Pet Care: How to Save Money Without Hurting Your Pet

Even when your pet is healthy, pet care can be expensive - and if there is an emergency it can be even more costly. You can save money in regards to pet care as long as you are proactive in the care for your pet. By following a few basic steps you can save in the basic care for your pet by taking advantage of clinic discounts, determining what your pet really needs, and by investing in insurance.

Shop Around for a Vet

Veterinary care is the most expensive part of pet ownership - especially when it comes to emergency visits. So while your pet is healthy, call around to different veterinary offices and compare prices. Ask what the extra fees are (or may be) and if they offer discounts when you have multiple pets. Also, check into what else they offer - such as emergency care. You do not want to be in an emergency situation with your pet and not have a veterinarian available. On a final note, sometimes the most expensive care is not the best. Do not use price as a determining factor, if you feel the vet care you are receiving is not up to par, go to a different office.

Know When to Say "No" to the Veterinarian

Always listen to the advice to the vet gives you for the care of your pet, but remember you are the owner and you have the final say. I have said "no" to optional surgeries for my cat (who is still very healthy) because of his age versus his quality of life. As an owner I will always give my pets the best care, but I know he is 11 years old and after talking with the vet felt that this optional surgery wasn't needed. Instead, I got an alternate opinion and treated the issue with natural methods by changing his diet. Make sure you talk with your vet, even get a second opinion, and do your research before you make radical decisions regarding your pets care.

Take Advantage of Clinics

Clinics are a great alternative to traditional veterinary care when it comes to basic care. Most veterinary offices charge an office visit fee in addition to any vaccination, and clinics will waive that fee. And most clinics will still give the basic exam that vet offices charge for. At an average fee visit fee of $35 per pet not including vaccinations using clinics can save a lot of money - especially when you own multiple pets. In fact some of the best care my pets have gotten has been at clinics and not at traditional veterinary office.

Do They Really Need another Toy?

If your dog is an excessive chewer and destroyed all their toys, or your cat has clawed all their toys to death and is now eyeing your couch - get a new toy for them. However, most pet owners overindulge their pets and buy them too many toys. Instead of buying new toys all the time, only put a few out for them and hide the rest. Then switch out the toys at intervals. Your pet will think they got a new toy because they have not seen it in a while - in the end you care more about toys being new than they do. Also, your pet can use normal household items to play with. My cats have as much fun with a bit of yarn or ball of paper as they do with that $8 toy that they will destroy in a week or two.

Look into Pet Insurance

Pets are expensive in general, but puppies and senior pets always take a bit more out of your budget. This is because they need extra vaccinations and extra vet visits. Pet insurance can help you defray the cost of pet care, and can be invaluable when it comes to paying for emergencies.