Effect of Pets on Budgets

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queiunique
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Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by queiunique »

I thought it would be a good idea to ask you guys for help on our budget. My wife and I have been trying to have a baby, but have been having some difficulties. We’ve decided to take a step back and re-evaluate our priorities, particularly whether or not we are really ready to care for a child.

We’ve thought of maybe getting a pet in the meantime, and I was curious if people here might have some wisdom to share on how that’s affected their budgets. I’m a dog person, by the way, but all pet experiences are welcome!

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Shakespeare
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by Shakespeare »

A young dog will probably cost ~$1K/year for a small breed, incl. food, grooming, and checkups. Elderly dogs can have high health care costs if you consider them members of the family - as I do.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by Inquisitive »

I adopted a middle-aged dog who turned out to have so many puppy attributes (endless energy, adores every human she meets) that she is not dissimilar from 2 year old human, if one could find a 2 year old human who was always happy. She also has wobbly knees that may require expensive surgery one day. I pay 75.00 a month in insurance (I tell her I could trade her in on a phone plan) which won't cover the knees as they pre-existed. So, quality food, toys that squeak, vet visits, boarding fees - could be close to 2K. And worth it, in my life.

You could foster an animal, giving you a chance to see how it fits with your life. They need more attention than many people realize. Some agencies even pay the bills to the fosterers while they look for the right owner. Of course, foster animals may be in that position because they have issues.

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AltaRed
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by AltaRed »

I think we spent about $5k in 2015 on a 'not well' cat and we are likely on track to spend maybe that much again this year. Until you have an ill animal, you have no idea how that stacks up the bills.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by Shakespeare »

She also has wobbly knees that may require expensive surgery one day.
"Jake". now 15 1/3, has needed in the 2 3/4 years since adoption, 2 rebuilt knees (back legs), bladder surgery, and recently hyperextended his left carpus (wrist), so now has a weak left foreleg, plus needing ongoing meds for ear infections and arthritis, and special food for the bladder problems. I hesitate to add it all up ($6k??) - but, like I say, he's a member of the family (and too old for surgery to fix the foreleg).
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by ghariton »

Our experience is between $1K and $2K for vets per dog per year. Lower when young, higher when old. That includes one routine vet visit per year plus another on average for special problems (e.g. porcupine quills). Dog food is relatively cheap since they get table scraps, plus what they kill, plus kibbles when the hunt doesn't go so well.

We don't use kennels, so have no idea how much they might cost.

Cheap tennis balls are three for $1.50 at Canadian Tire, and we go through a lot of them.

Finally there's the gasoline, taking them to and from the off-leash dog park, and the Ottawa River for swimming.

But what you get in return is priceless.

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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by kcowan »

We have had a cat for 17 years. There was one bout with the vet that cost $3k when he was 5. But aside from that, it is just cat food and litter. It is included in our food budget. Huge bags of clumping litter wherever it is on sale. Mixture of dry and wet food for variety. A small can a day of wet and a bag of dry every month. But we have been lucky. (Friends have spent over $12000 on their cat on medical and special diet.)

We had a sheppard/husky runt for 14 years and she only went to the vet for her final visit! The joy was immeasurable until then.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by pmj »

Our cat ran about $900/yr over his full lifetime, except the last 9 months was about twice that. Included most food, but litter (for the winter) was not broken out of the grocery bills.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by BRIAN5000 »

As well as a financial budget you should budget time as well. Depending on the breed, let's say a Golden Retriever, you should be prepared to spend at least one hour a day walking feeding training. If you get a pup more time is needed. Puppies can only be left alone for 1 hour per month of age approximately. The better trained the more places the dog can go you should be prepared to take the dog everywhere, they are social animals.

The Annual Cost Of Pet Ownership: Can You Afford A Furry Friend?

