Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Buying Medications from a regular Pharmacy?

Hi Everyone, I was wondering if most people buy their pet prescriptions from their Vet or a local pharmacy. I have bought things like Heart Guard online before & the Vet always makes you sign a waiver & seems to frown upon it. I have just added up my Vet bills & decided I need to save some money if possible since I will be out of a job in July. I called our Local Walmart & the same prescriptions are a fraction of the price that the Vet charges. I'm sure it is because they are so big they get their items much cheaper. I paid $69.00 for 28 Azathioprine & Walmart only charges $38.28 for 30. The Sucralfate was $44 for 28 pills at the Vet & Walmart is $17. That is quite a big difference. Just thought I'd share this info. for anyone else trying to pinch pennies. Dee And No I do not work for Walmart :)

Dee WI

Dee, I began checking prices on-line and asked the vet to write prescriptions for medications to purchase. Molson was on Azathioprine and I was able to purchase 100 tablets for $45.00 at Costco. You don't have to be a member to purchase meds at the pharmacy. The vets might not be very happy about getting the meds from other places, but they have to also understand we have to save money somewhere. They certainly aren't cutting the cost of our visits. You can check the cost of meds at Costco on-line. Hope this helps. Ann Marie

Ann Marie FL

Hi Dee. Initially, like you, I was getting all of Duck's medications through my vet but found out how much cheaper they were through a "human" pharmacy. I explained to my vet that I needed to save money and would like prescriptions. She was very understanding and now I get all of my meds for Duck by prescription. Before this all happened I didn't realize that we had a right to ask our vets for prescriptions. Take care. deb and Duck

Debbie BC Canada

This is great information. I didn't know this either. You have to remember that vets make a good deal of their income off the products they sell. Sometimes if you tell the vet that you can purchase something like, say, Heartgard for such-and-such a price at such-and-such a Web site or wherever, if you actually show the vet proof that you can get it for less, he may go ahead and meet that competitor's price. He rather have some money than no money. I read a vet's article the other day where the vet interviewed someone from a pet insurance company. You may be surprised to learn that the highest number of claims and the No. 1 cause of poisoning/death in pets is because their guardians give their pets HUMAN drugs. I'm sure I don't need to tell you-all here to never dispense human drugs to your pets unless you've been given the all-clear from your vet.

Jean Colorado

Hi All; Almost all of Kents meds come from Costco or Walmart, including his fluids. Prednisone is on the walmart 4 dollar list, as is his levothyroxine. Pepcid ac aka famotidine is also 4 bucks a prescription. Some things we still get from our vet such as antibiotics, but in general i certainly do shop around for the best prices. Our vet didnt know about some of these programs and he now gets some of his own meds for himself from walmart! Shop around! Both costco and walmart have websites listing the drugs and prices. Kent also has his own 'free insurance card' which is accepted by both costco and walmart and saves us several dollars each non 4 $ prescription. Christine and Kent

Christine FL

Christine: what is a free insurance card? sorry for being stupid today!?!?

Crissy k

Hello I must be very lucky!!!!! I live in Spain and the vet writes a prescription to the local pharmacy. The most I have paid for drugs is about 10 euros, £8.00, or about $15! I dont feel very lucky.

TERRY SPAIN

Hi all-- Just a quick note to those getting your medications from a pharmacy. If you are a AAA member, there is a card that you can get at your local office which will give you a discount on any medication not covered by insurance that is prescribed by a human doc or a vet. Spencer is still on 100mg Neoral once a day for the past 3 yrs and it saves me about $23 on a 10 day perscription which comes in very handy on this expensive medication. Kim and Spencer

Kim Ny

In FL, Publix offers some antibiotics for free and Walmart offers some medications on the $4.00 list. Be familiar with those lists. My Otis is on Ciprofloxican and it is free through the Publix grocery store. Ann Marie

Ann Marie FL

I also have filled many of Slinky's scripts at our pharmacy. I didn't price check, but my drug store has much better hours than the vet :) It's just easier to get things there. Slinky is on our family file there as "Slinky-Dog" LOL.

Stephanie Chicago

I use Costco for Sierra. Currently, her cylcosporine runs approx $105/month at 100/mg day dosing. Haven't looked into Walmart, but think I will now and find out what they charge for cyclosporine. Thanks for the tip on AAA, I'm gonna have to look into that.

Ronda So Cal

Could someone please explain how you purchase meds for your dog through a regular pharmacy? Sheba, our 11 year old GSD mix, was diagnosed with IMHA at the end of March. She is doing well now but the Atopica is a bit expensive. Right now she is on 250mg per day. I don't anticipate it changing for a few months as we are reducing the Pred first and we've just started that process. So, if there is a way to save some monies on the Atopica it would be great. (I have checked all of the online pet pharmacy sites and they are WAY more expensive than the pharmacy at the VTH at ISU where Sheba is being treated.) Thanks for any suggestions!

Rita Iowa

I just had my Vet call in the prescription to the pharmacy or I suppose you could have him write you one and take it to the place of your choice. Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

If you are willing to use a generic, the cost is less. Atopica is the same medicine as human cyclosporine Neoral (and it's generic counterparts) "The veterinary formulation (i.e., Atopica) is a microemulsified preparation with the identical properties of Neoral,..." http://www.jaaha.org/cgi/content/full/41/2/92 When Sierra was first diagnosed, Atopica was not on the market, though Neoral was as well as it's generic equivalent made by Gengraf. Over the last few years, other companies have made and sold a generic version of Neoral. I have had zero problems using generics, but it's something you need to be comfortable with in order to do so.

Ronda So Cal

This thread was discussed between 08/05/2008 and 04/06/2008

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