Soaring prescription drug prices are hitting pet owners’ pocketbooks hard. And, giving a pet the medicine it needs can be more expensive than caring for a person since the owner may not have pet insurance or the pet may have a pre-existing condition. Los Angeles Times columnist David Lazarus recommends that pet owners shop for best prices, especially when a pet is prescribed a human drug.
Source: Los Angeles Times, September 30, 2016.
Dr. Joe Kinnarney, a North Carolina vet and former president of the American Veterinary Medical Assn., said the cost of pet-specific meds tends to hold fairly steady, with prices generally rising in tandem with inflation.
As for human drugs prescribed for bets, he said most vets understand the financial pressure pet owners face. Kinnarney cited the example of the generic antibiotic doxycycline hyclate, which skyrocketed from $20 a bottle in October 2013 to a whopping $1,849 in April 2014.
He said pet owners shouldn’t hesitate to ask their vet for a prescription that can be taken to a pharmacy offering the best deal. ‘Our primary concern is to care for your pet,’ he said.