[nagdu] dog expenses question

Sun May 25 20:05:36 UTC 2014

This is all good advice.  You should also think about what you will do in an emergency.  I have a 12 year old dog who has been healthy all her working and now retired life.  Then, last month, we thought she had bone cancer. So there were x-rays, diagnostic testing, and eventually a biopsy.  A thousand dollars later, we found out it was not bone cancer.  But the only way for me to know for sure was a bone biopsy, and because bone  cancer is fatal, and painful, not knowing was not an option.  So I had to figure out how to pay the vet.  Fortunately, I have a vet who takes payments.  I have never abused that trust, and have always repaid him as soon as I could.  I also got a credit card for vet emergencies.  I would never advise going into debt, and having the money saved before hand is always better. But sometimes life just happens and it's better to plan ahead of time than to be caught blindsided, because the last thing you want to think about when your dog is ill, or perhaps dying is the money. 

 Rox  and the kitchen Bitches: 
Mill'E, Laveau, Soleil
Pawpower4me at gmail.com
Sent from my iPhone

> On May 25, 2014, at 2:42 PM, Raven Tolliver via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Approximate annual expenses for a dog depends on a variety of things.
> But I think the 3 main factors are grooming, diet, and health care.
> These 3 factors could vary in cost depending on what you are able and
> willing to do, and how well you care for your dog. For instance, the
> only money I spend on grooming the Golden Guy is spent on liquid
> castille soap, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, and essential oils.
> Initially, I invested in higher quality grooming tools than those
> provided by the school, a pair of baby nail scissors for grooming his
> feet and ear hair, , and a electric nail grinder. I also bathe my dog
> myself, and only when necessary. If you are not able or willing to
> groom your dog yourself, it will definitely cost you more money. It
> certainly did cost me more when I wasn't doing it all myself. Because
> I use pricy essential oils, I spend about $90 on grooming annually.
> Seventy of that is the essential oils, which I also use on myself.
> What you feed your dog could vary in price from $30 to $200 monthly,
> depending on what you feed and where you source it from. I advise
> everyone to thoroughly research a proper diet for any dog they have.
> Diet is the foundation of health, and a dog on a proper diet will
> rarely fall ill or fall victim to a wide variety of pest and ailments
> that affect many animals today. Thus, a proper diet will also keep
> your dog out of the vet's office. Hippocrates always said "Let
> medicine be thy food, and food be thy medicine." If you spend more
> money or at least invest in a diet that is close to nature, you will
> spend considerably less money and time at the vet's office.
> As far as health care, it depends on how healthy your dog is and what
> kind of health care you provide for your dog. If you invest in all the
> pesticides and vaccinations that vets push on you, your dog and bank
> account will feel the pain. But if you feed your dog a proper diet,
> treat minor problems naturally, and avoid every vaccine you can, your
> dog and finances will be far healthier. I'd say only pay for any
> diagnostic testing, namely an annual physical exam and a heart worm
> test. Take advantage of the free eye exams also. If your dog is not
> exhibiting signs of a health imbalance, no more than this is
> necessary.
> That aside, you should always have money saved for an emergency. You
> don't expect crap to happen, but unfortunately, it does. You can't
> always be emotionally ready, but being financially prepared will save
> you some grief.
> I can only speak from costs of vets I've visited here in Michigan, but
> $120 give or take a bit is a reasonable annual veterinarian expense
> for a healthy dog.
> From my experience, the first year was the most expensive. I saved
> $300, and spent the better part of it on a good crate, crate pad, and
> proper grooming tools. At the time, my dog was unhealthy, so I spent
> quite a bit on veterinary expenses as well.
> Ultimately, figure out who will groom your dog, what you will feed the
> dog, and what kind of health care and medicine you will use on your
> dog. That will help you determine approximate expenses for your
> individual situation.
> 
>> On 5/25/14, via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Hi,
>> I have a question: does it depend on the type of dog as far as finances go?
>> I hope to hear from you soon.
>> Sincerely,
>> John Sanders
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Raven
> 
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