Just curious.....food, supplies, vet bills, grooming, training, insurance, etc? What is required? What is optional?

cj/

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it depends on if the critter is healthy, or has problems, whether it is big or small, does it need to be groomed or can you give it a bath.
My sil is a dog groomer and she makes about $30 per groom.
Can you cut it's nails? Our dog doesn't like it's feet messed with and he's a big dog. He has to be put totally out to get his nails clipped. there's about $35 each time.
If it is a big animal it eats more.
There are all sorts of varibles there. My friend said so far her free kitten has cost her about $600, and it is just 6 months old.

atey is right. There are SO many variables. A lot depends on the type of animal you have, and a lot depends on your own personal preferences. Insurance, training, and grooming are all optional. Most counties require a license which varies according to sex of dog and whether it's neutered. Most are under $10. I just took my big dog (100 pounds) to the vet for an annual exam. The "well dog" check up was $180. I feed my dogs and cat whatever is on sale and I have a coupon for. I know some people like to give their pets expensive food. My brittany spaniel lived to 15 years old, so I don't think switching food hurt him at all. Also, we were really poor then, and he never went to the vet. We got cheap rabies shots offered by the local Lions club. When he had to be put down, the charge was according to his weight.

Like the others said, it depends on various things. You might want to give this a look to kind of get an idea.



http://www.aspca.org/site/DocServer/...pdf?docID=9261

Thanks gingerbrd! Dummy me didn't think to google it. Oops.

cj/

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We don't pay to have our dogs groomed....we do it ourselves. I'm not too lazy that I can't bathe and brush my own dog! LOL Let's see....

Heartworm pills $140 a yr
Well visits and annual shots $200 a yr
Dog food & treats $500 a yr

I don't board my dog, and I clip her nails myself. I trained her myself, too. We probably initially spent $150 when her got her on collars, leashes, crate, etc.

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We adopted our 2 dogs from a no kill shelter. At that time the adoption fee was $90(now it's $105 I think). Cats are less expensive to adopt, around $50 I think. But they've already been spayed/neutered and had their first round of shots.
My expenses are comparable to what haynes94 posted since we groom our own dogs.

Honestly, animals are not that cheap to care for if you do it properly.

Yes, lots of variables. We spend thousands on our animals each year just for food and routine maintenance, not including illnesses. We have 2 large dogs and 9 cats, plus we take care of stray cats. There are yearly shots for all of them (plus if we can catch the strays we get them shots too). We get all our pets spayed and neutered (plus if we can catch the strays we do the same). We use Frontline and Heartworm meds on the dogs every month. We use Frontline for fleas on the cats 8 months out of the year (Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb we don't use it, they are indoor cats) but don't want to risk flea infestation in the hot months. Then there are dog bones to chew and treats for training. We buy Pruina Dog and Cat food can't really afford the expensive stuff, but don't really want to buy the cheap, cheap stuff and we spend about $100 a month on pet food. My husband says all the cats on the street tell all the other cats that there are suckers that live at ***where you can get free food and medical care, he hates that I take care of the stray cats, LOL.

I forgot we buy 30 lbs of litter a week and one of the cats has a urinary tract problem and has to have special food from the vet that costs $40 a bag.

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Instead of using Frontline, we put a flea/tick killer around the parameter of the yard. It is in granular form. DH sprinkles it every spring. We've had one tick this summer, and no fleas for years.

Another expense that has not been mentioned is when we go out of town, we have to board the dog at the vet's for $15 a day and they always give him Frontline (for fleas) when he comes in which I believe is $15? It adds up.

We have a small dog and 40 pounds of dogfood from Costco (Kirkland brand Super Premium Adult at $20 a bag) lasts us 4 months. He only eats one cup of food a day though. He's under 10 pounds...

Interesting post- I never added it up before, but our two cats cost us approx $1000 total per year. This is for Fancy feast and Iams, routine vet care, toys (just about $20 per year) cardboard scratchers, and scoopable litter. I almost always buy on sale and stock up.

Don't forget the expenses for when they get sick or injured. Surgery can cost $$$$.

Our cat doesn't cost that much at all. He's 9 years old and perfectly healthy. We used to use Science Diet, but a couple years ago switched to Friskies. MUCH cheaper. We get the 3-year rabies shot, so he only has to go to the vet once every 3 years. He's indoor, so he doesn't get ticks, fleas or worms. We don't buy cat toys. We bought some when we 1st adopted him, but he still has most of them and still plays with them. Heck, just a wadded up ball of paper entertains him for quite a while! I try to only buy litter with a coupon but don't always have one. I buy the big bucket beause it's cheaper overall. Here it's $6 a year to register a neutered cat.

Our cat doesn't cost anywhere near $1000 a year. I'd say more like $200-$300. With an extra $80 every 3 years for the vet visit and rabies shot. He's very healthy and well loved.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

Amen to that! In June my 5 yr old cat (the one that's my avatar) blew both his ACL's (ligiments that hold the knees in place) and had to have major surgery not once, but twice on one knee and three times on the other! My vet charged me full fee for the first surgery, anethesia only for the second and did the third surgery for free. Roscoe is now worth quite a bundle!

So if you are going to have a pet, please remember that they can cost you major $$$ quite unexpectedly.

I'm pet free, but I recently read an article (in Parade magazine I believe) that stated that the average annual expense to own a cat was 2-3000.00 and double that for a dog. I thought they were awfully high figures.

