The Healthy Pet Blog

Posted on: 7 August 2016

Pets are often as much a part of the family as any human. Many pet owners will treat their pets will the utmost care and only purchase the highest-quality food and get the best veterinarian care for them. Unfortunately, the cost of pet care continues to rise as each year passes. According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans will spend an estimated $62.75 billion in 2016 on their pets, which is more than a two billion increase from 2015. With the way things are these days, some pet owners are looking for ways that they can save on pet care expenses. Here are a few tips that can help:

Opt for Auto Shipments of Food

Rather than heading to the supermarket or the pet supply store every time your pet needs food, you should consider having it shipped right to your door. Not only will this save on gas, but you can set it up so that the food is shipped to you at regular intervals, such as weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc., which will allow you to get a discount on what you're purchasing. For example, you can save up to 15% on the food as well as other pet care products with Amazon's Subscribe & Save and as much as 20% with Petco's Repeat Delivery.

Go Online for Pet Medications

When you visit the vet and find out that your pet needs medication, you may want to buy it there so that you can start giving it to you pet immediately. However, you aren't obligated to do this. In fact, you should avoid purchasing medication at the veterinarian's office if you can, as their medications are usually priced higher than necessary in order to cover their bottom line. You can usually go online and find the same quality medication for cheaper. One website to try out is 1-800-PET-MEDS.

Make Your Own Toys for Your Pets

Pet toys can be particularly expensive, so you should definitely consider making your own. This is a lot easier than you think. After all, if you have a cat, you know how much they enjoy empty shopping bags. Aside from shopping bags, cats can be amused with a piece of string tied around an empty toilet paper tube. Dogs can find interested in an old towel that you tore and braided.

For more ways to save with your pets, talk to a veterinary clinic like Parkview Animal Hospital.