The American Pet Products Association (APPA) concluded in their latest National Pet Owners Survey that approximately 68% of the country’s households own a pet, indicating that furry friends are an integral part of our life. Apart from pampering them with their favorite treats and toys, as a pet parent, you should enroll in a pet insurance plan. Being covered can help you manage a lot of big-ticket medical costs if your pet suddenly falls ill. Unfortunately, pet insurance doesn’t cover various types of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications.

Managing such out-of-pocket costs once or twice might not come across as an issue. However, spending money on medications every month can be difficult especially when you have a tight budget. The good news is that you can take certain smart measures to save money on pet medications without compromising with the health of your little munchkin.

Explore every option
Earlier manufacturers limited distribution of pet medications only to the veterinarians. This left pet parents with no option but to buy medicines directly from the vet’s office. Thankfully, the supply model today has significantly evolved. Even though several individuals prefer buying medications from their vets, you can currently find a range of prescription and OTC drugs in supermarkets and big-box stores, drugstores, and online pharmacies. Doing enough research on every source and comparing their prices will allow you to pick the best deal on pet meds.

Also, if you are planning to get pet meds from sources other than your vet’s office, then ensure that you carry a written prescription.

Alternative treatments
Not every treatment for pets requires a prescription drug. For instance, if the pet is infested with fleas, then you can opt for OTC medicines, which are usually cheaper than the prescription varieties. Moreover, these are available in most stores, enabling you to purchase pet meds at competitive costs.

Discuss price matching
The biggest advantage of buying pet meds from your vet is that it is convenient, so you can get the treatment started immediately instead of spending time shopping or waiting for the medicines to get delivered. Therefore, it would be wise to discuss the prices of the pet meds with the veterinarian first and ask if they are willing to drop the cost according to the market prices offered by fellow competitors.

Check online pharmacies
It’s no secret that e-commerce websites offer amazing deals all the time for most products. So don’t forget to check the deals for pet meds on multiple online pharmacies. However, ensure that you only order from a licensed and reputed seller. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advises that pet parents should only buy from pharmacies that are recognized by the Veterinary-Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (Vet-VIPPS). You can verify this accreditation either on the seller’s site or via an online database of Vet-VIPPS.

Try out a subscription service
If your pet suffers from a chronic condition and needs medication regularly, then you can register for a subscription service. These carry additional perks such as discounts on OTC medicines and automatic delivery.