If you are a pet owner, the chances are that you love your pet almost as much as you love your family. That is understandable because in many ways our pets become part of the family.
This is true of dogs in particular because they have such loyal and affectionate natures. Many owners buy their dogs as pups and watch them grow like their children.
Dogs also need shelter, food, and a place to sleep, as people do. Unfortunately, another thing they have in common with us is that they sometimes get sick, leaving you scared and facing bills for treatment.
Let us take a look at the different expenses that keeping a dog entails so you have an idea of what to expect.
- Pet Insurance
It is best to start with this because it is both one of the costs of having a dog, but also one of the ways that you can reduce the overall expense. It is a case of paying smaller monthly premiums now so that you do not find yourself hit with vet bills totaling thousands of dollars should something go wrong.
Standard pet insurance policies cover the costs of unexpected illness or injury to your dog, but there are also more tailored ones that provide additional protection.
When you get to the end of this article you will see why that is worth serious consideration!
- Medical Bills
Raising a dog will involve paying a variety of different medical expenses. Here is a breakdown of the most common ones.
- Routine vet treatment
This means most of those preventative treatments that we referred to above. Your dog should really be checked over by a professional a couple of times a year and most vets will charge between $200 and $300 in total for that.
To prevent your dog from getting infected by ticks, fleas, or heartworms, your vet will most probably suggest adding omega 3s, glucosamine, or a similar supplement to your dog’s diet. The cost of these can be anything between $100 and $500, based on how big the dog is.
Another thing that comes under the heading of preventative care is getting your dog vaccinated. Both puppies and full-grown dogs should be vaccinated against the likes of parvovirus, rabies, leptospirosis, and distemper.
That is quite a lot of shots for your dog to take and quite a lot for you to pay. Each individual vaccination can be priced between $25 and $75, based on the dog’s size and the pricing of the vet.
According to research carried out at the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Veterinary Medicine, the annual price tag on preventative treatments for dogs comes to $389. Now you can see why an insurance policy that covers this on top of other medical costs can be worth the price.
- Nonroutine vet treatment
Now we come to the sorts of vet treatments that do not fit under the ‘routine’ banner. This can mean that your dog develops a more serious and sudden injury or illness or it could also mean something happier such as pregnancy.
It is very difficult to state with absolute certainty what the cost of emergency treatment for either an injury or serious illness will be, but often it starts at between $500 and $1,000. At the upper end of the price scale, you could be charged as much as $5,000 by a vet for this initial treatment.
If your dog has to undergo surgery, that can leave you with bills of $2,000 to $5,000, depending on the size and age of your pooch and the nature of the operation. An extended ICU stay will bring a bill per day of between $200 and $500.
Most people will struggle to pay emergency vet bills and that is why dog insurance is something that nobody who is raising a dog can afford to do without. You don’t ever want to have to make a choice between your beloved pet and your savings.
Care for a pregnant dog, which includes x-rays, ultrasound, and bloodwork, will often tip the scales at $500. If your dog has to have a c-section, the vet bills will be between $500 and $2,000.
Non-medical costs
Of course, aside from these medical expenses, there are other costs in caring for a dog. A healthy dog is a hungry dog and the monthly bill for its main meals and treats will usually be somewhere between $20 and $60 depending on whether it is a pup or a grown dog.
Grooming charges to keep your doggy looking its best at least most of the time can be $500 a month (for shaggy dogs) and $30 (for short-haired smooth ones).
Providing flea prevention for dogs is a necessary aspect of pet care that comes with associated costs. These costs can vary widely depending on the type of flea prevention product you choose, the size of your dog, and where you live. Topical treatments, oral tablets, flea collars, and injectable medication are among the commonly used options, each with their unique price point. On average, you can expect to spend anywhere from $5 to $50 per month. Some pet owners may also opt for an integrated pest management approach, which includes regular cleaning and treatment of the home environment, adding to the overall cost. Moreover, it’s essential to remember that while the cost may seem high, it is typically far less expensive than treating a full-blown flea infestation, which can also lead to significant health issues for your pet.
Having a dog as a pet is not something that comes cheap, as taking care of them properly involves both medical and non-medical expenses. Good insurance will really help with that though.