Let's not kid ourselves: Things are tight, and people are learning to make do with less. That's the bad news.
The good news: You don't have to shortchange your pets to save money. By focusing on prevention, smart buys and sharing, you can slash what you spend on your pets. Some tips:
-- Work with your veterinarian to cut costs. Vaccinations are no longer recommended annually for most dogs and cats, but that's not a good reason to skip your pet's yearly vet check (twice-yearly for older pets). These "well-pet" examinations can spot little problems before they become expensive ones. Ask your veterinarian to give you prescriptions for medications to be filled elsewhere, or to match prices. Check for short-term promotions such as for Dental Health Month (which is coming in February), or for ongoing discounts such as for multipet families or senior citizens. Consider pet health insurance as a backup in case of emergency -- it can help save your pet's life when money is the issue.
-- Keep your pet fit and trim. A majority of dogs and cats are overweight, and those extra pounds increase the likelihood of serious health problems, such as arthritis, diabetes and cancer. If your pet is overweight, get your veterinarian's help to reduce weight slowly to avoid the health risks of sudden weight loss, especially in cats.
-- Learn to do things yourself. Most people can learn to handle basic pet grooming at home, from bathing to nail trims. If nothing else, you can probably stretch out time between professional groomings for high-maintenance pets with some at-home care. Check your library for grooming guides and find breed-specific tips with an Internet search.
Another do-it-yourself strategy is more about health than grooming: Brush your pet's teeth -- it'll lengthen the time between necessary but expensive cleanings at your veterinarian's.
-- Minimize risk from accidents. Saving the life of a pet who has been hit by a car or poisoned can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars -- and these tragedies can often be prevented. Keeping cats as indoor-only pets will prevent injuries and protect them from communicable diseases; a sturdy fence and the use of a leash will do the same for dogs.
Go through your home with an eye toward possible hazards, especially foods, plants and drugs that can be ingested, as well as cleaning supplies, pesticides and herbicides. The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center offers information on all toxic risks to your pet at ASPCA.org/APCC.
-- Consider purchases and buy in bulk. Shopping for pets can be great fun, but that new designer collar may be something you want to postpone if there's wear left on what your pet's wearing now. When it comes to toys, though, cut them back, but not out -- good chew toys have saved many an expensive pair of shoes.
You can save money buying the largest bags of food or litter, or get case discounts on canned goods. Split your dry food purchases with family or a friend, and store your portion in an airtight container. (Do keep product info from the bag, though, in case there are questions or problems.)
-- Look for freebies and secondhand items. Check classifieds, Craigslist and the Freecycle network (freecycle.com) to find bargains. Crates, cages and cat trees can often be had for next to nothing -- or nothing at all. And don't forget to return the favor: Don't let supplies you no longer need rot in your garage. Sell them at a decent price, or give them away to other pet lovers, shelters or rescue groups.
-- Share services. Other pet lovers are likely also feeling the squeeze, so look into sharing or trading services such as pet-sitting. Remember that bartered services don't need to be the same: You can save just as much money if you can provide one kind of service (such as tax-preparation) for another (such as pet-sitting or dog-grooming).
Do you have favorite cost-cutting tips? Drop us a line at petconnection@gmail.com and we'll share them in a future column.
Q&A
Vaccines no longer 'one size fits all'
Q: We've promised our daughter a kitten this summer. What's the latest on vaccines? Is cancer still a concern? -- D.W., via e-mail
A: Kittens need a series of vaccinations to protect them as they grow. Young mammals pick up antibodies from their mothers through the placenta and in the special milk, called colostrum, that they drink in the first days of their lives. These antibodies diminish over time. But until they do, they not only protect the kitten against disease, but they also may block the usefulness of any vaccine.
Although it's technically possible to determine exactly when a kitten's maternal antibodies have fallen to the point where a vaccine is necessary, doing so is impractical. That's why veterinarians give a series of shots to ensure that the kitten is protected as those maternal antibodies fade.
Here are some general vaccine guidelines for kittens.
-- Core vaccines: A combination vaccine gives protection against feline herpes virus, feline calicivirus and feline panleukopenia virus. The first combination vaccine is given when a kitten first comes in to see the veterinarian with additional shots at three- to four-week intervals until 16 weeks of age.
Vaccination against rabies is highly recommended for cats and may be required by law depending on where you live. Kittens get one shot with an annual booster, and then shots at three-year intervals, or as required by law.
-- Non-core vaccines: The need for all other vaccines should be discussed with your veterinarian. Some experts question how well some of the non-core vaccines work, while others recommend non-core vaccines only for those cats who are at high risk for disease, such as pets allowed to roam outside.
Feline leukemia is one vaccine that should be considered, unless you're planning to keep your cat strictly indoors. Kittens are tested for feline leukemia, then given one shot with a booster three to four weeks later.
The vaccine for feline infectious peritonitis is controversial, and some experts recommend it should be considered only for those cats living in large multicat households or breeding operations. Talk to your veterinarian about when the vaccine should be given, if at all.
If you are getting multiple vaccinations for your kitten, discuss spreading the vaccines out and not having more than one or two inoculations given in any one visit. If too many shots are administered at one time, the potential for reactions or interactions may be greater.
