Alternatives to pricey pet medications exist, but vets urge caution

A cheaper alternative to get pet meds Cheryl Holmes on a dog owner who wants others to know about a cheaper way to get prescription medications for pets.

Owning a pet can be expensive, but there are ways to save money on some of the bigger bills.

It’s a reality Tamara Hiller learned when her 11-year-old black lab, Raven, got sick.

“She has cancer, but her main problem is pain in her hips from old age,” Hiller said.

Raven was prescribed a costly anti-inflammatory to help with pain and Hiller recently learned she can save big bucks buying the meds at a regular pharmacy.

It's a practice veterinarian Dr. Corey Bartley said isn't that uncommon.

“It is very similar to human medicine, where they use many of the same medications - not all of the same - and a lot of them you can write a written prescription for,” Bartley said.

When Hiller first started buying the prescription Metacam, it came in a 100 milliliter bottle, and cost $150 at her vet's office.

At Dakota Veterinary Hospital, where Bartley works, the same liquid costs $69.86.

Now, Raven takes pills designed for human consumption for a fraction of the price.

“Now I have 20 tablets, which I split in four, so I have 80 days’ worth, and I’m only paying $23.24,” Hiller said.

There are no regulations on what vet clinics can charge for medications. Prices are set by the manufacturers, Bartley said.

“If (pharmacies are) ordering hundreds of millions of pills every year, they're clearly getting bulk prices that we're not going to be able to get as a small company that's only ordering a couple hundred pills per year.”

Bartley doesn't necessarily advise against people going to pharmacies, but cautions you may not be able to find the right dose, or the meds could cause adverse reactions like vomiting.

“It might not digest as well for a pet as a pill where they've specifically formulated it for a pet to be a liquid, or even a transdermal ointment, or something like that.”

Bartley also says if the animal has an adverse reaction, the manufacturer may give them support that you couldn't get at your pharmacy.

Still, Hiller wants people to know they have options.

“It’s hard for me to think that a lot of people aren't able to provide pain management and symptom management for their dogs because they're thinking, ‘OMG, this is way too expensive,’” said Hiller.