Bao is currently on four different medications -- two for the heart condition, and two more to keep his bowels functioning. Turns out, all four of them are "people" medications, available (with a prescription) at an ordinary drug-store.

I discovered this when the lccal veterinary pharmacy advised me they were all out of whatever they needed to fill the prescription for one of the heart meds, and wouldn't have more for at least a week. I was horrified. This is probably the most important medication of all, and Bao has to take it twice a day. What were we supposed to do?

They suggested that I get our veternarian to write another prescription, which could be filled by a drug-store. So we did, and off we went to Walgreens.

A month's supply of what we needed cost a whopping $79 -- unless Bao had a Pharmaceutical Card. In that case, it was only $9.99.

How could Bao possibly have a Pharmaceutical Card? I asked the nice young man. Bao is a dog.

Doesn't matter, replied the nice young man. He can still have his own Pharmaceutical Card. If you buy it today, it'll cost you $29.99 for everything. And the next time you buy the meds, they'll only cost you $9.99.

Long story short, Bao has now got his very own Walgreens Pharmaceutical Card. I never knew dogs could get Pharmaceutical Cards, so I'm passing this on for whatever it's worth -- it was worth $50 to us!

If your dog (or cat) is on medication, it might be something worth looking into.