how much $ do you spend on your animals?

**Glacier** · 05-22-2006, 01:39 PM

Your husband would keel over around here! I easily spend that much every month. Course I have a lot of animals. When I started mushing I was told to budget 500 dollars per dog annually for the basics--food, routine vet care, harnesses, ect. That amount is about right, but does not include emergency vet care. Last year we had a good year in terms of the vet bill, but it still topped five grand. It's been double that in a bad year, like when Hobo got attacked by the wolf. I have three who require daily medications for life. That's only the dogs' vet expenses. The 500 a year doesn't include big one-time expenses like fencing and the sled. Fortunately my hubby builds a great fence so I only pay for the material and a couple hundred bucks to get a bobcat in to dig the post holes.

The cats are cheaper in terms of medical care, but I still spend probably 200 a month on food, litter, treats, and toys for them. I have one cat with serious urinary tract problems. His vet bills are now over 5000. He's well travelled--he flew to the University of Saskatchewan for a surgery my vet couldn't do. My hubby says Pete is the world's most expense "free" kitten!

My hubby, Stuart, is great about the critters. He does very little of their actual day to day care, but he does love them. If I need a fence or a gate built, he gets it done and build them husky-proof! That's not easy! He built Kayleigh her own pen attached to his shop so she could sleep indoors and hang out with him while he's working. Kay has issues that make it impossible for her to be part of the pack. He sometimes tells me I'm neurotic about them, but my vet tells me the same thing! I'd rather be neurotic than sorry! Stuart never complains about the money or the time the critters take.

They are worth every dime and then some. I can't imagine what I'd do with all my free time and money if I didn't have them! I'd probably just get into trouble!

**Roxyluvsme13** · 05-22-2006, 02:26 PM

Oh gosh.
At least $200 a month, usually more.

**GoldenLuv** · 05-22-2006, 02:33 PM

I spend way too m uch money on all my dog's and they are worth every darn cent i spend on them

If i had to come close to an amount i would say about 600.00 if not more a month

**MomOf7** · 05-22-2006, 02:47 PM

The initial cost of a pet is the smallest amount you will spend throughout the years.
The last pup I bought was $1,200 dollars.

I spend somewhere near 10K a year or more on my dogs. But I also do competitions so its a little different for me then the average owner

**cali** · 05-22-2006, 02:49 PM

hmm pretty much all of it lol lets see I skimp on buying new clothing, any buying some when absolutly nessassary, then I pay my $24 a month for dance, $100 a month for room and board, about $60 a month to my mom for gas, $10 a month to my dad for gas, then I have my showdog and showcat subscriptions but those are only $5 a month and I pay in 3 month periods. once those are out of the way everything else goes to the pets. that toys, food, pick up bags(I use the dispensers as its easier when bikeriding), a water bottle and water bottle holder for my dogs so they have water when I bikeride with them, a backpack for Happy, all natural biodegradable litter for my rabbit, portraits of my dogs, frames for the portraits, a cardigan with a BC on the back, designer collars, a new huge cage for my birds, vet wrap for Mistys feet....the list goes on!

**lv4dogs** · 05-22-2006, 03:08 PM

I would say that just for food, litter, treats, pretty much necessities only I spend about $250/month.
Just the routine vet bills (not including emergencies or "extra" treatments) average out to be about $1500/year (vaccines, flea & heartworm meds).
The non routine vet bills probably run about $10,000 a year, give or take a few thousand or so. Then possibly about $5,000 more for strays/rescues/fosters that I take in/help out.

Like others said, the initial cost of a new pet is considerably more than the annual costs you will experience later. Kaige cost me $600 alone, then his crate, new dishes, leashes, toys, collars, etc.... It all adds up fast. I think I spent about $1,000-$1,500 on Kaige's supplies before he even came home.