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We have a doormat outside our house that says "Home of the World's Most Expensive FREE Cat". Whenever we get bored we debate which of our 6 rescued cats was it. All were abandoned, neglected or abused in some way before we got them. Some years the majority of them get by on food and 1 vet visit for the regular shots etc. Since they're all indoor only cats we don't have to play with flea meds etc very often. I pay about $12 for a bag of dry food that lasts all 6 cats 2 weeks. So in theory dry food, occaisional wet food as treats, toys, catnip, cat treats, vet visit plus shots. Lets say $200-$250 a year. Then I've got cats where I've racked up $1000 in vet bills inside of a year, or more. I personally would suggest if you can't budget $500-$750 a year - don't attempt to own a cat. Because all it takes is one injury, one illness and you're looking at a blood panel, possible surgery, x-ray, couple more tests, special food and so forth and you are at that level so fast your head will spin. Most years you won't spend that much of course, but if you can't budget that much then pick something like a small rodent or fish.

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I never added it up but I guess I am a little shocked. I have 3 indoor cats. I figured that I spend about $93 a month on them. That would be about $25 a month for Advantage. Even though they do not go outside they do get a few fleas sometimes. Then if they eat the fleas it can cause worms and then that means a vet visit for all 3 cats for a total of around $150 twice last year. At least he also gave them all their regular shots for free while we were there. Then there is about $20 a month for cat litter, $13 for wet food, $20 for dry food, $10 for treats, and about $5 for toys. So that is about $1100 a year and that doesn't count a couple of scratching posts a year. I would have never thought it was that much. Has anyone ever looked into the price of pet insurance?

Lets see I couldnt tell you since my vet has insisted on using the local charity care fund this year for care of our cats since both of us are on disability. but to hazard a guess the shots, exams for Chan, Cammie and Shadow were probably about $500 and you have to remember where I live to in the Washinngton DC metro area so things are more expensive.
I did pay for Shadow's cremation and euthanasia which was $225 I had saved it up and insisted on paying for it.

The kittens we just adopted would have been $100 a piece but they discounted for getting two and after I looked at the paperwork closer they further discounted it for a program they have through I think Purina where they subsidize adoptions for elderly and disabled people so I got them for $60 each and I don't have to get them any shots until next year and they are both fixed and micro-chipped and they have to have a physical within 10 days that is also free. There is an offer in the adoption packet for health insurance for $1 for the first month and $11.85 a month thereafter for each of them and I might take it up, I had been thinking about doing that for Chan since he is still a kitten too because I figured the cost of the yearly insurance versus an yearly exam and shots which with some insurances is re-imbursed are more than paid for with the insurance premium and if you have a serious illness or injury you can get re-imbursed and not have to make a heartbreaking choice of not fixing the problem and ending their lives like many do.

Costs for food vary depending on what I buy and get coupons for, same with cat litter etc. I never really sat down and added it all up. I usually do the rabies shots at the shelter or sponsored by the shelter but this year they had limited clinics and the locations were further out that it was cheaper to go to the vet than drive out to the shelter and my vet will usually discount if you bring all animals in at one time. I think she charges $20 for a rabies shot, plus she does a thorough exam for $75.

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We cook for our dog: barley, meat and veggies so it's about $60 a month for food. There are annual shots for rabies and other things maybe not annual maybe semiannual if I remember correctly. That's about $35. There are haircuts twice a year for $40 each, toenail clippings about 4 or 5 times a year for $7-$10. We have had Bianca for seven years in that time have spent well over $1500 on emergencies, ear infections, stomach ailments, etc.
The dog gate for the car cost around $70. The "pet hammock" that covers the backseat where she is allowed sometimes was $20.
Treats cost about $5 a month.
Leashes a total of about $25 we keep them and have all of them they are strong and we don't lose them. You will need old blankets for the car and truck in winter and lots of old towels for the floor, paws, to lay on the couch etc.
You will need bowls for food and water. You will pay extra for motels.
You will get pawed in the head when sleeping and sometimes you will only get a corner of your own pillows.

But it is totally worth it. You will love them as if they are your own children. As a matter of fact in some ways you will be closer to them. My dog sleeps with me every night my almost 25 yr old son will never sleep with me again and has not since he has been about 7 yrs old.
You will and can spoil your pets they will never have to get a job or rent an apt.

But do not take a pet if you may have to move or are not sure. It is a responsibility that lasts the life of the pet and the bond that is formed is incredible!

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That's true.

Our 7 year old shih tzu, Reba, has cost us over $6,000 in surgery bills.

Plus, she is on Prescription Diet food which costs about $30 a month.

She takes hormone medication which costs about $10 a month.

She has eye problems and requires eye drops which cost about $30 a month.

I don't remember how much we pay for her Frontline and Heartgard medicines.

Not to mention grooming which costs about $30 every other month.

The last time we tried to calculate how much we've spent on Reba, it was well over $10,000.

for our cat. Somehow she broke 2 toes on her paw and it had to be in a cast(2 casts because she managed to get out of the 1st one) for 8 weeks. When they took off the cast her leg was so sore we had to get meds for that and she still couldn't walk on it for another week. Food is cheap if you get it on sale with coupons and stockpile. Scoopable litter can be pricey but the pets are soooo worth it(at least that is what my 7 year old daughter keeps telling me, LOL)

Funny little fact on the cost of keeping pets:

When I was a teen I had a horse and was involved in the local 4-H horse program. My sister had a dalmatian and was involved in the 4-H dog program. Part of the program was to keep financial records of what you purchased for your animal. This included feed, vet bills, equipment, grooming fees, toys, etc. At the end of the year you added it all up so you knew exactly what you had spent on your project animal for the year.

Here's the funny part: At the end of 1 year, it had cost more to feed my sisters DOG than to feed my HORSE. Quite a bit more. We didn't even look at vet bills because that dog was one of the sickliest creatures ever, lol.

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