I've heard it said that the whole world is Irish on St. Patrick's Day and, that being the case, we can all benefit from this ancient Irish toast: "May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow and may trouble avoid you wherever you go."
In honor of the very small part of Desperado and me that is Irish, we always prepare a big pot of corned beef and cabbage today. It makes a great meal with plenty leftover for sandwiches, etc.
EOB-7....
Even though our economy is showing signs of some improvement, it can still be difficult for the consumer to keep up with rising costs. In particular, Helpful Buckeye is fully aware that the cost of medical care for your pets has also been on the rise. In many cases, pet owners will spend money taking care of their pets' medical needs before taking care of themselves. However, even that can have its limits. Let's take a closer look at:
When it comes to household spending, the pet is
the
boss
Americans pamper animals despite economy, with
billions in sales every year on food, toys, medicine — even prosthetic implants.
This year, Americans
will spend an estimated $55.5 billion on their pets, a little more than the
gross domestic product of Bulgaria.
And Americans probably
will spend even more next year, just as they have every year for the past two
decades.
Little wonder, then,
that these are boom times in the pet industry. In one example, Petsmart
reported it sold $1.9 million worth of goods and services in the fourth quarter
alone. “It’s an industry that
continued to grow during the recession,” said retail analyst Chris Boring,
principal at Boulevard Strategies. “In Ohio, the number of dog licenses issued
is growing faster than the birth rate.” The reason for such
unstoppable growth can be traced to the baby-boom generation and its
humanization of pets, Boring said. “They grew up in the
1950s and ’60s, and one of the most-popular TV shows for families was Lassie,”
Boring said. “Every little kid begged his folks to buy a dog.”
As a result, “the baby
boom generation was the first generation, really, that commonly had household
pets,” Boring said. “Prior to that, most domestic animals were kept outside.
Cats were kept in barns or on porches, and dogs had dog houses out back. Now that baby boomers
have become empty nesters, they’re adopting pets in record numbers. I think
it’s to fill an emotional need when the last child leaves home.”
They’re not only
adopting pets in record numbers, but spending more on each pet, said Dave
Bolen, CEO of Pet Supplies Plus, which just opened two more stores locally —
one in Grove City and one in Delaware — bringing its Columbus total to seven.
The 280-store chain has been doing business locally for about 25 years. “The people who shop
our stores don’t own pets. The pets own them,” Bolen said. “It’s true. The pets
run the household. If you go to our stores, you’ll note that all of the signage
is the pet talking to you. Our marketing is the same thing, it’s all in the
voice of the pet. The pet’s the boss.”
As might be expected,
food is the highest annual expense for most pet owners, according to the
American Pet Products Association. Owners on average spend $239 on food for
dogs and $203 on food for cats. Overall, pet owners will spend a total of $21.3
billion on food this year.
But it’s not just
quantity of food. Pet owners — or “parents,” as they’re known in the industry —
are going after high quality in their food, too. “That’s a really big deal,
organic food,” Bolen said. “It very much follows the trend in natural food in the
human space.” In response, his company offers 33 brands of pet foods that don’t
contain synthetic additives, artificial preservatives, fillers or animal
byproducts.
Pet Supplies Plus is
hardly alone in the move toward organic pet food. In the Short North, “a
particularly pet friendly area,” Boring said, Three Dog Bakery touts that its
“all-natural dog food” is something that owners “can feel good about sharing
with their furry family members.”
Pet People, another
national chain which has its divisional headquarters in Columbus, also touts
its “high quality, natural, wholesome, and nutritious pet foods and treats.”
The big spending
doesn’t end with food. Pet owners are also spending more on human-style fashion
gear, grooming and boarding. The American Pet Products Association expects pet
owners to spend $5.5 billion on grooming and boarding services this year.
At the prompting of
one franchise owner who noticed the rising demand for grooming, Pet Supplies
Plus began offering a self-service dog wash, Bolen said. “Sometimes trying to
give a larger dog a wash in the home is hard. It’s much easier to do in the dog
wash.”
