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(Last Updated On: )Your dog is a beloved member of the family, and affordable pet care is an essential factor when it comes to keeping your pet happy and healthy.
With the cost of most everything on the rise, it helps to get a few tips to keep the price of caring for your pet as reasonable as possible.
We have listed 6 ways in which you can help keep the cost of owning a pet affordable, while at the same time keeping your pet healthy.
Table of Contents
Number 1: Learn How To Groom Your Dog At Home.
Keeping your pet clean goes a long way in keeping them healthy, too. When you are grooming your pet, you can be checking for conditions that might be detrimental to their health.
Ticks and fleas can cause your pet no end of misery. Ticks, especially, can cause diseases, such as Lyme disease, in your dog.
When you are grooming your pet, you will notice if they have any changes in their skin or coat. You will see if your pet has any lumps or bumps that might indicate an issue’s early stage. If you catch a problem early, it will make a big difference in the success of treatment for your dog.
Brush your dog every day, or at least every other day. Brushing your pet helps to distribute the oils in their coat, which increases the health of the dog’s skin and fur.
Regular brushing also decreases the matting of their fur and lowers the risk of skin infections and irritations.
Learning to bathe and groom your pet is easy by watching one of the many YouTube instructional videos.
If you do not want to use your tub to bathe your pet at home, you could also use a DIY dog wash. There are 6 Reasons To Try A DIY Dog Wash This Summer.
Number 2: Trim Your Dog’s Nails At Home.
Keeping your dog’s nails trimmed is another essential part of keeping your pet healthy. If your dog’s nails get too long, they risk being torn off if the nail gets caught in the carpet.
Too long nails can also cause your pet to trip when outside. This can result in an injury that requires veterinary care.
There are several ways to trim your pet’s nails using a standard set of clippers or a dermal to grind the nails down. You can also Build A Scratchboard And Teach Your Dog To Use It.
Number 3: Brush Your Dog’s Teeth Daily
Caring for your dog is beginning to sound much like caring for yourself, and there are indeed parallels. You need to bathe and groom them, clip their nails and brush their teeth.
Ideally, it would be best if you brushed your dog’s teeth twice a day, but at the minimum, brush their teeth three times a week.
When you brush your pet’s teeth regularly, they will come to expect it and enjoy it. It takes just a few minutes but will go a long way to protecting your dog’s health.
According to PETMD, many pets have dental disease by 2 to 3 years of age when owners do not brush their teeth.
There are special kinds of toothpaste for pooches, such as poultry flavored ones, that will make them more amenable to having their choppers brushed.
Number 4: Keep Your Dog’s Ears Clean
Keeping your dog’s ears clean is another important part of your pet’s care. Some dogs will not need to have their ears cleaned very often, and in other breeds, it will be a necessity.
Floppy-eared dogs like cocker spaniels and basset hounds will need cleaning more than a Doberman pinscher might. Even if you have a breed of dog that does not require its ears cleaned often, you should be checking their ears periodically.
There are three types of ear infections, otitis externa, media, and internal, that can affect parts of your dog’s ears. Your pet can get an ear infection when bacteria, yeast, ear mites, excessive hair, moisture, wax, or foreign bodies can get trapped in their ear canals.
To make it easier to clean your pet’s ears and keep them from trapping debris, you might want to consider Dog Ear Plucking And Cleaning.
Number 5: Always Get Necessary Vaccinations
Vaccinations can be expensive, but they also keep your dog healthy. Even if your pet is mainly house-bound, there will be times when they are out of doors.
They can come into contact with fleas, ticks, or the debris that other animals have left behind. Treating a disease is much more expensive than preventing it.
Some clinics will administer just the needed shots, which can be less costly than scheduling them at a vet appointment.
Check with the county or township that you live in. Many offer reduced-cost vaccinations in conjunction with getting your pet their licenses.
Number 6: Give Your Pet Plenty Of Exercise
This pet care tip is the most affordable, as all it will require is a leash and your time. Just like us, dogs are meant to move. Being active and mobile is one of the best ways to keep your pet healthy.
You will improve your dog’s cardiovascular fitness, lower their blood pressure and help them to build strong muscles and bones by a regular regime of walking.
Obesity in pets can contribute to osteoarthritis and liver disease. Dogs who are not walked regularly can become bored, and in turn, be destructive. Walking your dog once a day will benefit your pet and you at the same time.
Dogs usually love a walk. For them, it is like reading the newspaper. They get all the latest news of what is happening in the neighborhood.
All of the smells, sights, and sounds are exciting and informative for your pet. It is also a time of bonding for both of you, and you, too, will reap the health benefits of a regular walk.
In Conclusion
Owning a pet can be expensive, and unless you can afford to properly care for a pet, you might want to reconsider getting one.
You could consider fostering a dog, as that is a win-win situation. A pet that needs a temporary home gets one, and you have a pet whose expenses of food and vet care are taken care of by the shelter that places the dog.
FAQ
Do you have to take your pet in for a yearly exam if they look and act healthy?
Yes, you should. Pets are often very good at acting normal, and of course, they can’t tell you if they are feeling a bit off. Your vet will be able to do a comprehensive exam that will confirm an ailment or give you peace of mind knowing that all is well with your pet.
Can I give my pet heartworm and flea prevention just in the summer months?
Heartworm and flea medication should be given year-round. Even though you might not see them as much in colder months, both mosquitos and fleas are present year-round across the United States.
Ian is an avid outdoorsman and dog lover. He lives in Central Florida with his wife Heather, and their 2 dogs – Panda (Purebread Rough Collie X English Golden Retriever) & Kuma (Blue Merl Purebread Rough Collie)
