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Old 06-28-2012, 06:06 AM
 
Location: The Great State of Arkansas
5,981 posts, read 18,210,888 times
Reputation: 7732

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Just wanted to remind the frugal to check it all out when you are getting pet meds.

I recently had to put our blind Rottweiler on Cipro 750 mg 1 twice a day for an infection - 20 pills. That's the way the vet wrote it and he KNOWS I'm not going to pay the full vet pricing for antibiotics or many other meds that can be purchased at a people pharmacy at less cost. I have 7 dogs, he knows I have to manage the funds in order to pay him! I took the Rx to the pharmacy and the pharmacist said a 10 day supply was about $40 - or he could call the vet and have the Rx re-written. And that's what he did - and was able to get Cipro 500 mg, 30 pills. In the 500 mg dosing the Rx fell under the $4 generic plan. It was a simple matter of breaking 1 tablet per day to save $36!

This WILL NOT work with all medications. Some can't be broken due to time release coating, some aren't available under cheaper human plans - but always ask your vet about alternatives. You can also always go home, shop the best price, and have the Rx faxed to the pharmacy that you choose. And ask the pharmacist. They are really very well informed on medication usage and may even be able to suggest something less expensive to the vet that is comparable.

I know that Kroger is now handling some pet meds as well, and ours can get anything we need within 24 hrs. It's worth checking out. There are some pet meds that don't translate well to human meds, but there are a lot that do.

Sam The Frugal
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Old 06-28-2012, 06:17 AM
 
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
17,330 posts, read 32,867,149 times
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Wow! Good for you for doing your research.
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Old 06-28-2012, 09:17 AM
 
1,257 posts, read 4,561,140 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam I Am View Post
Just wanted to remind the frugal to check it all out when you are getting pet meds.

I recently had to put our blind Rottweiler on Cipro 750 mg 1 twice a day for an infection - 20 pills. That's the way the vet wrote it and he KNOWS I'm not going to pay the full vet pricing for antibiotics or many other meds that can be purchased at a people pharmacy at less cost. I have 7 dogs, he knows I have to manage the funds in order to pay him! I took the Rx to the pharmacy and the pharmacist said a 10 day supply was about $40 - or he could call the vet and have the Rx re-written. And that's what he did - and was able to get Cipro 500 mg, 30 pills. In the 500 mg dosing the Rx fell under the $4 generic plan. It was a simple matter of breaking 1 tablet per day to save $36!

This WILL NOT work with all medications. Some can't be broken due to time release coating, some aren't available under cheaper human plans - but always ask your vet about alternatives. You can also always go home, shop the best price, and have the Rx faxed to the pharmacy that you choose. And ask the pharmacist. They are really very well informed on medication usage and may even be able to suggest something less expensive to the vet that is comparable.

I know that Kroger is now handling some pet meds as well, and ours can get anything we need within 24 hrs. It's worth checking out. There are some pet meds that don't translate well to human meds, but there are a lot that do.

Sam The Frugal
This is so true. When my first GSD was found to have fungal infection, the drug for the treatment at Walmart was $1000 per month. I took the prescription and asked around. Our local Sams club pharmacist worked with me and managed to do $100 per 10 day supply, so reduced cost to $300 a month. $700 savings. Well, it didn't save her but I learned a valuable lesson.
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Old 06-28-2012, 10:24 PM
 
4,918 posts, read 22,606,658 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam I Am View Post
I know that Kroger is now handling some pet meds as well, and ours can get anything we need within 24 hrs.
Do you get regular fuel points based on price or the higher fuel points as a pharmacy purchase even though only $4.00?
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Old 06-30-2012, 08:19 AM
 
13,768 posts, read 38,056,040 times
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I saw a sign in Walmart that they are now selling heartworm meds in the pharmacy. I haven't asked what kind or the cost yet.
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Old 07-05-2012, 12:20 PM
 
Location: Utah
5,118 posts, read 16,545,494 times
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Thanks for that info. I'll have to check it out.
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Old 07-06-2012, 05:41 AM
 
Location: The Great State of Arkansas
5,981 posts, read 18,210,888 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Keeper View Post
I saw a sign in Walmart that they are now selling heartworm meds in the pharmacy. I haven't asked what kind or the cost yet.
Kroger has 'em too. Whoa - I misread that - don't know about HW meds, but they do have Frontline for flea/tick in the pharmacy.

