Save on pet medications at Costco Pharmacy

Like our children, when our pets get sick, we want the best for them. Sometimes we find that many of the pet medications needed to get our furry friends well are outrageously priced, especially if purchased at your veterinarian. Even online pet drug pharmacies are expensive. What most people do not know is that Costco Pharmacy now carries pet medications.

Many medications given to dogs and cats are human drugs. These include Cephalexin and Amoxicillin. When I had a diabetic cat on insulin, my veterinarian and I decided to switch the cat from specially formulated insulin for pets to human insulin, which I purchased at Costco. At the time, the cost difference was about $30. I went from spending over $100 for the formulation to about $70. That is quite a decrease when you think of the frequency insulin needs to be inoculated

Costco has over 150 prescriptions used for cats and dogs. I noticed some of the pet drugs on my last visit to Costco: Rimadyl, Tramadol, Clavomox, Heartguard, Vetoryl, and Felmazole.

Not only does one save on the drugs, but Costco also has a program that provides additional member savings when you do not have insurance. It is called the Costco Member Prescription Program (CMPP). Since most pets are not insured, they fall into this program.

Fellow writer Beth Helms Graham has a Labrador named Bella, who is 10-years old and has a mass on her shoulder that causes her to limp. The mass seems to be slow-growing but causes pain for Bella when she goes about her daily dog routines. After trying several combinations of medications, Beth and her vet found a mixture that seems to make Bella feel better. This drug regime requires three different pain meds given three times a day.

Beth was complaining about the new costs, and I suggested she look into Costco. Here is what she found. Before I recommended Costco, an online pet pharmacy that Beth had used in the past wanted $80 for 30 days worth of Tramadol and Gabapentin. Once I told Beth about Costco, these same prescriptions were only $24. That is quite a savings and does not feel like you are breaking the bank.

Pet Medications

Over the years, several of my dogs were put on medication after surgery. Here is a comparison of the drugs I purchased at Costco to those of a veterinarian. These medications do not include the member discount, saving an additional $3 to $8 depending on the medication.

Tramadol 50 mg Tablet: 20 tablets at Costco were priced at $12.13, and my vet $25.60.

Clavamox 250 MG Tablets: 28 Tablets at Costco were $56.19 compared to the vet, where it was $125.80.

Clavamox 375 Mg Tablets: 28 Tablets at Costco were priced at $85.71, while at my vet, they were $169.20.

Cephalexin 500 Mg Capsules: 20 Capsules at Costco cost $10.15, while at my vet, they were $34.18.

Rimadyl 75 Mg Chewable: 5 chewable tablets cost $15.28 at Costco and $37.35 at my vet.

Amox-Clav 500-125 Mg Tables: 20 Tablets at Costco cost $24.85, while at my vet, they were $45.75.

Amoxicillin 500 Mg Capsules: 20 Capsules at Costco cost $8.31 and were $30.58 at the vet.

The above drug prices were updated in June of 2021.

As you can see, this is quite a savings. In addition, Costco’s pet prescription benefit comes in handy if you reside in those regions of the country where heartworm is prevalent and must give your dog Heartguard or Tri-Heart all year long.

This is just one of the lesser-known savings you get as a Costco member. If you have pets and are not a Costco member, you may want to consider joining, especially if you have older pets that may require continuous medications.

For a list of many pet medications carried at Costco Pharmacy, click here.