how much $ do you spend on your animals?

[ashleycat]

Hubby is complaining. As you can tell. He's not a pet person.

He thinks 500 is too much. Well, this all goes towards adoption fees, vet care, grooming, supplies etc.

In his country, dogs are outside for protection. Not companions. He thinks it's weird that I think of my fur babies as almost human.

I told him to think of how he felt when he cried as a little boy when his dog died. He said... yeah, but we didn't spend $500 on him. I saw a pic of the dog they have now... it looks like it's in a huge rabbit hutch outside.

He doesn't understand.

True.. dogs aren't as important as my human baby, but close. And no.. Charlie can't pay me back in money, but he can other ways.

We have the money to do it. He's just being selfish. There's more to it. Sorry for vent.

[wolfsoul]

I don't think that's expensive at all. That's about how much I spend a MONTH on Visa lol. Especially including the initial buying price, that's nothing at all. I would spend up to $1000 just on the initial price of a dog.

[Jessika]

I spend too much, that's for sure lol

But its worth it. The initial investment is always, always going to cost more at first. Once you get into the swing of things, routine costs are so much cheaper. Just tell hubby that times are different and if he doesn't like it than... oh well. He needs to stop being selfish

Even if HJ (my fiance) didn't love animals, he would see how happy it makes me to make them happy and well he wouldn't let me go crazy but he would understand, in essence. But lucky for me he lovesssss them so much. He refers to them as "his kids" hehehe

[ashleycat]

Hey Jess. You are on my top 8 on myspace

[Glacier]

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]

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

[GoldenLuv]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[.sarah]

Food - about $200 per month, about $2400 per year
Obedience classes - $325 per year
Toys - about $100 per year
Annual checkups - $15 per dog, $60 total
The occasional emergency vet visit - $200+ per visit

We don't vaccinate, give heartworm, or give flea preventative, so those costs don't apply to us. I will do titer tests so that they can continue to attend obedience classes, but I haven't asked my vet how much that costs.

So all in all, they cost us close to $3000 a year, probably more. We probably buy more than that in toys and I just don't want to admit it

[lv4dogs]

We don't give heartworm

You don't do ANY heartworm preventative? Not even ivermectin which can be bought over the counter in some states? (PLEASE unexperienced people do NOT just go out & give this to your dogs without having the dog tested and an ok from your vet. Giving your pet a heartworm preventative if the dog is positive may cause death) Do you at least get them tested every year or two?

[.sarah]

You don't do ANY heartworm preventative? Not even ivermectin which can be bought over the counter in some states? (PLEASE unexperienced people do NOT just go out & give this to your dogs without having the dog tested and an ok from your vet. Giving your pet a heartworm preventative if the dog is positive may cause death) Do you at least get them tested every year or two?

Nope, none. They are tested twice a year

[critter crazy]

I would have to say between vet bills, feed, toys and supplies i have to spend around 1,000.00 a month!

[joycenalex]

alex has epilepsy, he gets daily meds, and he gets valium after the seizures. peanut just had a bout of squirty diarrhea last week (i came home to a covered dog, covered crate and well, let's just say the smell was strong). she saw the vet the next day, and i spent 60, includes the antibiotic and fecal test. the heartworm meds, bloodtest for both dogs and thyroid med refill for alex the weekend before was 150. alex eats raw food, so maybe 40 a month for food. peanut eats nutro, about 20 a month. the cats are cheaper, litter, 20 a month, food, eukaneuba, 30 month, canned 15 a month. whatever i spend, it's worth it to see their happy faces when i get home.