Among the offerings at
Posh Pets Boutique in the Short North, for instance, are “the newest organic
cotton crocheted toys” and “new winter styles to keep your favorite pet
toasty!”
“They’re at a point
where they can afford to spoil their pets — and they do,” Boring said. “People
are cooking special meals for their dogs, and then there are some of these
places where, you call it boarding, but it’s more like plush hotels. It’s
almost like anything you can apply to humans can apply to dogs. And it is
usually dogs. Cats don’t really care. I say that as a cat owner.”
The pampering even
extends to psychological considerations. One product, Neuticles, “allows your
pet to retain his natural look, self-esteem and aids in the trauma associated
with altering.” Pet owners have bought more than half a million of the
prosthetic testicular implants, which sell for about $1,000 a pair.
“I saw a cat stroller
the other day for some ridiculous price,” Boring said. “My first question is,
what cat would let you put it in a stroller?”
...for the dog that has everything...yes, prosthetic testicles! If you think this article accounted for all the cost increases, think again.
Pet furnishings go upscale
When Jade Lenzo was getting ready to bring home her
kitten, Bella, for the first time, she set about preparing the place for the
little ragdoll cat. Lenzo already had the essentials, but top on her list was a
scratching post.
"I began my search with a few thoughts in
mind," she says. "It had to look good in our modern home, be well
made with quality materials, be safe for cats and be reasonably priced."
What should have been a simple task brought nothing
but disappointment. She found nothing in the stores she visited, Lenzo says,
but cheap and tacky stuff "made out of carpet that was secured with
staples." Certainly nothing that fit the sleek lines and soft curves of
her decor.
Lenzo, who lives outside of Perth, Australia, turned
to the Internet and eventually found exactly what she was looking for at a
Fremont-based company called Five Pet Place.
The company, founded by Michael Ostrofsky, was
created to appeal to clients just like Lenzo -- people who love their pets but
also their decor, who don't want to see a plastic litter box in the bathroom or
a garishly colored carpet-clad scratching post.
While Ostrofsky has found a niche, he is by no means
alone. According to research by the American Pet Products Association, about 62
percent of households in the United States own a pet; that's roughly 377
million dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, horses and other animals. Back in
1994, we spent $17 billion on our animal friends. In 2012, it was more than $52
billion.
Pets and the stuff we buy for them have become such
a huge market that, according to the association, big-name retailers --
including Old Navy, Paul Mitchell and Harley Davidson -- are branching out to
add pet products to their traditional lines.
It is now fairly easy to find fancy clothing,
jeweled collars and leather-accented carriers with built-in iPad pouches. But
the furniture -- the everyday items that fill conspicuous spots in our homes --
is another story. And some people aren't willing to settle any longer.
Style rules
Style was definitely on the mind of Sue Kindregan
when she bought a Five Pet Place scratching post for her kitten, LouLou, an
indoor-only cat. "I knew I had to find a scratching post for LouLou, but I
didn't want an eyesore," she says.
The color matches her traditional furniture, and the
pieces look as if they had been custom-made to match the woodwork in her house
in Boston, she says. "We recently ordered the litter tray in all white,
and honestly, it blends in perfectly in our master bath. And it doesn't look
like a litter box."
Ostrofsky, who founded www.fivepetplace.com ,
recognized the need for fashionable pet furniture through his own experience.
At the time, he was married and moving into a
brand-new home. He and his wife had two cats, but the population quickly grew
to five as they kept adding strays. The couple had worked and saved for the
house; when they moved, they bought all new furnishings. The cats' scratching
posts and litter boxes stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb. Unable to find
something that would suit the coffered ceilings, crown molding and wainscoting
of their Union City home, Ostrofsky worked with his father to build his own. He
researched his own cats' behavior and designed models that they preferred, but
it was the enthusiastic response and requests from friends and guests that
tipped off Ostrofsky that he was onto something.
