Ask the Readers: How Do You Care For Your Pet Affordably?

My local pet store has crazy sales...I frequent them and watch the unit prices! (PS. I have guinea pigs.) I watch Craigslist too - sometimes local farmers have timothy hay, which the little wiglets like, and they'll give it to you for MUCH better prices!

My husband and I have 2 cats and a 16 month old puppy, who just happens to need surgery. In order to keep our costs down, we shop sales, buy their food at Costco, order from www.jefferspet.com, and shop at a locally owned feed store that has great prices.

I just buy the best quality dog food available. And give supplements. The treats I give them are veggie pieces when I'm preparing my dinner (rather than store bought pet treats). I also take them on walks, and play frisbee or ball at the park (good exercise for them and me). Through exercise and good food, prevention is key.

We bought health insurance for our dog because it turns out I am willing to spend too much money on her. (Old dog had two knee surgeries, not life threatening and greatly improved quality of life). It costs about $100 a year and only covers major medical expenses. We also try to do the things for her that we do for ourselves: preventative care, healthy food, and lots of exercise.

Luckily, our two cats have been very healthy. We buy their litter at Sam's and feed them Iam's. They go visit the vet once a year, and that's about it. If any major issues came up with their health, I would probably shop around some.

After doing some research and finding out that rawhide bones are not good for dogs (apparently they can choke on them), I decided to try to find a way to satisfy my dog's craving for chewing. I found out that nylabones are the best store option because they are very durable and can last for a long time while being safe for dogs. Problem is that they are about $8 per bone. Most people online said that all natural bones are the best way to go. If you have a friend that is a hunter, the dogs will LOVE the bones from the deer, and they are safe. I live right next to Auburn University where we have a meat laboratory that sells eggs, meat, etc. They also sell natural bones from cattle and pigs for $1. My dog goes to town for about an hour each bone. If you go to your local butcher, they most likely have bones that they don't need and will either give to you or sell for cheap. Your dog will thank you.

Thanks for the guinea pig ideas, Heather- ours have been way expensive! We also have a dog who would think all of your dogs that eat veggies are crazy! She does love any leftover meat pieces, though. Mostly I save on her favorites by matching coupons with sales. Now, though, the vet is saying she needs glucosamine for joint problems. Anybody with ideas on how to save on this supplement?

I am a former dog groomer and I would like to pass along a few tips that can help you save money by reducing or eliminating trips to the groomer and vet.
Don't fall for the teeth brushing thing, and don't pay your groomer extra for this service. Some people do use it, but most people will find it a waste of time and money. If your dog does have plaque, no amount of teeth brushing is going to remove it. See your vet. Getting plaque removed before it turns into an infection is a lot cheaper.
If you have a dog that has hair that needs to be cut, brush your dog every day. This eliminates knots and matting and can increase the time needed between haircuts. A great winter trick; hair knots are often caused by static electricity, a very common symptom of dry air. Every day wipe down your dog with a dryer sheet. They are non-toxic (but double check the brand you use to be sure) and your dog will also smell great. You can also use an anti-static spray on a brush and then brush it into your dogs coat. You'll notice less knots and tangles right away.
If you have a dog that sheds and never needs a haircut, get a Furminator which are now available almost everywhere. Nothing else works as well - don't even waste your money trying anything else. You will cut down on shedding tremendously.
Clean your dog's ears at least weekly with a cotton ball and either Hydrogen Peroxide or better yet something commercially available. Never use water! Clean ears prevent ear infections which could save you a trip to the vet.
Don't buy doggy shampoo - the stuff is a rip off. Baby shampoo is great for dogs and won't irritate their skin or eyes.
If you do everything above your only concern will be nail clipping. Look for a cheap 'walk-in' service for nail cutting and avoid the full grooming until its needed.

