Dogs Inside Out

The Co$t$ of Owning a Dog

Recent events in our home are a stark reminder of how much our pets cost. A trip to the emergency vet or surgery can quickly add up to thousands of dollars. CJ suddenly became seriously ill and an overnight at the emergency vet, including one x-ray, IV fluids, antibiotics, and blood work cost $650. Follow-up treatment at our regular vet was an additional $550.

 

The initial cost of purchasing a dog might seem high but it will pale compared to what your dog will cost you over its lifetime! Premium, designer type dog foods now retail for close to $50 for a 33-pound bag. If you have a large dog that could average $25 a week! Most of us with multiple pets aren’t going to spend nearly that much, but will still try to find the best food for the price. Dog food prices have risen dramatically over the last five years or so due in part to fuel costs. Other expenses for our pets include toys, treats, collars, leashes, beds, crates, grooming, boarding or pet sitting, and training classes. If you participate in performance events or show your dogs there is the cost of classes, equipment, and travel. Cha ching!!

 

Veterinary expenses have grown along with all the other costs. The AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Assoc.) says we spend about $356 per dog each year. A routine office visit can range from $35 to $55 but if you need diagnostic testing it can quickly go from $1,000 to as high as $5,000. The APPMA estimates the average cost of surgical care is $574 for a dog. Remember, this is just an average;  one fee in a major metropolitan area can be very different from what a rural southern practice charges. Americans spent $23.2 billion just on veterinary care for dogs and cats in 2006, according to the ASPCA.

 

While we expect our pets to be healthy and live a long time, it’s our responsibility if something goes wrong. It’s not an overstatement to say that caring for a dog today is an expensive proposition, and shouldn’t be taken on unless we are prepared to face the financial costs.

The table below provides the estimated average yearly cost of owning a cat or a dog according to the 2005-2006 APPMA National Pet Owners Survey:

 

Expense	Dog	Cat
Surgical Vet Visits	$574	$337
Food	$241	$185
Kennel Boarding	$202	$119
Routine Veterinary Care	$211	$179
Grooming	$107	$24
Vitamins	$123	$3
Treats	$68	$43
Toys	$45	$29
Average Yearly Cost	$1,571	$919
Ten-Year Average Cost	$15,710	$9,190

 

The numbers above are nearly five years old now, I bet the estimates are increasing yearly!

 

Pet insurance might make sense for some folks. Investigate the terms very carefully. I know one person who swore by it when her Great Dane became ill, but it doesn’t seem a viable option for those of us who own multiple pets. In 2008 we Americans spent $43.2 billion on our pets according to the APPMA. That’s a sobering figure. We love our dogs, but we need to remember that they are a huge financial responsibility, too. I’ve got a follow up to this coming up soon on some research that was done on pet owners and their dogs.

 

Reference: The Economics of Pet Ownership

by James E. McWhinney

Money Saving Tips

Who doesn’t want those!

Here are a few tips, I’ll keep adding as I think of them, or please post a comment if you have a tip--I’ll add it to the list!

 #1 Prescription Medications—

            *Ask your vet if there is a generic that can save you money

            * Find out if it’s cheaper through your pharmacy or your vet. Your vet will usually be willing to call a prescription into a pharmacy if it’s less expensive. Many medications are available through a pharmacy.

            * If it isn’t an emergency, ask your vet if he/she is willing to write a prescription to use through mail order catalogs or online if it’s cheaper. Or ask your vet if she/he will match the catalog price.

 

#2 Dog Food—

            Check manufacturers websites for coupons or special offers. They often have downloadable coupons you can use with a retailer or a distributor.

 

#3 Cheaper Tick Preventative

            This summer I tried Preventic collars on my senior dogs. I walk them twice a day and they wander into the woods and grass. No ticks! None! The collar is only good for ticks, not as a flea preventative, but it is $10 a collar and works for 3 months. A real bargain, and is considered the most effective tick preventative. It did discolor one of my dog’s fur to a pinkish hue, but he’s not being shown, so I don’t really care, and it may have been a reaction to a medicated shampoo I used. I haven’t put it on any of the younger dogs due to their rough playing and pulling at each other. There is an explicit warning on the label that the collars cannot be ingested.

 

#4 Vaccine Clinic

            *An office visit and a rabies shot can start at $50.00.

*If I take a dog in for a rabies only shot, I pay $25, no office visit. Ask if you can come in for a rabies shot only.

*Call your local SPCA and see if they know of any rabies or vaccine clinics in your area, also check the pet stores for clinics, and the vet offices. The local clinic in my area charges $7.00 for a rabies shot.