Dogs have their day
Five Pet Place features scratching posts, food
dishes, litter boxes and beds that can best be described as elegantly
appointed. Ostrofsky says that, beyond their decorative beauty, they are made
to last, with materials that won't harm the cat or pollute the indoor
environment.
While Five Pet Place is primarily for cats, other
companies are filling the void for dogs. The Company Store, primarily known for
its luxurious human bedding, is now offering fine linens, pillows and
four-poster beds for your favorite canine. A company spokesman says it
"wanted to extend the same comfort, quality and design we're known for to
the four-legged friends of our families."
The line of cozy dog comforters and accessories is
continually updated to coordinate with an assortment of bedding and decor for
the entire home. So if you love the linens on your California king, Fido can
have a coordinating ensemble.
Companies such as Soft Surroundings, which has
launched a new line called the Retreat Collection, offer plush mattresses and
wicker beds. Robin Sheldon, its founder and president, says, "We are
invested in creating lush, beautiful bedding for our customers to create their
own soft surroundings. With the introduction of Retreat, our home furnishings
catalog, it seemed only natural to include a comfy place to relax for our
four-legged best friends. The wonderful response we've received has resulted in
a new collection of French-inspired pet beds, which will be introduced in the
September Retreat.Style not cheap
The salute to home decor does not come cheap, which
may be the one sticking point for companies. But owners are accustomed to
paying dearly for almost anything for their pets. Those who market the pedigree
products point out that, yes, the items are costly, but they likely will last
much longer than the more cheaply made versions.
Cost wasn't an issue for Lenzo, who benefits from
the strength of the Australian dollar over the American. Ostrofsky's prices
were reasonable to her, she says, and the quality made them well worth it.
It's the style that gets customers through the door,
Ostrofsky says, but if it doesn't function properly, they won't be back.
There's also another factor that influences shopping for high-end pet
furniture. How does the pet like it?
Lenzo says she is proud to have Bella's cat
furnishings in plain view, and she gets lots of compliments from friends and
family.
"But most importantly," she says,
"Bella loves them."
High Costs of Pet Medicines
As you're walking your dog to the car, you glance
down at the receipt and you're thinking….
When did pet meds get so expensive?
I know how you feel. The cost of medications has skyrocketed.
Many people question some of the excessive profits
that pharmaceutical companies make (I think they have a point). However, there
are some good reasons why pet medications are so expensive.
Today I want to share a few of things that drive up
the cost of pet medications plus I will share a tip that will save you money
and avoid paying full price on pet meds.
First, there's the cost of research and development.
Many pet meds have the same active ingredients as their corresponding human
drugs; but in much smaller amounts. But even using familiar ingredients, it can
take years to develop that particular medication and bring a safe and effective
drug to market. In fact, for dogs, it can take five years or more.
For example, a topical medication which controls
heartworm and fleas and costs about $200 for an annual supply at your vet's
office took nearly 10 years in the discovery process, and millions of dollars
before becoming available for pet use.
Second, pet meds are run through the same rigorous testing,
patient studies and safety procedures as people drugs. The case studies alone
can take years to get the proper number of participants to be statistically
relevant. They also must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
before they're available for prescription and pet use.
So what's the answer?
Skimp on pet medications? Skip doses? Absolutely
not! As pet parents – it is our responsibility to do the best we can for our
precious dogs.
So…even though the medications can be expensive, they
really are an important part of your dog's care. By providing vaccines and
preventative medications – we have the power to prevent our pets from being
bitten by ticks, being infested with fleas and having worms invade their lungs
and hearts (causing heartworm disease).
New Comparison Shopping Site for Pet Owners
By ANN CARRNS
A dog owner with an entrepreneurial bent has started
a Web site aimed at making it easier for pet lovers to find the right products
at the right price.
DugDug.com is a new price comparison site that aims to
provide pet product information from multiple online retailers in a clear,
easily understandable format, said David Keh, the site’s founder.