I feed my dogs one the very highest rated DRY dog foods on the market--Kirkland Signature at Costco. Take a peek and evaluate the dry dog food yourself abd you will also see what a terrific dog food it is. I DO NOT feed them treats of ANY KIND because they are basically JUNK food for animals. I do not feed them ANYTHING other than DRY DOG FOOD--PERIOD. I do not let my animals WHO ARE ALL WELL---around other animals that I know nothing about such as dog parks etc. Dogs will walk & sniff just like kids then lick their paws ---real quick transmit for worms. I also seek out AFFORDABLE places for shots. Shots are extremely cheap--YOU are paying for the VETS car. Community areas (I live in Cleveland,OH) run SHOT clinics all the time for pets--I paid yearly ---all shots PLUS heartworm testing for one dog---37.00. I also give Heartworm Pills for all---Pet Shed (look on the web--the generic heart worm....deadfleaz.com for flea control. DO NOT INTRODUCE your pet to others pets....you will see an illness. PREVENTIVE is the key with animals!

BY THE WAY---I HAVE 14 RESCUE ANIMALS---4 CATS FROM HURRICANE KATRINA--3 PIT BULLS NO ONE WANTED FROM KATRINA--7 others that no one wanted or were mistreated by mean humans. All the dogs are between 80 and 100 pounds EACH.They ALL get along and are presently sleeping in various places INSIDE my house. They are not outside animals except for going to the restroom (I pick up all their waste daily--even in the snow). Litter boxes cleaned daily....kitty litter is high grade MIXED with lower grade--

I LOVE all my animals dearly. My surgeon got rid of my cancer but my pets helped my soul through the rest. I have three kids & a loving husband but throughout the cancer treatment & surgeries they (people) had to go about their own lives (as expected) BUT ALL MY ANIMALS were there day & night right by my side---with kisses, love & kindness---unconditionally. I will always be eternally grateful for all 14 of them for that dedicated love & devotion.

I feed my cat one of the best kitty foods out there, WellCore and I use the World's Best Cat Litter.. I think to prevent future health problems for the ones you love, you have to give them the best there is to offer.

I buy PetSmart's store brand cat food for my cat. If you look at the ingredient list, the first one is fish! That's so much better than other brands of cheap cat food, which are full of corn and wheat that cats can't digest. I also use the PetSmart shopping card to get deals on toys and treats.

Since my dog, Andy, has allergies (unknown cause), I try to mitigate his symptoms by feeding him organic raw dog food which comes in a frozen bag. The cost is worth every penny. The only treats he gets are raw organic veggies which he loves. I knew poodles were high maintenance dogs, so his grooming bills are high, but I brush him twice a day and stretch his appointments to every seven weeks which helps keep the cost down a bit.
Through trial and error, my holistic vet and I have found supplements that help with his scratching. Instead of using the vet when ordering these supplements, I have ordered them through PetMeds or get them at Petco; this has helped save a lot of money over the last two years.

The best thing my husband and I ever did for our first dog was to set up a savings account for him. I looked into pet insurance, but ultimately decided against it - he was older and the premiums were high.

So we started to put 20 bucks a week in an ING Account automatically. We used this money for his regular check ups and for emergencies. If it didn't completely cover the bill, it came close. We now have three dogs of varying ages, and their care is more than covered by what we've built in the "Dog" account.

Preventative care, a steady diet and lots of attention are all they really need. Expensive toys? Not really needed - they'd rather play with you. I have to remind myself sometimes, since I'm a sucker for packaging, that most of that stuff is made for the pet owner, not the pet.

We're almost ready to bid on a house, and we'll be finally be able to feel like we can give a home to a cat and a dog or two. So we're happy to see all these tips, as neither of us has had a pet in a very long time.

We definitely expect to treat any pet with the high quality food, to echo #24's comment.

I've got two cats. I look for coupons for food and litter and buy in bulk when I can get a good deal.
One cat will only eat cat food and the other gets treats of bits of meat leftover from my meals.
Their toys are the plastic rings that come off of milk jugs (they love them), old shoe laces and a few balls made of old socks stuffed with old pillow stuffing and catnip and sewed shut. They're more than happy with those and it's all free stuff.