Read more at: http://www.moneyunder30.com/the-true-co ... -ownership
http://www.moneyunder30.com/the-true-co ... -ownership
Last edited by BRIAN5000 on 14 Mar 2016 13:36, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by HardWorker »

BRIAN5000 wrote:As well as a financial budget you should budget time as well. Depending on the breed, let's say a Golden Retriever, you should be prepared to spend at least one hour a day walking feeding training. If you get a pup more time is needed. Puppies can only be left alone for 1 hour per month of age approximately. The better trained the more places the dog can go you should be prepared to take the dog everywhere, they are social animals.
I was gonna say this as well. Queiunique, if you guys do get pregnant, be prepared for very demanding and no sleep periods with a newborn. My daughter was a colicky baby in the first few months, and caring for our dog properly was very difficult, even though he's a small and very well trained dog. Thankfully my in laws stepped in and took care of him at their place.

On the costs, just research the breed and ask owners of that specific breed.

Also, the other day I heard on the radio about a business that'll provide you with a puppy free and cover all costs for a year, but then want the dog back after the year to be entered into specific training like the police force. I don't know if it's something you want to look into? And yeah it'll be very difficult to detach yourself from the dog after a year.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by Insomniac »

We have 2 cats.
Vet: $300 per year for annual checkup and shots. Need to allow for incidental costs. e.g. cat had a fight with raccoon - $300 bill.
Food: $30 per month.

No estimate on damage on to furniture as they don't always use the scratching post. :x

They affect travel plans. No problem for a weekend - just leave lots of food and water out - they are OK. If you want to go away for a longer period, pet sitter is about $20 per day. Pet sitter will drop by house, check cats and pet them (if the cats are interested). Pet sitter also checks house for burst pipes, picks up community paper, etc.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by ThinkingCapital »

Vet bills can be expensive, especially if there are any sort of health problems. IMO, you'll want to have an "emergency fund" should anything happen, so that an expensive surgery or medical treatment for your pet doesn't break the bank. There's nothing more heartbreaking than finding out you can't afford treatment for your pet, so saving for these situations (which WILL happen, especially as the pet ages) is crucial.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by brucecohen »

We have border collie who's now 11. We got her when she was over 2 and thus out of the puppy stage. She has always been very well behaved and has never damaged any household furniture or items. (Our previous dog, a shepherd-malamute-lab pound hound, was also very well behaved and damage-free.)

Last year was expensive because Pip suddenly stopped eating and the vet bills for that totaled $881. The cause was never determined but she recovered after a few days of pain killer and a human drug that soothes the stomach lining. The vet's best guess was that the problem was stomach inflammation.

Our total costs last year were $2,284.
Food & Greenies dental chews = $633
Medical & dog license = $1,612 including the $881 mentioned above. Annual shots & flea/tick drug & heartworm test were $421. We spent $306 on glucosomine and fish oil which thus far has counteracted hind leg stiffness that started to develop. We have a cost-conscious country vet who's big on being proactive. On her recommendation we feed Pip Science Diet Oral Care and give her a Greenie every night. She has never had a dental problem and at 11 her teeth show very little plaque buildup. We began daily glucosomine two years ago when Pip began showing signs of stiffness. Now she's fully limber. Fish oil was added last year after the vet got a study which found that fish oil increases the beneficiary effects of glucosomine. I always buy the food and supplements on sale. Pip's dog tag costs $20/year.
Misc = $39 for a new leash, toys, new stuffing for her bed etc.

This does not include the cost of dog sitting when we travel. We pay a friend $35/night to stay at our place. I think that's around the price of boarding.

Many people regularly or periodically take their dogs to a groomer. We don't.

Training is very important and worth every penny. I have no idea what it costs today. We got Pip from a border collie rescue society which charged us $200 to cover their cost of spaying, initial shots and fostering. This group now charges $300. Our local animal shelter charges $75 but that's without any medicals.

A few years ago we got Pip microchipped for either $20 or $40 as part of a fund-raiser our vet was running for our community's new animal shelter.

