Tips for Caring for Your Pet when Your Wallet’s Skinnier than your Skinny Jeans
Posted on December 10, 2008 6 Comments
Those of you who read The Budgeting Babe regularly know I have a particularly soft spot for los animales. I have a fabulouso turtle named Betsey and a saucy diabetic cat named Nala, both who are total handfuls yet completely worth it. (OK, it helps that B is a superhero when it comes to pet care.)
So I was saddened, but not entirely surprised, to receive an e-mail with this lead:
“With economic pressures on the rise, consumers are looking for ways to tighten their belts while maintaining the best level of care they can for their pets. In the midst of the downturn, veterinarians around the country have observed a decline in visits and spending for recommended procedures.”
Luckily, the team at Merck/Merial have come up with a few tips to help pet owners get through tough times:
1. Be a Grooming DIYer: You might think clipping Miss Fancy’s toenails is as fun as a bad hair day, but grooming is really important in maintaining your pet’s health and condition. And, according to our friends at Merck/Merial, it’s a skill anyone can perform with practice.
An added bonus for taking an active role in your pet’s grooming is that you can identify problems early (e.g., bumps, lumps, changes in coat quality, etc.) that a groomer may not think to tell you about. Doing the grooming yourself can save as much as $400 to $1,000 per year, but to avoid a costly mistake be sure to use products, such as shampoos, that are designed for pets and not people. (Me: cleaning, clipping and combing are easy to do. Why not?)
2. Bulk Up: Resist the urge to buy pet food, heartworm and other preventatives in smaller quantities to cut immediate costs at the cash register. The reality is, as long as you’re mindful of expiration dates, buying in bulk is generally cheaper. (I need to check this one out. Wellness brand cat food is not cheap.)
3. Don’t Wait to Vaccinate or Medicate: Making sure your pet is current on recommended vaccinations will save you a bundle in the long run because you’ll help ward off preventable diseases. Vaccinations such as one that prevents rabies, for example, are particularly critical and may save your animal’s life. Similarly, routine medications such as heartworm preventives should be given every month. Skipping doses can be expensive, as treating heartworm costs as much as $800 – $1,000 (yikes!). In addition, treating the disease is risky and can be painful for your pet.
4. Spay and Save: For the average pet owner, spaying or neutering is a must. If you have a limited income, you may be able to save by taking advantage of low-cost clinics for these services. Keep in mind that spaying or neutering your pet can prevent the immediate expense of new pets in your family and the societal expense of unwanted pets being turned in to shelters. It also reduces the occurrence of some common diseases, such as breast cancer in pets.
5. An Ounce of Prevention: Prevent an unplanned, emergency vet visit this holiday by doing your part around the house. Many items that are a routine part of holiday celebrations could be toxic or harmful to your pet. Examples include:
– Mistletoe and even poinsettia, while beautiful, are highly toxic to dogs and cats
– Chocolate and macadamia nuts are toxic as well, and yeast-based bread dough can actually be fatal to your pet as it causes intestinal bloat
– Tinsel, if swallowed by a curious kitten or puppy, might cause intestinal blockage
Consult The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health for more in-depth guidance.
6. Brush Up: Proper dental care is an often-neglected component of the pet health regimen. Regular use of an inexpensive toothbrush and toothpaste designed for pets can delay or avoid a professional cleaning costing several hundred dollars. You also can purchase pet food designed to help eliminate tartar. (I buy tarter-preventing treats…yum!)
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My friends at Merck/Merial note that more tips are available in their book, “The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health,” written with tips from more than 200 veterinarians. You can buy it for $15 at www.merckbooks.com and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for the info! What tips do you guys have for caring for pets on a budget? I would add to the above that spending time with your pets can keep them healthier and happier, and might actually stop you from spending all your time shopping.
Category: Life
Tags: Pets , Saving
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6 Responses to “Tips for Caring for Your Pet when Your Wallet’s Skinnier than your Skinny Jeans”
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December 10th, 2008 @ 4:30 am
Great post!
These tips are so true, especially the one about heartworm preventative.
I adopted a HW+ dog and not only was his treatment extremely expensive (well over $1,000) but it was horrible on his body. If your pet has complications (which are quite likely if the disease is advanced) those can easily cost you thousands and thousands of dollars.
December 10th, 2008 @ 5:16 am
I agree, vaccinations and medications in particular are so important not to skimp on.
The thing I’ve done which has (inadvertently) saved me money is switch my dog over to a raw diet: lots of different meats, bones, some offal and a few vegetables, eggs, yoghurt, sardines and fruit. I actually did it because he was underweight – he hated kibble (and I bought the top-quality kind!) and canned dog food. He loves the raw food and is putting on weight and has more energy and a shiny coat – and the bonus is, a week’s worth of food is only AU$6 from the butcher.
December 10th, 2008 @ 2:02 pm
I just spent over $1000 for a dental surgery for my cat. I adopted him sick and his foster mom told me he was fine she even took him to the vet the day I adopted him and said that the vet gave him clean bill of health. But my kitty is now healthy and happy and toothless
ok he has about 10teeth left in his mouth.
December 10th, 2008 @ 5:17 pm
GREAT post! Really — it’s important to keep our pets well even though we may have to cut back financially.
Might I add . . . if you have a dog with a lot of wrinkles, particular in their face (ie pug, bulldog), it’s important to clean their wrinkles at least once every other day! These spaces can infect easily, especially if there are any cuts or bites in them.
December 11th, 2008 @ 4:32 pm
It’s not fair to have a pet if you can’t take care of its health/grooming needs also. I will definitely keep these tips in mind when I eventually get a pet.
February 9th, 2009 @ 11:21 pm
We’ve been putting off getting our dog’s nails trimmed at the PetSmart groomer or at least trying to find some coupons because it’s so expensive.
We have Chihuahuas, so they can require a lot of care with brushing their teeth and stuff as well, but it’s definitely necessary to prevent further complications and more expenses.
One thing we actually took advantage of at PetSmart is the Banfield pet hospital has an insurance plan that saves off regular prices for all of your vaccines, yearly checkups and teeth cleanings and stuff like that for $20 per month for puppies or $30 per month for adults, or around that much.
Plus you get free visits and it can be transferred between PetSmart locations.
I’m not saying Banfield is the best or cheapest option out there, but it’s a good idea to look at the insurance plans, because for like $250 a year, you can get full coverage and avoid a lot of other costs, and most vets have some kind of plan.
You can also visit your local humane society in some cases and they have basic pet care available for lower prices.
Anyway, thank you for the tips.