Walgreen's only carries Pet Armor, BTW. I'd assume since Walgreen's just bought USA Drug, Super D, and a bunch of other stores that the others will begin carrying some pet medications as well. I can't see online that they carry pharmaceuticals OR flea/tick meds at the current time, but it never hurts to ask.

I guess Walmart just fills a regular script from the vet after appropriate testing - HW meds aren't over-the-counter, even though you can buy Ivermectin by the caseload at any farm supply store.
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Old 07-12-2012, 06:45 AM
 
13,768 posts, read 38,056,040 times
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I asked about cost for heartworm meds and got the following info.

I think he said it was Heartguard. for a small dog 6 pk is $20. Large dog was around 45.00 for 6 PK.
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Old 07-12-2012, 09:54 AM
 
Location: Corpus Christi
484 posts, read 1,624,208 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Keeper View Post
I asked about cost for heartworm meds and got the following info.
I think he said it was Heartguard. for a small dog 6 pk is $20. Large dog was around 45.00 for 6 PK.
HeartGuard is the most common HW med sold by Vets,,, I think.

If you read the ingredients on the package you will see the active ingredient in HW meds is ivomectin, which is a very common animal dewormer. Ivomec Plus is a brand name of a cattle wormer of the same meds and is available at most Farm and Ranch supply stores for about $35.00 for a 50ml bottle. You'll need to pick up a small syringe to draw out the liquid, dispense at a rate of 0.05cc's per 10 pounds of dog weight. For example, for my 60 lb standard poodle, once a month I draw out 0.3cc's and dribble it on a piece of bread, smear it with a little peanut butter and she thinks it's a treat. That $35.00 bottle will last the lifetime of most dogs. There isn't an expiry date on this medication, but just to be safe I store the little bottle in the fridg.

Last edited by jbtx; 07-12-2012 at 10:09 AM..
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Old 07-12-2012, 10:32 AM
 
Location: The Great State of Arkansas
5,981 posts, read 18,210,888 times
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jbtx - now that you've refrigerated the ivermectin you should probably keep doing so - and it should have an expiration somewhere, but it lasts like 7 years or something. For those going this route, though, make sure to check when you purchase. But it doesn't have to be refrigerated as long as it is kept in the dark at below about 80 degrees.

The most important thing is to keep ivermectin out of the sunlight. You mix it with food grade glycol - it takes very, very little to accomplish what you want to do in dogs and drawing it straight is prone to huge errors because it is so concentrated.

Ivomec ( 1% injectable Ivomec for cattle) one part Ivomec to 9 parts propylene glycol....then give the dog 1/10 of a cc per 10 lbs. of dog of this solution (a 40 lb. dog gets 4/10 of a cc.) This is just about the same dosage the dog would be getting in Heartgard. Use a tuberculin syringe, which your pharmacist will have and sell you CHEAP to dispense. I also give it on peanut butter. Do the mixture and use the tuberculin syringe and there's less margin for error.

I know the arguments against this - not trying to start a war. When you have 7 dogs totaling 550 lbs. you do what you do, and I was given this information by a COE breeder. I will say by disclaimer that the company that makes Ivomec will not do a thing if you calibrate wrong or the medication doesn't do what you want it to - I will also say I use this as a preventive and have my dogs checked yearly. I've heard of doubling the dose a couple of times a year to kill hookworms and whipworms, but I just use Drontal for that.

PLEASE REMEMBER - there are certain breeds that should not use this concoction. Collies and greyhounds, some other sight hounds. Check with your vet, who may not be thrilled. For some of us it just works.
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