Mr. Keh, a former hedge fund analyst, said he
created DugDug out of his own frustration as a new pet owner. (He owns a
standard poodle.) When searching for supplies online, he said, most comparison
sites returned information that wasn’t presented in a helpful way. For
instance, when searching for medications, searching by the product name most
often produced lists that weren’t sorted based on the pet’s weight or by the
number of doses supplied, making it difficult to compare prices. “You get
nonsensical results,” he said. “It was a huge frustration.”
So Mr. Keh’s site attempts to sort products in a
more meaningful way. A search on DugDug, for instance, for Advantix, a killer
of canine fleas and ticks, returns a menu of options, based on the pet’s
weight. When you click on the proper weight (11-20 pounds, say), an appropriate
list of vendors and prices appears.
DugDug also includes any coupons next to each item.
That way, users can receive the discount when buying the item, rather than
having to scour the Web for potentially available coupon codes, he said. (If
users want, they can also use an optional browser tool, called Rover, that
automatically notifies them of coupons as they visit different Web sites.)
DugDug doesn’t conduct any sales itself. Rather,
once you find the best price, you select the vendor and are taken to that Web
site to complete the sale. DugDug receives a fee from some sites if you click
through and make a purchase. But the site lists the vendors with the best
prices, Mr. Keh said, whether or not the site has a commission deal with
DugDug.
(If you are buying a pet medication that requires a
prescription, you must eventually provide one from your veterinarian — or,
often, the site you buy from will contact your veterinarian to verify it, or to
request one on your behalf. In general, though, you need to see a veterinarian
in person at some point, to obtain the prescription. Mr. Keh says DugDug
screens prescription sites displayed on its searches to weed out disreputable
carriers that may be offering counterfeit drugs.)
Mr. Keh said he might be new to pets, but has always
been entrepreneurial. While an undergraduate at Stanford, he ran a
business from his dorm room changing the backlighting on cellphones, earning as
much as $150 each.
DugDug focuses on dogs, but will be gradually
rolling out other pet categories like cats, birds, fish, reptiles and small
pets (including ferrets, guinea pigs, gerbils etc.) over the next several
weeks.
Other plans for the Web site include comparison
shopping tools for pet insurance, an area Mr. Keh said he saw as lacking in
transparency. “We’ll give information on prices and differences in coverage,”
he said.
Adapted from: http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/new-comparison-shopping-site-for-pet-owners/
If more web sites like this one become available, some pet owners might be better able to afford medications for their pets. Now, let's take a look at how quickly health care expenses can add up at the veterinary hospital:
Americans spend millions to keep pets healthy
by Patti Kirkpatrick
PHOENIX -- We love our pets and show that love by
spending a lot of money. Americans will spend a jaw-dropping $53 billion on
their pets this year.
A big chunk of that goes to health care, which is
right up there with medical care for people.
Stephanie Helbig and her husband spent thousands at
VETMED in north Phoenix to diagnose and treat their 9-year-old beagle, Lucy,
after she fell sick with a life-threatening illness.
"I think I'm like most people. My dog is like
my child," smiled Stephanie .
Stephanie brought her beagle to VETMED to be treated
after a blood test revealed a complex condition: immune-mediated neutropenia
and hemolytic anemia. Lucy is almost cured, but it cost her and her husband
nearly $20,000.
"It was never a question of whether we would
spend the money or not," Stephanie said.
VETMED is where other veterinarians across the
Southwest send their sickest patients for the most advanced diagnosis and
treatment -- including many of the machines and procedures common in human
health care.
Dr. Arch Robertson founded the clinic in 1995,
specializing only in ultrasound technology. Today it's a bustling, new,
high-tech facility that fills an 8,000-square-foot building with plans to add
another 5,000.
Robertson marvels at how far his practice has come.
"We can do things so much quicker, so much less
invasively, with less cost, frankly, and less morbidity," Robertson said.
