Lower your costs of pet ownership

While no one wants to put a price tag on the love and companionship we get from our pets, there are ways to lower your costs of pet ownership. Here are some examples:

•Shop for the best price on annual injections. Your local Humane Society will know of any low-cost clinics in your area.

•Preventive health care for your pet will go a long way toward avoiding hefty vet bills down the road. Annual teeth cleaning and an exam will turn up any problems before they become serious.

•If a pet is ill and will need further care or surgery, have the pet treated and stabilized. Then go home and call around for the cost of follow-up care. Do the same if you have to take a pet to an all-night emergency vet clinic. Have the pet stabilized and see your regular vet in the morning or call around for estimates.

•Ask for written prescriptions instead of having the vet dispense the medication. It’s likely to be cheaper at a pharmacy.

•If your vet insists that your pet needs special vet-approved food, shop around. You could find the difference in price makes it worthwhile to drive a few miles to the next vet to pick up your food. Also consider buying in bulk (the larger bags) and dividing the cost and the food with a neighbor.

•If you live near a veterinary teaching university, you could be in luck when it comes to reduced costs for care.

•Investigate pet insurance, but don’t automatically buy it for young pets unless you can make your money back on the annual injections and exams. Approach it as you would your own insurance. What does it cover, are there any exclusions, what is the deductible and what is the yearly cost?

•If you don’t currently have a pet but are in the market for one, consider the likely lifetime costs to maintain the pet.

If you have your heart set on a particular breed of cat or dog, investigate whether the breed is known for a likelihood of physical defects that require veterinary intervention, such as hip dysplasia in German shepherds. Consider the lifetime costs of annual shots and exams, as well as food, supplies, toys, grooming and boarding.