My husband and I have five cats that are our children. We'd spare no expense for their care and wellbeing, but are still mindful of ways in which we can save on their upkeep without sacrificing the quality of care.

-- Until recently, our local warehouse club sold large bags of the dry pet food we prefer to feed them. Although they have stopped carrying it there, we can still stock up on the same brand of canned cat foot, and litter, at a significant discount.

-- With five cats, we have to be diligent about litterboxes. We found that litterpan liners were a waste -- the cats would scratch through them anyway (making them difficult to remove without also making a mess) and simply scrubbing out the boxes on a regular basis both keeps them clean and eliminates the need for liners.

-- Clumping litter not only makes for more efficient use, but results in a much cleaner-smelling litterbox, as well.

-- Having the cats on a staggered vet schedule lets us keep up with their annual visits without having one huge annual cost. Spreading it out over a few months means less stress on our wallets, especially if one of them needs special care.

-- Our vet offers three-year rabies vaccines, which is more cost effective than having them renew it every single year.

-- By volunteering as foster parents for local rescues, when we decided to keep one of our foster cats, they covered the entire cost of having him fixed and inoculated.

-- Another local rescue offers discounted spay and neutering, FAR below the cost of going to a regular vet. We always recommend them to other cat owners who have been balking at the cost. It's less expensive to them, and it means fewer kittens end up in the system later on.

-- Keeping your cats indoors all time time means is not only what's best for your pet, but it means less (or no) flea-and-tick control, and all-around healthier animals.

-- Buy a $5 clipper and learn how to clip your cat's claws. They'll accept it as routine, your furniture will be spared, and you won't have to put out money for a declawing procedure that's expensive, unnecessary and detrimental to your cat's long-term health.

-- There are a million recipes for dog treats online, made with simple ingredients that you have at home, or can buy inexpensively. At Christmas I make batches of treats with shredded cheddar cheese, beef bullion, whole wheat flour and peanut butter. Dogs LOVE them, the ingredients are all-natural (you can even go organic, if you want) and you can roll them or cut them to a size that is perfect for your dog.

We buy our dogs' food & treats at Trader Joes, as their stuff is pretty high quality and well priced. I like to buy toys at the post-Christmas sales at Petco - the dogs don't care if their toys are all red and green! :D They do need to be groomed occasionally, but in between we use the self-serve pet wash which is pretty inexpensive. For vet care we count on spending a couple hundred a year on preventive care, and I definitely favor keeping a savings account for emergencies and extra stuff - for example our girl needs a tooth extracted and that's pricey.

Pets are a bargain. In addition to being a joy all on their own, having them helps keep our entertainment, health, and fitness costs down. :)

We just got a new puppy this week. Our first dog died last year. After nearly 15 years of pet ownership, I just had an "aha" moment. I don't need to buy pet treats. Chunks of cheese, pieces of carrot, left over bits o' meat. We are training the pup, and that requires lots of incentive (treats.) Don't need to spend $3.50 for a small bag of whoknowswhat for the dog. Duh!

I do two things: I give my dogs their shots -- available for purchase at farm supply stores and easy to administer as they are given subcutaneously. I can get all the shots except rabies, and for those, I look for clinics that our county sponsors when practical (if not we go to the vet, costs more, but obviously, important to stay up-to-date). For heartworm prevention rather than prescription products I use OTC cow wormer (liquid, also available from farm supply stores) that contains ivermectin. I just administer the same dose (orally) as heartguard would contain (my vet approves). This costs about $30 for two years for my 2 large dogs, versus $72 for 6 months for heartguard through the vet.

We basically don't go to the vet unless my dogs are sick (as I can manage the routine stuff myself, through the above). No doubt that will horrify some posters here, but to date, my dogs have thrived.