He proudly showed off the CT scan, an imaging
machine used for diagnosis. Linus, a beagle with sinus problems, got a scan to
determine if the cause was a tumor or something else. Cost: $1,000-$1,100.
"So we do the CTs and then we have a
board-certified radiologist -- not on site -- but we send through telemedicine
-- who reads the films," Robertson said. "So we have one of the top
experts in the country reading our CTs."
Veterinary medicine is advancing right along with
human medicine. At VETMED pet patients also have access to:
- Cardiac
catheterization, a machine that creates video images of the heart.
-
Lithotripsy, a non-invasive procedure that zaps bladder or kidney stones.
- Digital
radiography, creating high tech x-rays that are and cheaper than film.
- Surgery,
including neuro and orthopaedic
-
Computerized, automated pharmacy system.
- In-house
lab
- Critical
Care, including 24-hour care.
Dr. Nichole Hooper is VETMED's specialist in
critical care and on the day we visited was examining a 3-year-old labradoodle
named Diego with beautiful, but very sad, eyes.
"Diego likes to get into the laundry and he's
eaten at least two pairs of socks that we know of," Hooper said.
Dr. Robertson's quick ultrasound with Diego
confirmed a dire diagnosis. "He needs surgery right away," he said.
His owners gave the go-ahead and the labradoodle
underwent successful surgery that day, socks removed, and back home, doing
well.
"We know that the human-animal bond, you know
just petting a dog and having that relationship, and having them happy when you
come home from work, you know, that just makes people feel good,"
Robertson said.
Adapted from: http://www.azfamily.com/news/Americans-spend-millions-to-keep-pets-healthy-175327641.html
By now, any sane pet owner is scratching their head and wondering how they can manage the cost of health care for their pets in the future. Here are some good ideas:
Caring for Pets Without Breaking the Bank
by John Kiernan
In this edition of our “Ask the Experts” series, we
identify the factors that drive the cost of pet care, examine saving tips, and
identify the most efficient ways to help your favorite animal charities.
Some 72.9 million households in the United States
own pets. That represents roughly 62% of
us, and we collectively spend more than $50 billion annually on our furry,
scaled, and feathered friends. The
obvious question that stems from that is how do we bring down costs without
sacrificing our pets’ well being in any way, shape, or form?
You see, we need to identify savings opportunities
across the breadth of our lives in order to reverse our dangerous debt habits
and stave off future financial meltdowns.
U.S. consumers currently owe roughly $846 billion to credit card
companies alone – more than $113 billion of which has been incurred since the
Great Recession ended. We’re also more
than $1 trillion in the hole to student loan companies, and thousands of homes
across the country are “underwater” – even in the driest of areas.
Trying to make all of the necessary spending cuts at
one time could get impossibly overwhelming, so it makes sense to take a
step-by-step approach. This is the pet
step, and we turned to the following experts in search of answers:
•Peter Maguire – Veterinarian and professor with
Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical
Sciences.
•Joseph Bartges – Veterinarian and professor of
medicine & nutrition at the University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary
Medicine.
•Brian Collins – Veterinarian and lecturer at
Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
Peter Maguire – Colorado State University
We touched base with Dr. Maguire via e-mail and
asked that he share his insights on a range of issues, from the value of pet
insurance to trends in veterinary medicine.
He started by saying that while most savings strategies are obvious,
leaving your pets with friends when traveling and/or getting someone you know
to walk your dog while you’re at work really can help your bottom line.
We then moved to more in-depth medical issues.
•What types of financial assistance is available to
pet owners?
“A. There are
groups who are in business to loan money to qualified pet owners (application
is necessary) to help pay vet bills.
Even local banks are sometimes able to offer pet specific loans. Ask any vet office and they will typically
have information on what is available to pet owners.
B. Some vet
offices will extend credit or offer payment plans, but that is less and less
common. Vet businesses who have done
that routinely find themselves carrying way too much debt. I know some vet practices who have found
themselves carrying monthly debt of unpaid bills in excess of $50K. You can’t sustain a business that way. The cost of overhead in a vet practice trying
to provide quality health care is extremely high.
