It Pays to Price Out Pet Meds: Tip-of-the-Day #327

Image found on Simplycatbreeds.org

If you have more than one pet, you know that the cost of food, (litter in my case), vet visits, meds, etc. really start to add up. I currently have four critters at home and two of them are senior. Like aging humans, things start to break down. One of my cats has IBD (irritable bowel disorder) which I've been treating with Cerenia and one has inflammation in her joints which I treat with transdermal Prednisolone and Adequan. I treat the joint inflammation every other day and the IBD twice a week. The price of these meds, while not outrageous, is still costly enough that given how often I have to buy them, it was worth my while to look into where I could buy them for less. 

My comfort with the internet led me to Google. I found all kinds of online pet med sites that sold what I needed for far less than my vet's office. That said, some of these meds need to be stored very carefully and buying them online can be risky when you don't know where they've been. (It's similar to buying fine wine from an uninsured/untrusted source). So despite my inclination to save a bundle and order in one click, I instead started shopping around with local vet offices. I know and trust my primary vet but also know that they charge approximately 30% more for services and supplements. Sure enough, I called my backup vet and they had the same product for 30% less. 

Given that I have to replenish my stash every few weeks, that 30% really adds up and makes a difference to my pocketbook. So, I bought several months worth of what I needed from my alt vet. This same line of thinking applies to surgeries and/or anything you're going to be "paying up" for. A doctor I know takes her dog farther north when the dog requires any kind of x-rays or surgical attention. It's considerably less money than going to a vet in San Francisco and you're not sacrificing quality whatsoever.

A few minutes and a few phone calls may save you a small fortune over time.