Is Vet Food Worth It? My calculations...

[Catty1]

...as I just picked up another Monster Bag of Royal Canin SO dry food at my vet's.

Price when I bought it June 12/06: CDN 46.78 plus tax of 3.27
USD 42.31 plus tax of 2.96

Weight: 7.5 kg/16.534 lbs

Days lasted: 95

Price including tax divided by 95: CDN $ .53 per day (two cats)
USD $ .48 per day (two cats)

Times by 30, for reasons I will note below: CDN $15.90/US $14.40

To treat Oscar's bladder infection, and a few crystals, cost me just short of $400 (CDN ) over one month (30 days).

Hope this helps anyone who is trying to figure this out!

PS: The SO wet food, they get just once a day as a treat. I got the wet on the same day, and there's enough to get almost to the end of the month. It totals $31.17 (new price). Even at 95 days, it's $ .38 per day.

The Dry food went up in price to a total of $52.21. So that is $ .55 per day.

Okay, gotta stop. This is making my head hurt....

[RedHedd]

OUch - Makes my head hurt too. I try not to think about it and know that I'm giving my kitties the care they need. Only Mishi is on a prescription diet and I found a larger veterinary clinic charges less for his diet food as they can buy it in large quantities, so I try to buy it there when I can. His normal vet office is very close to home so I usually end up going there

[jenluckenbach]

I look at the costs totally different.

It would either be $40 for a 20 pound bag of Prescription c/d

OR...........

Crystals, bladder stones, urinalysis, surgery......etc.

[Catty1]

Jen - that's what I was trying to point out. $15 (or so) a month for food, or the $400 for the month Oscar had crystals and meds and urinanalysis.

It's a MUCH BETTER DEAL to feed them the good stuff to begin with...which I didn't.

But they are happy and healthy now, as you can see!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Yes, I agree. I also buy the Royal Canin Urinary S/O formula in both wet and dry. I try to buy 3 of the 16.5lb bags and about 2 cases of the wet food at one time. The last time I bought this much it almost lasted 6 months and this was with 5 cats eating it. Now Storm, Sunny, and Ziggy Stardust get some of the wet and the others only eat the dry so the wet will last me much longer. It may cost a lot but I'd rather spend it on food that will keep them healthy than on vet bills.

[catnapper]

Oh, I KNOW, but astupid me tried to save a few pennies anyway! Sigh.

I'm still waiting to hear from the vet about the status of Pouncer and Allen. Believe me, I will nevr ever (ever!) slip and try to save money by switching back to store food ever (ever!) again! The vet costs are too outrageous if I cheat.

[Catty1]

Kim - I know Technical makes a urinary food. If your vet is so understanding about the penny problem, which is severe, I know - ask if there is another food which it just as good.

You want the right food, of course...maybe she will give you a break on the price if there is not another food that she feels ok about.

hugs!

[catnapper]

I've asked her several times if something else is available thats less expensive. It seems Hills is it. I prefer the Eukanuba but its more expensive, as is the Royal Canin. So until I can afford the extra money for the Eukanuba or RC, I'll stick to the Hills. It just stinks because I'm not only feeding the boys the prescription diet, but EVERYONE because they won't eat unless they all eat together

[Catty1]

Well, Cole eats it - and at least it will prevent the same thing happening to him!

I hope your boys check out all right. Royal Canin was what got rid of Oscar's crystals!

HUGS

PS If your boys like plain yogurt, my vet told me that 50 mg of cranberry powder(twice a day) in a bit of yogurt was good, but not for more than 5 or 6 weeks.

I juset got cranberry capsules from a health store, "eyeballed" the amount. The gel caps open easily if you twist them gently.

[catmandu]

That makes me think about switching over to Royal Canin.
But they do well on Nutro Max, and they eat it up.
They love thier Nutro Complete Care Indoor Formulas.
I am confused again.

[Catty1]

Gary - go with what your vet says. If your cats are healthy, then no problem!

Just poor Oscar happened to get the bladder problem, and I don't want that to happen again. It isn't just the money - the poor guy was a week on ABs that didn't work, and three more weeks of Clavamox, with three sessions of urinanalysis in there.

HUGS