C. More and
more I think people will find foundations established in part to help subsidize
vet health bills–some vet practices may have funds established from donations
for this purpose. There also exist
non-profit rescue groups who will help subsidize vet medical costs for animals
that are homeless but adoptable if their health needs can be met.”
•Should people buy pet insurance?
“I think the true value of pet insurance is
debatable. I have heard opinions pro and
con. As a vet specialist my experience
has been that many people who have pet insurance have been disappointed when
they find out that their claims have been denied…I have seen this time and
again. I think it very important that
people who are considering pet insurance become intimately familiar with the
policies they are considering buying. … I personally think it would be a better
idea for people to establish a kind of Health Savings Account for their
pets. When you get a new pet, or in
anticipation of getting a new pet, start putting away a bit of money each month
in a specific account designated for unanticipated vet medical bills/costs.”
Finally, Dr. Maguire offered some tips for pet
owners living on a tight budget:
1.Realize the realistic costs associated with
responsibly owning a pet before you pick up that new puppy.
2.Budget a part of your savings each month into a
fund set aside for unexpected vet med costs.
3.Thoroughly research your pet insurance options
before purchasing a policy….or you might be disappointed.
4.Look to your community of pet owners to share
walking and boarding costs….do it yourself community sharing.
5.MOST IMPORTANT:
EDUCATE yourself when faced with big medical decisions and big medical
bills. Don’t just rely on what you are
told….seek second opinions, seek alternative options, seek a more thorough
understanding of the medical conditions facing your pet. The more you educate yourself as a pet owner,
the better you will be prepared to deal with the important and costly medical
decisions on behalf of the pet you love.
Joseph Bartges – University of Tennessee
•What tips would you offer to well-intentioned pet
owners living on a tight budget?
“There are several things a pet owner can do when
living on a tight budget. Probably the
first question to ask is ‘can I afford a pet?’
I don’t mean for this to sound callous, and pets are an important part
of our family and important companions; however, it is worse to have a pet and
to not be able to provide adequate care than it is to not own a pet.
When searching for a pet, decide on what type of pet
fits the circumstance – a cat, a dog, a bird, etc. The associated costs for care are different
depending on the type of chosen pet.
Also, choose wisely as to what breed of pet – especially with dogs. It costs a lot more to take care of a Great
Dane than a Chihuahua – especially with feeding, living space, activity,
etc. Pure breeds are more likely to have
medical problems than mixed breeds.
Acquire your pet from the local humane society rather than buying from a
breeder.
[You should also] shop around – but in particular
find a veterinarian and practice that you like and that work with you. …
Oftentimes, you ‘get what you pay for.’
For example, you may be able to buy a food that is cheaper than a name
brand; however, if the cheaper food is less digestible and less nutritious,
then the pet will need to eat more and you could not only spend more money on
the cheaper food but it would be less beneficial for your pet.
[Finally], prevent the prevent-able. If you live in an area where heartworm
disease is prevalent, then the cost of preventing heartworm infection is much
less than treating an active infection.
This is true with many other infectious diseases as well. Factor the pet into your budget and have a
“pet fund” where you can put away small amounts of money to build up the
account in case of an emergency.”
•Too often it seems that consumers have to choose
between paying exorbitant veterinary costs and putting down their pets as a
result of treatable ailments. What kinds of financial assistance are available
to pet owners? Is it a good idea for folks to buy pet insurance? Are steps
being taken in the veterinary world to make pet care more affordable?
