In these difficult economic times everyone is looking for places to cut back on expenses. Unfortunately, for many families that means limiting veterinary care or giving up the beloved family pet. We at goodnewsforpets.com know how important your pet is to your family so we have provided a few cost effective tips from the ASPCA to help you balance your budget and care for your furry pal. For more information please visit, http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/saving-money-on-vet-care.html.
Schedule Regular Check-Ups
Remember the saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?” Well, it applies to pets, too. Don’t skip your pet’s yearly exam. It’s much more expensive—and risky—to treat illnesses than to protect against them.
Personalize Your Pet’s Vaccines
Hard times are not an excuse to skip your pet’s annual shots, but it does make sense to talk to your vet about personalizing your pet’s vaccine protocol. Some vaccines are optional, while others are essential in preventing serious diseases.
Spay or Neuter Your Pet
Spaying or neutering your pet can save a lot of money by preventing serious health problems including uterine, ovarian and testicular cancer. Many local shelters provide resources for low-cost or no-cost spay/neuter surgeries. Visit our online database to find a low-cost program in your area. If you live in New York City, check out our mobile clinic.
Brush Your Pet’s Teeth
Dental disease—such as tartar, gingivitis, loose or infected teeth—can lead to heart and kidney problems and expensive procedures. Start a daily dental routine to keep your pet’s teeth and gums healthy.
Protect Your Pet from Parasites
Flea and tick infestations can cause a host of costly medical problems from minor skin irritations to life-threatening anemia. Stick with a topical flea and tick solution to keep the critters at bay.
Toss the Cigarettes
Secondhand smoke is no joke for pets—it can cause asthma, bronchitis, lymphoma and oral, nasal and lung cancers. Quit now and you’ll save money on vet bills. At the very least, avoid smoking around your pet.
See a Specialist
Pet parents can reduce costs by getting a pet’s condition diagnosed and treated by an expert as quickly as possible. Veterinary specialists are available for everything from skin disease to cancer, and will often work within your budget.
Consider Pet Health Insurance
If the cost of an emergency vet visit or serious illness would be a financial strain, consider investing in pet health insurance, while your pet is healthy. Be sure to read the fine print, though—not all plans are created equal.
Buy High-Quality Pet Food
A good quality pet food—formulated under the guidelines of the American Association of Feed Control Officials—is often more cost effective than a homemade diet. Avoid overfeeding your pet, which can lead to obesity and other health problems.
Shop Smart
Whether he’s looking for pet food, medicine or grooming supplies, the smart shopper clips coupons and buys in bulk. It’s also a good idea to shop veterinary practices by comparing fees for preventative care.
In addition to the information above, pet health insurance is another effective way to help cover the cost of veterinary care for your pet. According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) pet health insurance ensures that pet owners have options when it comes to health care decisions for their pets instead of basing the decision solely on what they can or cannot afford.
According to NAPHIA’s Web site, www.naphia.org, pet health insurance provides the following benefits:
- Ensures the best possible veterinary care for protected pets
- Helps control and plan for the costs associated with keeping a pet healthy
- Removes financial restrictions to the cost of care
- Prepares a pet owner for any health-related emergency or unexpected illness
- Ideally helps to protect pets before problems and conditions can develop
- Provides for responsible pet ownership
To learn more about pet health insurance and how you can get coverage for your pets visit www.naphia.org.