I keep my costs down by making toys for my pup. I've sewn covers around plastic bottles which make a fun crinkly noise for her to chase around. I also sometimes just put peanut butter inside a bottle for her to chase around and lick out. When it's hot out, I freeze a dish towel for her to chew on and keep cool.

Wow, I just wrote about this very subject today. My elderly diabetic dog has become very expensive. We buy groceries for her before we take care of ourselves. She eats a lot of chicken and steamed vegetables for dinner and oatmeal in the morning. Sometimes she has steak or fresh fish. It's the least I can do for her after all she has done for my family. :)

I have five dogs and three cats. I HAVE to cut corners. My animals eat Purina products and I take them to our local animal shelter for their shots - at unbelievably low prices.

By the way, my animals seem to live FOREVER. I have a Beagle that's at LEAST 19 (road rescue)and my German Shepherd died at the ripe old age of 18.

You don't need to spend a fortune to get good value.

"Now, though, the vet is saying she needs glucosamine for joint problems. Anybody with ideas on how to save on this supplement?"

In one word: Walmart

i am frugal in many ways (second hand furniture, thrift shopping for clothes, home cooking instead of eating out) but my dog's health and wellbeing are *not* something i am frugal with. she eats high quality food (innova) which is expensive, and we go to the best vet practice in chicago (also expensive) but when i adopted her i committed to take care of her, so those expenses are more than worth it, she is so healthy. she doesn't get store bought snacks, just bits of apple or carrot (which she loves). she is as happy with a paper grocery bag to destroy as she would be an expensive toy. mostly she needs love and attention, which are free. if you have a pet, their health is your responsibility -i think you can skimp on toys if you need to (because lets face it playing with people is the most fun anyway as far as they are concerned), but i don't think you should skimp on their well-being. there are SO many ways to be frugal in our daily lives (cutting out luxuries), adequate vet care is a *need* not a luxury, and should not be an area one skimps on. just imho

I have found Amazon is the cheapest for flea treatments such as Frontline. We also buy glucosamine at Costco.

My dogs have always eaten cheapo food. The way that I'm treating them is that I'm spending a lot more time with them now. Unemployment will do that.

We have two lab mixes and one old cat. We haven't changed much since the economic downturn. We give our dogs and cat really good packaged food. We exercise the dogs as often as we can and on occasion we buy treats, when there is a deal.
Our dogs love apple cores and watermelon rinds. They will eat most veg/fruits. We are careful to make sure it won't hurt them(no grapes, no onions, etc.). Our dogs also love popcorn from the hot air popper and of course what hits the floor is theirs. My wife makes organic treats for our dogs and they love them. Making our own treats cost pennies when compared to store bought treats.
While we do take our pets to the vet for regular checkups and shots we save money by having healthy pets. Whats true for humans is true for our pets, an oz. of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When appropriate, we use human otc drugs as they tend to be cheaper by 50% or more than what we can get at the vet. We also use the internet to find the best deals on flea/tick and other animal specific drugs and our vet will match the deal. Next time you need everyday meds just ask you vets office if they will match the internet price.

One way to save money on a trip to the vet is caned pumpkin. Whenever our dogs are having digestive issues like vomiting, diarrhea, or even some spotty blood in their stool(usually due to eating a pork bone). Pumpkin spoon fed to your dog really works wonders for an illness that will only last a meal or two. A bland diet of cooked mushy rice in combination with the pumpkin works wonders. Yes, we do spoon feed our dogs when they are sick. Everyone feels better when they are babied a little.

As for grooming we use natural soaps for ourselves and since its safe for us we use it on them. For spot cleaning we use baby wipes(as opposed to dog specific wipes which can cost four times the amount and is the same thing just a different package or we use an old rag and plain water. Yes, my wife brushes our dogs teeth and they get the occasional cow femur which gives them something to play with and helps keep their teeth healthy. These bones are safer for dogs than rawhide(as they can become lodge in the dogs digestive track0 or pork bones (as they can splinter and can cut up their digestive tracks as well).
We use the cheapest generic kitty litter for our cat because she is allergic to anything else. As often as not our cat plays with our baby's toys as store bought toys.
We keep one thing in mind: Tim The Enchanter, Naughty, Naughty Zoot, and KC aren't pets they are family.

