IF YOU CANT AFFORD A VET,DONT GET A PET
They're more expensive than you think but the love they give us is priceless.
We love our pets, they bring so much joy to our lives. They are members of our families and most of us can’t imagine a life without them. Currently there are more people that are now opting for fur babies than real babies. Money is a primary factor in this choice but the cost of taking care of either, may not be a huge price difference.
Adoption or Breeder
Double thumbs if you plan to adopt a pet, there is no better feeling than to save a life. Rescue groups adoption rates can range between $50 — 100. Majority of rescue groups will offer discounts on spays, neuters and vaccines
If you have a certain affinity for a particular breed and decide to get a pet from a breeder. Purebred cats and dogs can cost $500 and up. Breeders may provide the first round of vaccines for puppies and kittens. It’s is up to the owner to provide for future healthcare.
Healthcare
Vaccines are necessary to keep your pet healthy throughout its lifetime. Routine vaccines protect your pet from contagious and often deadly diseases. Puppies and kittens need core vaccines to build their immunity on a schedule of 6, 12 and 16 weeks. Once the core vaccines are complete your pet will only need to be vaccinated yearly. Dog Vaccines can cost $150–200 per year. Cats can can cost $80–100 per year. This price does not usually include an examination from a vet which can be an additional $50 or more.
There is much more to pet healthcare than just vaccines, don't forget about preventives. What are preventives? They protect your pet from pesky parasites they would love to make a meal of your pet. Popular parasites are fleas, ticks, intestinal worms, and *heartworms. The Veterinarian will recommend lab work to test for intestinal and heartworms. (*It is rare for a cat to contract heartworm but not impossible.) lab work can cost $25- 60 per test. There are so many brands of preventives to choose from, the options are endless. The cost comes down to the brand and the size of the pet. The Vet will recommend that your pet stay on preventives year round to prevent infection.
Pet overpopulation is very big issue. Cats and dogs can give birth every 65 days. In just seven years, one unspayed cat and her offspring can produce over 450,000 cats (average litter of three, twice a year). In seven years, one dog and her offspring can produce over 4,000 dogs (average litter of 4, once a year). Most of them end up homeless, less than 10% in shelters and there is the lucky few that find homes. Please get your pets spayed and neutered. There are many shelters and charities that offer discounts on spay and neuter surgeries. I have seen the cost as low as $60 for a medium size dog. If your preference is to have the surgery done by your vet ,expect to pay a little more for amenities that low cost clinics do not offer. Dog spays can cost $350 and up depending on size and age. Dog Neuter $200 and up. Cat spay $250 and up. Cat neuter $150 and up.
But Wait there’s More….
Canine: Training Classes- $500/ Food- $600 per year/ Boarding-$50 Daily/ Grooming- $250 Per Appointment/Dental Cleaning-$800/Toys-$200
Feline: Food-$400 Per Year/ Litter-$200 Per Year/*Grooming- $300 Per Appointment (*Cats sometimes need chemical sedation to be groomed) Beds/Toys- $150/ Boarding-$25 Daily
Why I wrote this blog post.
While working in vetmed aka Veterinary Medicine, I have seen many pet owners make mistakes because of miseducation. Sadly many pets don't get the proper care they need. I have seen pet owners get to the point of financial despair with their pet and have no choice but to euthanize them. There have been owners who thought they could do a surgical procedure at home to save money or breed their pets to make money and then get immediately overwhelmed. Why put yourself and that animal through unneeded stress. I believe there is a wiser way for pet care.
