Having a pet can be expensive! One of the biggest expenses for any pet are the vet and pet medication costs. By doing some research, I have found some great ways you can save money on pet medication for your four-legged family members.
I have two dogs and they are such a big part of my family. They were my first “babies” and they will always be my babies. We can keep our pets healthy without going broke.
Here are some methods that I use.
Tips to Save Money on Pet Medication
Don’t Buy from the Vet
If your pet is going to need a prescription medication, ask the vet to write you a prescription instead of getting it at the vet’s office if they aren’t willing to price match a local pharmacy.
You can usually get the same medication at your local Target, Walmart, Kroger, etc. at a much lower price. A lot of the medication that is prescribed to animals is actually just human medication at a lower dosage.
You can even ask them for a generic brand at the pharmacy if they have one available.
Discount Drug Card
If you are a member of AAA or AARP, see if your discount drug card will cover pet medications as well. Most of the time they will. This can help save you a considerable amount.
Another good option is to use GoodRx. You can easily compare the costs of pet meds to find the retailer that will be the cheapest option. They are 100% free to use!
Buy Online
If the medication is not needed right away, like heart worm prevention or ear cleaner, you may want to compare prices at reputable online providers.
If you buy online, make sure they belong to Vet-VIPPS accredited pharmacies. This means that they comply with federal and state licensing requirements and quality assurance.
Places like 1-800-PetMeds and PetCareRX are good places to start looking.
RELATED POSTS:
- How to Calm your Anxious Dog at the Vet
- What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know to Make their Life Easier
- How to Help your Dog as they Age: Caring for Senior Dogs
Save Even More on Pet Meds
Human Alternative
Ask your vet if there is a human alternative to the pet medication. My dog had an allergic reaction and his eye got really puffy and swollen.
Instead of buying an expensive pet medication, the vet told me that I could just use children’s Benedryl and gave me the correct dosage to give him.
This only cost me about $8 for the bottle and it worked great!
Humane Society
If you are having trouble paying for pet medication or pet surgeries, like spaying and neutering, make sure you check out the Humane Society’s website.
They have state-by-state resources that are available and organizations that you can contact that may be able to help you.
Pets bring so much joy to our lives that we want to do everything we can for them. This includes keeping them healthy and happy.
I hope this helps give you some places to start if you are struggling with vet or medication costs. Most vets are willing to work with you and can set you up on a payment plan or let you know of other resources that are available.
Don’t be afraid to ask. Let us know of any other ways to save money on pet medication that has worked for you.
Leave a Reply