Our previous dog died somewhere between age 13 and 15 from a tumor on her liver. The tumor was benign but grew so aggressively that it affected other organs. We spent $5,000 on surgery which proved to be unsuccessful. Two bouts of hospitalization took a terrible psychological toll on Patti and we vowed to never again subject an aged dog to that.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by flywaysuzy »

Yes, had to put down my old and grizzled chow/ lab/? Cross last fall. Had a big tumour in his lower abdomen, diagnosed by the vet when she came out to put him down. He was way too old for surgery of any kind but was still alert and mobile almost up to the end. He came already neutered and only needed deworming and dogfood for the many years we had him. Getting a rescued garbage hound could mean lowered vet costs over the years due to the tough screening process they go through while living rough.... As long as you don't mind picking up all the garbage he'll get into over his lengthy life with you!
Fostering is a great way to see if a dog fits in to your life before you decide for sure.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by Bylo Selhi »

brucecohen wrote:Fish oil was added last year after the vet got a study which found that fish oil increases the beneficiary effects of glucosomine. I always buy the food and supplements on sale.
Be careful. I don't know if these caveats apply to fish oil/glucosamine to treat arthritis in dogs but FWIW at least for we humans...

The efficacy of fish oil in the prevention of cardiovascular disease in humans is tenuous at best. But worse, fish oil oxidizes (goes rancid) rapidly and can promote cardiovascular disease. Make sure that any fish oil you buy, especially on sale, is as fresh as possible and is used up as quickly as possible. Buying a large bottle that's on sale because the expiry date is rapidly approaching could be harmful to your health if not your pocketbook.

See e.g.
CBC: Omega-3: Why your fish oil supplements might not be fresh
"Fish oil is a polyunsaturated fatty acid; it has multiple double bonds. So it's very vulnerable to oxygen, light and other conditions," says Preston Mason, a biochemist at Harvard Medical School.

"Fish oil that has oxidized above the maximum limits is highly unlikely to have any health benefit, and in fact, such oxidized lipids contribute to cardiovascular diseases and should be avoided," Mason says.

Some experts say that oxidized oils are more difficult for the body to process, and could be especially difficult for people who have a history of heart problems. But little research has been done on oxidized fish oil.
PBS: How Beneficial is Fish Oil?
But there are two big problems when it comes to fish oil: Researchers still cannot definitely say whether it actually lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke. And even if they could, there can be big differences between the fish oil that is prescribed to patients by their physicians, and some versions of the supplement that are available over-the-counter...

Even if oxidation weren’t an issue, some say there is still no conclusive evidence that the supplement can ward off a heart attack...

“I think for cardiovascular disease, one has to say, there is no compelling evidence that taking fish oil protects against the first heart attack or a second heart attack,” Grey told FRONTLINE in an interview for Supplements and Safety. “And so, people who are advised to do that, or are doing it, are wasting their time. And their money.”
If there's further interest in this perhaps we need a separate thread (titled "Is fish oil the 21st century snake oil?" ;) )
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by Jo Anne »

brucecohen wrote:Our total costs last year were $2,284.
Food & Greenies dental chews = $633
Medical & dog license = $1,612 including the $881 mentioned above. Annual shots & flea/tick drug & heartworm test were $421. We spent $306 on glucosomine and fish oil which thus far has counteracted hind leg stiffness that started to develop. We have a cost-conscious country vet who's big on being proactive. On her recommendation we feed Pip Science Diet Oral Care and give her a Greenie every night. She has never had a dental problem and at 11 her teeth show very little plaque buildup. We began daily glucosomine two years ago when Pip began showing signs of stiffness. Now she's fully limber. Fish oil was added last year after the vet got a study which found that fish oil increases the beneficiary effects of glucosomine. I always buy the food and supplements on sale. Pip's dog tag costs $20/year.
Misc = $39 for a new leash, toys, new stuffing for her bed etc.
I bow down to your superior record-keeping skills. You must have one helluva spreadsheet.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by brucecohen »

Bylo Selhi wrote:
brucecohen wrote:Fish oil was added last year after the vet got a study which found that fish oil increases the beneficiary effects of glucosomine. I always buy the food and supplements on sale.
Be careful. I don't know if these caveats apply to fish oil/glucosamine to treat arthritis in dogs but FWIW at least for we humans...
Yes, I was aware of that and we stopped using it last year. Our vet was insistent that it's worthwhile for dogs, but I haven't done any research myself. The vet does not sell fish oil and thus gets nothing for recommending it.

