Keeping Pet Costs Down
1/10/07

Here are some suggestions for reducing your pet’s financial bite.

Keep your pet lean. Translate: feed your pet less. Your paradigm for your pet’s body should be Lance Armstrong or any long distance athlete. Good studies have demonstrated that dogs live longer, happier, healthier lives when they are lean. Furthermore, choose a good quality pet food. Spend more for the food but less for the vet.

Do your own grooming.  Frequent brushing and regular baths (about every 2 weeks at most) reduces grooming needs. Ask your vet to show you how to clean your dogs ears, especially after baths and each time they swim to avoid expensive, painful chronic ear infections. Provide chew toys and/or learn to brush their teeth to reduce dental expenses.

Avoid emergency clinics when possible. Fees at EM clinics are often double what your regular vet might charge. On the other hand, they often provide the best possible after hours medicine available. Your vet, like us, may provide emergency care but can’t staff the hospital overnight.

Do you really need it? 80% of pet owners report buying them gifts. Pet fashions are all the rage these days. Will your pet really sleep better on the fancy bed than on the old blanket you’re throwing away? The best gift you can give your pet is your time.

Shop for supplies and services. The big pet superstores don’t always have the best prices especially for individual items. However, they likely do when items are bulk purchased like kitty litter or pet food. Veterinary service fees vary but be sure you know exactly what services are being included like examination fees, parasite testing, what specific vaccines, etc.

Is pet insurance for you? Medical insurance for pets is widely available now and makes a lot of sense in most cases. Policies with higher monthly payments ($20 - $30) will cover routine care while policies with lower payments ($10 - $15) and high deductibles will cover catastrophic care.

Do you really need that 3^rd or 4^th pet? Good pet care adds up. Do the math before you get attached to those big brown eyes.