Ways to save on your pet’s Rx bill

-Ask your vet about alternative drugs and generics.

-Prescription programs - Walgreens Prescription Savings Club, for $20 a year per pet ($35 for the whole family, including all pets), offers 400 different generic drugs at $12 for a 90-day supply. And many others at a sizable discount.

- Four-buck programs - You can get antibiotics and other drugs for $4 at many pharmacies (Wal-Mart, Kroger, Publix, etc.).

- Local pet supply stores such as Petco and PetSmart and your neighborhood pet supply/feed store.

- Online pharmacies such as Drs. Foster and Smith www.drsfostersmith.com Always buy online prescriptions from a reputable source. There are online prescription sites which sell counterfeit medicine.

-Buying in “bulk” If your pet is on a medicine, such as thyroid medicine, that he/she will be taking for a long time, ask your vet about buying the medicine in bulk, such as a bottle of 100 pills.

- Ask your vet to prescribe a larger dose pill and cut it the pill half with a pill cutter (available at pet supply stores and your local drug store such as CVS)