With the economy today, many families are deciding to put off pet ownership because of the expense. In fact, the average pet owner may spend $6,000 in the care of a pet over its lifetime. That is pretty sobering news, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of things that you can do right from the beginning to save on pet care.
One of the biggest expenses when it comes to pets is vet care. If your pet gets sick or injured, you can wind up with a large bill, or worse, the choice of having to put an animal down because you can’t afford the care.
One of the things you can do to reduce vet expense is to make sure that you keep up with routine preventative care. Making sure that your pet is vaccinated, has regular check ups, is treated right away for any ailments, including fleas and ticks, and given heartworm drugs (for dogs) will go along way in preventing huge vet bills later. Yes, there is some expense in routine care, but you can save thousands of dollars later.
If you haven’t yet chosen a pet, you can reduce the chances that your pet will need serious medical care. Choose a pet that is a mixed breed or “mutt.” Purebred pets tend not be be as hardy as mixed breed pets because hereditary disease. Also, pets purchased from pet stores may have been breed in puppy or kitten mills, where poor conditions can lead to disease and illness. Reputable shelters or trusted breeders are a better bet.
If you want to avoid the cost of spaying or neutering your pet, choose a pet that is more than a year old.
The bonus is that these pets are usually already housebroken and trained.