Taking care of pets on

Owning pets can be expensive. Food, supplies, grooming and vet bills add up quickly — not to mention toys and treats. Often, would-be pet owners are advised to make sure they have all the funds necessary to care for their animals before they bring them home.

While that’s definitely true, it’s also not the case that only middle- class or wealthy people can own pets. If you’re living on a limited income and want to have an animal companion, you do have to prioritize and spend your money wisely. Here are some tips for being more economical in your pet care.

• Adopt your pet from a shelter or rescue. Most shelters have already altered pets or will make sure the surgery is done before you adopt.

The animals will also have some of their initial vaccinations and may have had other treatment done or be microchipped. This can save you hundreds of dollars that you would have to put out if you got a “free” pet through the classifieds. If you do get a pet from a private individual, have a vet check it before you make a final decision. By the time you find out the animal has a health problem, you may already be in love but unable to afford the care.

• Choose a pet that does not need special grooming. Even if you plan to do the grooming yourself, you’ll still need to invest in some tools — brushes, combs or shavers. Pick a dog with shorter fur that’s easy to bathe yourself, or a short-haired cat.

• Look for a pet that requires fewer supplies. A more exotic pet may need special housing or ongoing supplies. For example, a hamster may need a cage, an exercise wheel and regular bedding changes that a kitten would not need. If you have your heart set on such a pet, some of these supplies can be purchased inexpensively through classifieds or garage sales.

• Watch the paper or call local vet hospitals to find out about low- income vaccination clinics. Some vets’ offices do hold these regularly, especially to vaccinate against rabies.

• Buy a middle-of-the-road brand-name food. Although it will cost more than a supermarket brand, you’ll be rewarded over the life of your pet with better health. Also, a pet that eats quality food will need less of it in order to be filled and will eliminate less. Choose the best quality you can afford and it will be worth it. There may be times when you have to settle for the best you can get, and that might be a food of lesser quality. If you can mix the two foods for a little while, it will be easier for your pet to adjust. Go back to the higher quality as soon as you can.

Also, buy food in the largest sizes you can. You don’t want the food to go bad and risk having to throw it away, but you save when you buy larger containers.

You may save money by making your own pet food — something that is entirely possible, but requires a lot of research. You want to be sure you’re feeding a well-balanced diet. Some people find that buying lower-quality cuts of meat and adding fresh vegetables and eggs can be in expensive — and without the grain fillers that are in many commercial foods, you’ll have to feed a lesser quantity.

• Make sure you know exactly how much food your pet needs. It’s easy to overfeed your pet, but that’s not good for your wallet or your pet’s health. Find out from your vet how much food you should be giving and measure it out every day. Limit treats.

• Look for inexpensive litter options. I like wood stove pellets for the litterbox. They’re hard pellets that dissolve into sawdust when wet; they cost around $4 for a 40-pound bag. They also control odor better than a lot of commercial litter products. Be careful if you have a pet who’s used to a certain brand, because a switch could upset their regular habits. If you do switch, change the litter gradually, starting with 75 percent of the old kind and 25 percent of the new. Over a few weeks, move to half and half, then to 25-75, then to the new litter entirely, rather than make an abrupt change.

• Keep your pets indoors or leashed so they can’t get into trouble.

An unsupervised pet is at risk of being hit by a car, attacked by another animal or lost.

• Trade pet care services with a friend or neighbor. If you need to go out of town for any reason, ask a trusted person to care for your animals. In turn, you take care of his or hers when they need to be gone. This is much less expensive than a boarding facility, but make sure you completely trust the caretaker you choose. Leave contact info for them just in case.

• Look into pet insurance. Sometimes it’s a good deal, and sometimes it’s not. If you only have one pet, insurance plans can be less than $10 a month — reasonable when you consider that walking in the door of a vet’s office can be at least $40. If you have several pets, you may find the best solution to be setting aside some money each month as savings for when you need vet care. Also, compare what different plans offer — some may pay towards an annual checkup and other common problems like dental decay; others may not cover anything except a major illness.

• Drive a little for vet care. I love my Corvallis-area vets and the high standard of care they provide, but it’s usually less expensive to visit a vet located in a smaller, rural community. If you are choosing a vet based on price, call some located in such places. Note that with the price of gas these days, you may not save enough to be worthwhile if you have to go a long distance.

• Buy your pet’s medications from the cheapest source. Some things, like flea medication, may be less expensive from the local feed store than at your vet’s office. You may also be able to save if you buy your pet’s medications online. Be sure to ask first and not assume, as your vet may be able to give you good deals too. The other benefit you get from your vet — free samples. Just like in human medicine, drug companies make samples available to doctors to have on hand, and your vet may just have something to help you.

source: www.dhonline.com