always gave a script, even at the ritzy clinic in Palm Beach. 

 

And do check Costco, etc. There are generic heart worm products as well. You can get it much cheaper. 

 

 

Ok, I think I am wrong about the heart worm but I need to check.  That may have been more than one month's worth.

[DawnM]

My old dog ( giant breed) is on Rimadyl and it is 26 for a 30 day supply at the vet. I use good rx to price check the area and 1800 pet meds for anything else.

 

 

How are you getting it that cheap?

[Pawz4me]

Our dog was just diagnosed with arthritis last week.  Our vet prescribed Dermaxx for 12 days ($40 bucks)  to get the inflammation down in her joints.  Then told us to start her on glucosamine with chondroitin from Costco or buy it online.   I got a 2 month supply from amazon for 30.00 bucks..here' the link if it helps.  http://www.amazon.com/Glucosamine-Advanced-Supplement-Chondroitin-Hyaluronic/dp/B013MML2BI?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

 

I buy Frontline at Costco in 6 month supplies and we don't do heart worm.....she's healthy with no parasites.

 

 

I'd be shopping for a new vet.  

 

Being healthy and free of parasites has nothing to do with heartworms. A dog is infected with them when they're bitten by an infected mosquito. You can see the incidence of HW infection by area here.

[DawnM]

Whether you need to do heartworm is really dependent on the prevalence in your area. If risk is low to medium, Revolution would take care of both fleas & heartworm prevention - double the bang for the buck. 

 

If it's a high prevalence area I'd use a specific hw prevention. 

 

 

Looks like we are in a higher incident area.  I guess I should get some.  We have done it off and on.  

[Guest]

What are you switching to?

It is just a glucosamine pill with chondroitin and MSM :http://m.samsclub.com/ip/member-s-mark-triple-strength-glucosamine-chondroitin-msm-220-ct-/prod17030152

 

They had originally prescribed Dasuquin (sp?). This is for a young dog who has had a broken leg and we are trying to help her out for the future. I am not sure if what you were prescribed is the same kind of thing or something for more advanced arthritis.

[Pegasus]

We are honest with our vet that cost is a concern.  She always lays out our various options and is fully supportive of whatever we decide.  She always asks how much we are paying to get our meds online (usually through Drs. Foster & Smith because I've used them for many years and trust their quality).  If she can, she'll then match the cost.  Sometimes, our online cost is less than what she pays!  In those cases, she hands over a written prescription.

 

Because she's been so good to us in this way, if her regular prices are anywhere close to what we'd pay online, we go ahead and buy from her.

 

My sister became so annoyed when her vet would no longer prescribe heartworm meds without testing the animal TWICE a year, she found a way to order the meds without a prescription from Australia.  I have no idea if this is legal or not.

 

Most flea and tick meds don't require a prescription.  I'd look for OTC meds or at least generic prescription drugs for the arthritis. Heartworm meds, unfortunately, are going to be expensive regardless but are really necessary in many parts of the nation/world.

Edited June 10, 2016 by Pegasus

[hornblower]

 

 

My sister became so annoyed when her vet would no longer prescribe heartworm meds without testing the animal TWICE a year, she found a way to order the meds without a prescription from Australia.  I have no idea if this is legal or not.

 

I've never heard it being done twice yearly but it is supposed to be done annually because if the prevention didn't work (dog spat it out, you were late one day) and you treat an infected dog with the preventative it can kill them. 

[StephanieZ]

There's no way on God's Green Earth that Sentinel + Rimadyl should run you 150/mo. I am *guessing* you were being offered 3-6 months worth of the meds. Both these meds are widely used and have fairly standard pricing. No vet could stay in business charging that much, for sure, I guarantee it. So, either you misunderstood what she was offering you (number of months/doses) or someone got their pricing *really* screwed up. 

 

Sometimes inventory pricing gets crazy accidentally. For instance, our inventory pricing system bases the client price on what *we* pay plus a standard mark up (that varies with type of drug). So, say the client cost is supposed to be 2x our cost. We pay $1 per pill, so your price is supposed to be $2 per pill. But we take in a bottle of 100 pills for $100 and then the inventory item is set up wrong and thinks we just paid $100 per pill, so suddenly, the client cost is $200 per pill. You pick up your prescription, and it's suddenly $5000, lol. Obviously, if the error is this drastic, then the receptionist or client will surely notice it and get it fixed at that time. However, if the error is milder and/or it's a brand new (or exceptionally stupid) receptionist, then the staff person might not catch the error. 

 

Given the *very high* likelihood that you either misunderstood or there was an inventory pricing glitch, I'd give a call to the vet office, and tell them what you wrote here, and I bet dollars to donuts that you'll find that you were being offered 6 months of meds, not one month. 

 

(Sentinel comes in 6 month packs and maybe 12 month packs. I don't think it is even distributed in 3 month packs although some preventive meds are. Although some hospitals will "break" a box selling one month at a time, that is not routine in most practices unless you are dosing a growing puppy.)