After China made pet food that resulted in the deaths of many pets, I began to make my own dog food. Rice, veggies and some meat, sometimes an egg. I make enough for a week at a time.

I actually groom my dog myself. I wash him with baby shampoo, and have a special set of electric razors to shear him. It is not difficult, and I think that he likes it better than going to the groomer!

I now bathe and shave my own dogs. My boyfriend says it looks better than when the groomer used to do it.

I love my kitty. She is worth every penny I spend on her. However, I've always been cognizant of what I'm spending for food and litter. I get a pretty cheap, but not generic, food brand for her, and I regularly use coupons. I used to get a giant bag of it, but we discovered bugs in the big bag before she finished it, and I don't really want her eating buggy (or even just really stale) food. We tried the generic brand once, but that led to quite the stinky litter box, and we quickly switched back. Finally, I buy cat litter in the giant containers (it's not like it goes bad like cat good), and I stock up when I see it cheap or I go to the stores where it's cheapest. Plus coupons.

We just have a kitty right now. He probably saves us a lot of money just being an awesome companion. We want to adopt more animals and start a family but financially, we're just not ready. Our cat is such an attention hog anyway! Who needs more company than that?!
As for cutting costs on him, we don't really. We only buy him Purina dry food. We know that better food is linked to a longer and higher quality of life. We only save money on the things that affect us. For instance, cat litter. He doesn't care if it clumps or smells pretty as long as we keep his box clean. He'll drink out of any dish we put out and his favorite treat is the tuna water we drain off our cans. His favorite toy is a bobby pin.
We didn't choose the cheapest vet. We choose the one that took the time to examine him (with us present of course). When he was a kitten we took him to a farm vet for our "one free neuter per household". They neutered him alright, and he almost died from the anesthesia. If they had just looked at him before they sent him home with us, they would have known something was wrong. That vet was later disbarred for not actually giving shots or medicines that he charged for. He would take pets to a back room for their shots and inject saline! No wonder his prices were so low!

When I moved back to New Orleans from Virginia last summer I wanted to get bigger pet carriers for my two cats. I went to the local animal shelter and was able to purchase carriers for $5 a piece that were big enough to for the cats to stand and turn around in. I also picked up a few disposable 8-inch cake pans at Walmart that I filled with litter and stuck in the carriers so the cats would be comfortable for the trip.

in order to cut costs we gave our dog away. it worked out really well. we just had a new baby and not only was our money tight but our time was too. my mother in law was looking/thinking about another dog to keep her dog company and wasnt sure about it becuase she was afraid of how its temperment would be. we already had a full grown dog who we knew to be kind and absolutly adorable so she took in our dog for us which helped us out alot. it also sparked some interest in her dogs bored life. the two girls get along great and love having the company.

We bathe the dogs at the house and we trim their nails. Unfortunately we cannot trim my parrot's nails - she's too bite-y!
I try to save money wherever I can, but I will not compromise on the quality of their food - it winds up costing more in vet bills!
Thanks
Tammy S

The only pet toys we still have are tough ropes for pulling and a few Kongs left around (good for a bit of PB). She is *never* bored with a bone.

Never had a purchased pet toy for our cats, either. Bit of yarn, sock with a rubber ball in the toe, milk jug rings (the best), feather on a string.

I lost a dog 2 years ago due to the bad batch o f dog food. I MISS HIM TERRIBLY!!! I had to put him down due ro kidney failure. I now have 2 resures dogs but due to financelley problems I cant afford the 2 doggs I have.I only hope that someone can help. I work 40 hours a week at a farm. My huisband is laid off but I want to keep bothknow where to get help please contact me @ qborn2662@gmail.com