In adult cats, the risk of vaccine-site sarcoma -- cancer at the injection site -- must be taken into account when weighing the risks of vaccines vs. their benefits. The trend overall is to tailor vaccines to the lifestyles of individual cats, to increase the amount of time between boosters, and to give shots at various times, in different places on the body. Keep an eye on vaccine sites, and report any lump that grows or persists more than a couple of weeks.
A good overview of the American Academy of Feline Practitioners recommendations on vaccines can be found on the Winn Feline Foundation's Web site at www.winnfelinehealth.org/health/vaccination-guidelines.html.
The bottom line: Discuss with your veterinarian what vaccinations your kitten needs, what risks are involved, and how you can best minimize those risks. Keep in mind, however, that despite the risks, vaccines still prevent many times more deaths than they cause.
A good veterinarian will be following the changing view of routine vaccinations and should be up on the latest recommendations in preventive care for your new kitten. -- Dr. Marty Becker
(Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.)
THE BUZZ
Will cat scratch? Watch that tail
-- Want to read a cat's mood? Watch the tail. A tail held straight up indicates a cat who's relaxed or in a mood to greet company. When the tail is moving side to side, however, it's not a friendly sign: Wagging tails in cats indicate the increased agitation of a cat who is getting ready to pounce.
-- The domestic dog originated 16,000 years ago in Asia, south of the Yangtze River in China, according to a study in the scientific journal Molecular Biology and Evolution. The domestication of the dog coincides with the transition of humans from hunter-gatherers to farmers. The ancestors of dogs were a large number of animals, at least several hundred wolves, but all came from a single geographical area. The original dogs in what's now Europe were used as herders and guard dogs, while the original dogs in China seemed to have been used for human consumption.
-- Mice are aiding NASA. A study by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been finding ways to study the effects of weightlessness on astronauts by testing a magnetic field on mice. The study could aid in preventing bone deterioration for astronauts on long missions.
-- Wild horses show less variety in coat colors and markings than domesticated horses. Wild horses need coats that provide camouflage, encourage mating and have more tolerance to certain pathogens. As domestication progressed, human preference chose certain colors and patterns, leading to the diversity we see in domestic horses today. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon
ABOUT PET CONNECTION
Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.
On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and more. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.
PET TIP
Quick solutions to bird mess challenges
Cleaning isn't just about neatness -- it's also about health. Clean, fresh food and water are essential to pet birds. And so is keeping their environment as free as possible of bacteria, fungus and mold, all of which can lead to disease.
Cages must be scrubbed thoroughly every week, but in between times it's easy to keep things relatively neat with a few supplies kept close to the cage and used on a constant basis. Among them:
-- Newspapers: Put all the glossy inserts in the recycling bin and stack the rest for use in the cage tray and under play areas.
-- Cloth towels: In addition to cleaning, old towels are great for protecting clothing from bird poop -- just drape a towel over your shoulders.
-- Paper towels and spray bottle with cleaning solution: Since birds are sensitive to fumes, skip the ammonia, bleach, pine solutions or any other strong cleaners. Simple soap and water are fine for everyday touch-ups, but many bird owners like Poop-Off, a product developed just for bird cleanups.
-- Handheld vacuum: Good for snarfing up food pellets and feathers.
-- Mats for under the cage: The heavy, clear plastic mats intended for use beneath desk chairs and sold at office-supply stores keep most of the gunk off the floor. Newspapers catch the rest.
-- Hamper and trash bin: Dedicate a special hamper for bird towels and a trash bin for newspapers, and put both near the cage for convenient disposal.
A few minutes spent cleaning a couple of times a day keeps things in good order and makes the weekly cage scrubbing easier to accomplish. Change cage papers daily, at a minimum, and clean everything else as soon as messes hit. -- Gina Spadafori
BY THE NUMBERS
There's a new top dog in town
For six years in a row, Max ruled the top spot. But this year there's a new top dog -- and her name is Bella. Veterinary Pet Insurance crunched the numbers on its more than 475,000 insured pets to determine the most common names of 2009, and Bella beat out Max by more than 400 dogs. Fans of Max, however, can rest assured that for cats, that name is still top dog -- er, top cat.
Dog
1. Bella
2. Max
3. Bailey
4. Lucy
5. Molly
Cat
1. Max
2. Chloe
3. Bella
4. Oliver
5. Tiger
PET Rx
Are those zits? Cats get them, too
Those bumps on your cat's chin could be pimples. Although most classic acne cases occur in cats who are simply not good chin groomers, there are other possibilities, including mites, ringworm and allergies.
You'll need the help of your veterinarian to get your cat's chin cleared up. The area needs to be kept washed, at the very least, and resist the urge to squeeze any blemishes. You may additionally get prescribed creams and pills.
Since some cases are caused by an allergy to plastic, your veterinarian will probably also recommend switching to ceramic or stainless-steel food and water dishes, and keeping them scrupulously clean.
Ordinary feline acne is more of an aesthetic dilemma than a serious health concern. As long as the area doesn't become infected, your cat won't be bothered by the blemishes. -- Dr. Marty Becker
Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.