 

Sentinel should be maybe 20/mo (+/- 50% or so) and Rimadyl *should* be fairly cheap since there is a generic of it available. I mean, like maybe 25/mo max -- really like 10/mo if you are buying 3 months at a time or so. The generic Rimadyl is the *cheap* option for arthritis care. 

 

I agree with buying from your vet for multiple reasons (biased though, dh is a vet). BUT, 150/mo for those two meds is definitely insane. 

 

Personally, I'd google up what the prices are on PetMeds and/or Foster&Smith. Then expect to pay between that and maybe 50% more at your vet. If the prices are truly multiples more than what the costs are at the online retailers, something is bonkers. 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2016 by StephanieZ

[DawnM]

There's no way on God's Green Earth that Sentinel + Rimadyl should run you 150/mo. I am *guessing* you were being offered 3-6 months worth of the meds. Both these meds are widely used and have fairly standard pricing. No vet could stay in business charging that much, for sure, I guarantee it. So, either you misunderstood what she was offering you (number of months/doses) or someone got their pricing *really* screwed up. 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, I think I was mixed up with the Sentinel, as that had to be a price for more than a month, but I need to verify.

 

There was a 3rd drug in there but I can't remember off hand what it was.

 

And the Remidyl is $65/mo.  There is no getting around that for the name brand drug.

Edited June 10, 2016 by DawnM

[Pen]

I normally use a variety of natural products as much as possible for everything.

 

This year though, fleas are beyond my coping, so I took my dog  to a regular (not natural leaning) vet. The dog gets XLarge size meds .

 

The dog got Nexgard for fleas and ticks--most expensive med gotten. 

 

6 months of XL Nexgard was ( aprox $140  --changed to be less specific as being me!)

 

He also got  Interceptor Plus intended for tapeworm due to the fleas, but also works for heartworm prevention. The dose was a freebie, and I don't need more, if at all, until next month, but my recollection is that it would be around $60 for 6 months, maybe even less. I asked about just a tapeworm med since that was all the dog needed, but they said that it alone is very expensive while the Interceptor combo is a lot more reasonable in cost. It required a heartworm test, which was negative as expected, and that was part of the total bill.

 

Our last older arthritic dog was on more natural things like glucosamine and chondroitin and MSM for joints,  Boswellia and turmeric for inflammation and  aspirin for pain. I got them at regular store as intended for humans and they were not terribly expensive.

 

 

Edited June 10, 2016 by Pen

[StephanieZ]

ps. I have to correct myself. Dh tells me that, no, the generic Rimadyl is NOT that cheap. Unfortunately, it is more like $1-2 a day or so. Drug companies suck eggs.

[itsheresomewhere]

How are you getting it that cheap?

That is the current price at the vet.

[Pawz4me]

Goodness. I'm jealous of all this "cheap" Rimadyl.

 

A few years ago when I was buying it for our Brittany (47 pounds) it was $92 a month. That was my vet's price, but it wasn't significantly less expensive anywhere online. But that was before the generic was available. I think Novox had just come out around the time he passed away.

[DawnM]

That is the current price at the vet.

 

 

I see.  Well, that doesn't help me.....I can't find it that cheap anywhere.

[Suzanne115]

I  would find a new vet.  I have had vets recommend that I purchase from them, but they would still provide a prescription if I chose to go elsewhere.  I used to have a dog that required a lot of daily medicine.  We saved thousands of dollars on medication for him by shopping around.  The price quoted at the vets was cost prohibitive for us and it was a medication he needed to survive.  If your dog does not have fleas and ticks, I personally would not put him/her on flea/tick medication.  

 

 

Suzanne

[Alicia64]

She insisted that I needed to buy from the Vet's office because she doesn't know what I will get online and it is safest directly from them.  She basically called me a bad pet owner.

 

 

This is a hot topic with my husband who majored in Chemistry (so super science oriented). He thinks -- and I finally agreed with him -- that the vet field ALL sell this idea that only meds from them are safe. Vets, vet techs -- everyone sells this story. If one person says "the king has no clothes" their plan for raising price on meds falls apart.

 

Dh has pointed out that it would be fraud for the middlemen who also sell these products to not sell a safe product. (In a nutshell.) He compares it to the diamond cartel (ton of diamonds, but they're trying to act like they're rare and so far it's working).

 

Bottom line: we buy pet meds on Amazon prime and save a fortune.

 

We have a wonderful, wonderful vet -- LOVE the man. But, geez, they can make it too expensive to have animals.

 

I do feel for the vets. They come out of vet school owning a fortune so I understand why they raise prices.

 

Still.

 

Alley

[Alicia64]

Goodness. I'm jealous of all this "cheap" Rimadyl.

 

A few years ago when I was buying it for our Brittany (47 pounds) it was $92 a month. That was my vet's price, but it wasn't significantly less expensive anywhere online. But that was before the generic was available. I think Novox had just come out around the time he passed away.

 

Pawz: your pup is adorable!!!!!!!