prednisolone - where to buy it

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Hillary & Maui (GA)

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For those who use prednisolone where do you buy it, how much does it cost and what dose do you get.

I bought the initial amount at the vet and think it was way too expensive. I also git the liquid instead of pills - ewww that stuff is nasty. So I need to get the pills 5 mg size and researching where to get it cheap.
 
Call around to different pharmacies to see if they carry it. Also check online for the free drug discount cards. Many of these you can also use for pet medication.

If prednisone will work instead (they are in the same drug family), Walmart has it on their $4 prescription list.
 
My vet said that prednisolone is 'better' because prednisone is broken down into prednisolone in the
body before it is absorbed. Saves one metabolic step in the process if you give prednisolone directly.

That issue aside, I bought mine mail order from "The Medicine Man Pharmacy". PHONE them first at
1-877-666-2501 and ask to talk to a pharmacist that does pet medicines.

To get the best price, find out what quantity the vet should write the Rx for -- like 100 pills, which is
an un-opened bottle from the mfg. If they don't have to count out the pills, the price is usually a bit better.

Have your vet writ the Rx "prn"...as needed. I usually ordered 2 bottles of pills at a time (200), to save
on shipping (Medicine Man is reasonable in their shipping, and fast).

Also do an online search for pet medicines and see what you turn up.
 
I get mine from the vet, and it's quite cheap. (At least, I think it's cheap - under $20 for 200 pills.)

And it is better because it takes the liver out of the equation. Prednisone needs to be converted to Prednisolone by the liver before the cat can use it (not the same with dogs), so skipping that step has two advantages :

1. less worry about long term liver involvement
2. the entire dose gets used

Good luck!
 
thanks and yes prednisolone is what is recommended by the vet as well.

I paid $30 for 30 mil bottle of 3mg liquid. Or rather 30 doses in the supply. I thought liquid would be better than pilling, but it tastes horrible (yes i sampled it) and I'm now also giving Sydney 1/4 tablet of tapazole, so I'm pilling anyway.

Thanks for the suggestions.

And what's considered cheap for tapazole - my local pharmacy sells the 5mg for about 40 cents a pill.

Edited to add: I just checked Target Pharmacy and they sell prednisolone and it's on the $4 drug list - so I'll get it from there and the tap from the Shoprite pharmacy. YEah I get to run around getting my cat's meds now.
 
i wanna say the tap, aka: methimazole, is probably on the $4 list too, or close to it, so ask about that too. if i remember correctly i got Spazzie's at walmart and it was pretty cheap
 
If you're pilling anyway, combine the two into a #3 gelcap. ONE pill to give and no bad taste.

Remove the cap, stuff both doses into the bottom half of the gel-cap (something pointy is
sometimes useful..like the tip of a cuticle scissors.) Now snip off any excess amount
of gel-cap with---a cuticle scissors (there they are again). Now put the gel-cap top back on.
This makes for a smaller pill.

check with your vet if it is OK to give the pills at the same time.

Always follow pilling with a bit of water (syringed) or a bit of tasty food. To push the pill
down the esophagus.
 
thanks Karen,

The pills are so small, I'm using a bit of pill pocket and she's eating or I'm shoving that down the throat. :lol:.

I asked target and the tap isn't on the $4 list. I'll check walmart and if see what they say.
 
Nope, it not on the $4 list.
Cindy + Mousie said:
i wanna say the tap, aka: methimazole, is probably on the $4 list too, or close to it, so ask about that too. if i remember correctly i got Spazzie's at walmart and it was pretty cheap
 
With bitter tablets, you may also coat them with an edible oil, to keep them from dissolving in the mouth.

Or, use a pill crusher, mix with a bit of cat food. That may result in a food aversion for extremely bitter meds, as well as getting you slimed when the cat starts drooling over everything. Baytril was like that and I finally asked the vet for a subcutaneous injectable form when treating any of my more fractious to medicate cats.
 
I knew I saved these gelcaps for a reason. :)

Larry thanks for the link for thriving pets and Karen thanks for the info about Medicine Man.

I called Medicine Man and spoke with the pet pharmacist, who was very nice, informative and helpful. She mentioned about using transdermal and suspension liquids (flavored anyway Syd would like). However, when the drugs were priced out, they are both pretty expensive, especially if Sydney is going to be on this for the long term.

So, I called 800petmeds and told them that I found the drugs cheaper (thanks to Larry's link) and they matched the prices and I have a $5 off coupon, which they applied. So, they are calling the vet for authorization and next week Sydney will have a supply of drugs.

The good thing is, I have enough for now, so there is no panic or rush and I've got the other vet authorizing the local pharmacies to fill them, so we should be well stocked and I've got lots of pill pockets that I'm hoping she will eat with her other treats and that will take care of the pilling issue. I hope ;-)

If anyone wants the $5 coupon code it's IAMBACK. I'll put it on supply closet too.
 
wow! that's a great price. The problem I have is I was hard pressed to get them to write a scrip for 200 pills. No way, will I get them to write for 1000!
 
I used to buy generic tapazole from Walgreens, 100 - 10mg tablets for about $32, but I did join the family plan and added my cats to it. Family plan is $35 per year, I think. Joining the plan gives me discounts on all my cat meds as well as discounts throughout the store on any Walgreens branded product.

I don't think I'll join it again this year as my cats that needed daily heart/hypert and other pills are no longer with me.
 
KarenRamboConan said:
I get mine from the vet, and it's quite cheap. (At least, I think it's cheap - under $20 for 200 pills.)

And it is better because it takes the liver out of the equation. Prednisone needs to be converted to Prednisolone by the liver before the cat can use it (not the same with dogs), so skipping that step has two advantages :

1. less worry about long term liver involvement
2. the entire dose gets used

Good luck!

Thanks for this information! I thought it was prednisone Mitty is on, but noticed that the tag on the last tube said prednisolone. I thought I remembered that someone here said it was supposed to be easier on the kitties, bt couldn't remember. Its nice to know it is better since we just finished our first month and I am picking up the second script for it today :sad:

Hillary - we paid about the same as you did for the liquid for 30 doses, we had it compounded into a PLO gel to be rubbed into his ear. My guess is the compounding into a liquid or gel is what skyrockets the price. Unfortunately for us, Mitty won't take pills, won't eat treats so no pill pockets, and won't touch food with meds in them (don't know how he can tell, but he does). He's making sure he gives me reason to call him our million dollar baby.
 
Melanie,

Funny you should say he won't eat the pill pockets. I've been watching Sydney with it and I roll the pill pocket in her freeze dried chicken crumbs and include with her glucosamine treats - she eats everything, except the pill pocket with the methamazole 1/4 pill in it - she puts it in her mouth then spits out and refuses to eat it. No matter how I disguise or trick it.

So, then when she doesn't eat it, I take the whole thing and pill her with it. silly cats.

yes, compounding adds lots of cost to the process. I do like the idea of the ear stuff, for now it's so expensive and now that she needs to be on two meds, I figure it's cheaper to get the pills and put in pockets and pill her with it.

sigh...silly cats.
 
Another disadvantage of the compounded meds is the short shelf life. Thriving Pets says their transdermal generic tapazole is only good for 30 days after compounding.
 
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