Added: I just found this article. Looks like fish oil is beneficial for a number of canine ailments, but reduces the dog blood's ability to clot when the animal is wounded. Also, it's important not to give the dog too much. When she recommended it, our vet calculated the dosage based on body weight.

This might have been the study that prompted my vet's recommendation. Carprofen is used to treat dogs for arthritis, joint pain and joint deterioration.
Jo Anne wrote: I bow down to your superior record-keeping skills. You must have one helluva spreadsheet.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by sparky61 »

My Lab just turned one. I was very curious what he would cost me so I tracked almost everything. Total was $4029 !!! I was expecting about $2500.
And I don't even consider that I'm pampering him! Well, maybe a little.
A lot of the cost were one-time expenses associated with a puppy i.e. purchase price, neutering, vaccinations, training classes, crate etc

$550 - purchase price
$1464 - vet bills ( de-worm, 2nd+3rd vacc, neutering, 2 x ear infections, preventative tick treatment, microchip)
$435 - insurance (1st 3 months free, $79 startup, $45 a month ongoing - probably stop after 2 years)
$486 - food/treats (middle of the road food... not road kill but not filet mignon)
$430 - gear (crate, several harness', leash' , 3 x pet gates, dog beds etc)
$204 - toys (he's a ferocious chewer!)
$460 - miscellaneous ( training classes, license, fence to protect my roses)

He's worth every penny, but I don't let him know that.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by hamor »

I've had dogs for a while. Now I have 5 yo and 1,5 yo.
I have (much) higher than average animal husbandry skills, so I only take them to a vet when they are deathly ill or require rabies shots. OTOH, my dogs get more injuries, as they're active working dogs.
Food - I buy Costco kibble, it's good and inexpensive
Grooming - I clip their nails and groom and wash them if they get into foul stuff couple times a year, so it's 'free'
Tick and flea preventatives - I buy my stuff in the US at a cost of US10/dose, I use six pack/year.
Heartworm - I use horse wormers off label $15 tube lasts couple years at lest, until expiration
Worming - I use goat medication off label US$20/per year.
I don't buy dog insurance. I paid about $5000 for a treatment of one of my dogs about 15 years ago (foreign body surgery).
I don't buy dental chews, but occasionally brush teeth with dog paste (cheap).
I also do some minor scaling of their teeth and I will never have vet do that under anesthesia.
I use country vet clinic, it's cheaper, than those in the city and 5 vets working there actually resemble humans.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by BRIAN5000 »

Heartworm
I thought Heartworm was only required if you lived in a climate that had X number of days over 40 degrees per year? In BC the only area that qualifies is Osoyoos, not that your in BC.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by hamor »

I am in GTA ON I use HW preventative for about 6 month, june - dec.
I am not going to to into why here...
"Speculation is an effort, probably unsuccessfully, to turn a little money into a lot. Investment is an effort, which should be successful, to prevent a lot of money from becoming a little." Fred Schwed " Where are the Customers’ Yachts?"
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by Knowsitall »

You will never go wrong by adopting or purchasing a dog.

I have owned 5 in my lifetime both big and small ,male and female.

They add to your span and quality of life by walking,playing and just being there with you everyday.

We also had 4 children now on their own

Pets need good care for diet,grooming,exercise ,vet bills,annual needles etc.

It should cost you in a year

grooming------$300.00

vet.............$200.00

vet pills,needles etc. $100.00

walking supplies and teddy bears etc....$50.00

Food......small dog ....$400.00

Food big dog......$700.00


So I would say about $1000-$1200 per year but they are worth every cent and more.

Brandi is on my desk corner in her ashes urn waiting to go under with me.

Gracie is underneath my feet watching after just coming back from a walk and then a doggie bath.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by hamor »

Knowsitall wrote: Brandi is on my desk corner in her ashes urn waiting to go under with me.

Gracie is underneath my feet watching after just coming back from a walk and then a doggie bath.
That's touching.
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by steves »

To offset the costs, I enter 'Pookie' my Bull Mastiff in an underground Dog Fighting enterprise. Problem solved :mrgreen:
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Re: Effect of Pets on Budgets

Post by hamor »

Dog Fighting
do you stitch him up by yourself..? :lol:
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