Wasn't sure where to post this, since it is a cross-topic post.

We have 2 diabetic dogs, one 5 yo and one almost 15 yo. Aside from the diabetes they are both healthy, happy dogs. We've been buying our needles and insulin from Walmart for years. (before you go off on the evils of Walmart, at our local grocery insulin is $75/vial and needles are $36/box. At Walmart the insulin is $25/vial and needles are $12/box.)

Anyway, Walmart has recently discontinued the size needle we have always bought - 29 gauge U-100 with a 1/2" needle. (For the non-cognoscenti, the gauge refers to the diameter of the needle.) We have found the 29 gauge to be the most comfortable for our furkids and we need a 1/2" needle because our guys are Cavaliers and very hairy. The shorter needles are not long enough to reliably get the the hair and into the skin.

So we went looking for a new place to buy needles. Hmmmm... Even though there is no law in Kentucky that says you need a prescription in order to buy hypodermic needles, everyplace we called requires one. (By the way, you don't need a prescription to buy insulin either, but you can't get the needle to inject it without a prescription.) The reason all of the retail outlets are worried about selling needles to addicts.

We found that Kroger's Pharmacy sells the needles we need for the same price as Walmart. But, even with a written prescription from our vet, it still took 3 trips to Kroger to get the prescription into the system, get the proper kind of needles linked to the prescription, and get the proper size ordered and to the local Kroger store.

Arrrrgh!!

I understand that there is an 'opioid crisis' going on, but it makes it so damn hard on those of us who are not intravenous (illegal) drug users to get the things that will keep us (or our furkids) alive!

(Sorry, just need to let off a little steam.)