April 12, 2012
Posted in Pet Food, Pet Health

Most pet owners will tell you that owning a cat or dog is invaluable. There is nothing like having a fuzzy friend to curl up with on the couch or a wagging tail to greet you when you come home. Owning a pet seems invaluable, that is, until you get the bill from the vet. Vaccinations, checkups and other procedures at the animal clinic can add up, then you also have to factor in pet food, toys and other supplies. However, there are some ways to lower the cost of pet ownership.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, you can expect to pay roughly $1,500 during the first year for a medium-sized dog, and then about $700 per year afterward. Cats are cheaper, but not by much. The first year usually runs to about $1,000, and the subsequent years are also about $700.

Some pet owners are willing to pay any price to keep their beloved friend happy and healthy, but there are some ways to reduce the costs. One of the best ways to cut pet costs is to practice preventative care.

Good nutrition may cost more than cheap dog or cat food at the grocery store, but it is one of the best ways to keep your pet as healthy as possible. Look for kibble that lists meat as the first ingredient, and make sure it is high-quality meat. Some foods like Now Fresh Grain Free Senior Recipe Dry Dog Food has ingredients fit for human consumption, like butcher-quality meats and no meat meals, animal by-products or grains, which can cause health issues for some dogs. Cat food is just as important. Because cats are carnivores in the wild, the food that will nourish your feline best is a canned cat food like Wellness Canned Cat Food, which has meat and its first ingredients and no by-products or grain fillers.

It is also important to keep your pet up to date on its heartworm medications and flea and tick preventatives. These pet drugs, like Revolution, Frontline, Comfortis and Sentinel are given monthly but will prevent tick and flea-borne diseases that can become quite costly to treat.

Supplements are another way to keep your pet in tip top shape. If you have a large breed dog, you might consider a joint supplement like Dasuquin to support its joint cartilage. This product gives a dose of glucosamine for dogs that may stave off arthritis or be cheaper than arthritis drugs. 

Related posts:

1. How to help Fido shed those pounds
2. Fat cat? Help Kitty shed the pounds
3. Why does my kitty lick itself when I pet it?
4. What to do when Kitty loses her fluff
5. Kitty scratching her ears? Infection may be to blame