“I don’t think ‘exorbitant’ is the right word. For example, cancer therapy may cost hundreds
of thousands of dollars in human medicine but only cost hundreds to thousands
of dollars in veterinary medicine. The
perception that veterinary costs are exorbitant is probably based on the fact,
at least in part, that insurance pays for human medical costs; therefore,
people don’t really see (or don’t care to actually find out) the cost of their
care. The ‘cost’ to them is their
deductible. It’s only when we have ‘out
of pocket’ expenses that the cost actually hits home. Veterinary medicine does not have this
system, even with pet insurance. It
appears to me that many pet insurance policies are still pretty limited
[compared] to what is done in human medicine.
Having a pet as part of the family carries a cost. Veterinarians want to do the best that we can
for our patients; however, there is a cost of doing business that cannot be
ignored. If veterinarians under-charged
or did not charge, then they would be out of business. Some things that pet owners can do are to
investigate pet insurance to see if it is worth the investment and to save
money in a ‘pet account’ to help with unexpected larger veterinary bills. Many veterinary practices and university
practices use Care Credit, which allows owners, if approved, to pay larger
bills.”
Brian Collins – Cornell University
•What can people do to reduce the cost of pet care?
“I would say that probably one of the best things
that people can do to help make pet care less expensive is to make sure that
the pet gets preventative care, which is what veterinarians try to do as much
as possible as far as having animals stay current on vaccinations [and] making
sure they take whatever kind of preventative products are recommended for whatever
geographic area they happen to live in – whether that’s fleas, ticks,
heartworm, things like that. Trying to
keep up with those types of things will reduce costs just because it’s cheaper
to prevent than to treat patients. It
may seem fairly basic, but trying to keep your pet at a healthy weight, feeding
them nutritious food, exercising your pet – these might not be the kinds of
things you’re looking for, but they’re what I try to focus on.”
•Does more expensive necessarily mean better when it
comes to pet food?
“You don’t necessarily have to buy the most
expensive dog food on the market. In a
lot of cases, veterinarians don’t sell those types of foods, so it’s more of a
recommendation I’d made for when you go to the pet store or wherever you buy
your pet supplies. There may be some
other foods that you could buy that your pet would be just as healthy on but
wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. … On the other hand, I do feel that since pet
feed is the majority of what the pet’s going to be eating, you want to make
sure it is good quality.”
Takeaways
Ultimately, we can boil down all of these great
expert insights into a few key takeaways (great for all you skimmers out
there!):
•More expensive isn’t necessarily better, but you
also get what you pay for – Pet owners can certainly identify areas where they
can cut costs, but you have to be really careful not to sacrifice the
well-being of your pet in doing so.
•Pet care isn’t really as outrageously expensive as
you might think – Part of what makes veterinary procedures seem so expensive is
the fact that people tend to pay out of pocket, whereas we have insurance to
cover most of our own health care costs.
•Pet insurance isn’t great – Not only does animal
insurance tend to be pricey, but the policies are also often difficult to
understand and ultimately leave many folks with minimal coverage.
•You can set up a savings account for your pet – One
interesting technique broached by multiple experts is to establish an emergency
fund for your pet. If you contribute, say,
$50 or $100 per month, you’ll be less likely to get blindsided by an unexpected
veterinary bill. This also underscores
the importance of living within your means in other areas of your life. If you aren’t already overleveraged, pet care
will seem more affordable.
If you haven't already read Helpful Buckeye's descriptions of pet health insurance, you might benefit from a review of those options: http://questionsondogsandcats.blogspot.com/search/label/Pet%20Health%20Insurance
Remember to send any comments or suggestions to Helpful Buckeye at: dogcatvethelp@gmail.com or submit the comment at the appropriate section at the end of this issue of Questions On Dogs and Cats.
Remember to send any comments or suggestions to Helpful Buckeye at: dogcatvethelp@gmail.com or submit the comment at the appropriate section at the end of this issue of Questions On Dogs and Cats.
~~The goal of this blog is to
provide general information and advice to help you be a better pet owner and to
have a more rewarding relationship with your pet. This blog does not intend to
replace the professional one-on-one care your pet receives from a practicing
veterinarian. When in doubt about your pet's health, always visit a
veterinarian.~~
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