Pet Care on a Limited Budget

In the given state of our economy, we're all looking for ways to cut expenses. Many pet owners are trying to give their dog or cat the best care possible on a more limited budget. Skipping recommended checkups can put your pet at risk, but there are do-it-yourself (DIY) preventative care routines that can potentially reduce veterinarian and other pet-related bills. Here are resources that can help you DIY.

Drs. Foster and Smith's website offers helpful "How To" videos that show you what you can do yourself at home. The following pages include a video:

Preventative Ear Care:
How To Clean Your Dog's Ears
How To Clean Your Cat's Ears

Preventative Dental Care:
How To Clean Your Pet's Teeth

Groom Your Pet Yourself:
How To Trim Your Dog's Nails
How To Trim Your Cat's Nails

Save by vaccinating your pet at home:
How To Vaccinate Your Dog
How To Vaccinate Your Cat

MSNBC offers an article with several tips: Putting a Leash on Your Pet Spending

Another idea is to break treats in half. Your pet can still have the same number of treats, they'll just be smaller. He'll still feel rewarded.

Pet Grooming Tips

My dog, Lucky, is a black lab mix. Not a fancy breed. Not a show dog. Lucky is, however, a very loved member of our family. Should grooming be part of Lucky's care? Absolutely!

Show dogs obviously need very detailed TLC when it comes to bathing and grooming. But family pets also have basic grooming needs.

Grooming keeps your pet healthy. Fleas are not as attracted to a pet whose skin and coat are free of oils and dander. A clean-smelling dog is always a plus. Grooming is a great opportunity to bond with your pet. They love the one-on-one attention and often strut their freshly groomed self around proudly.

This is a great article if you need help on how to groom your pet. (Thanks to my friends at Drs. Foster & Smith Pet Supplies for that great article. Their site is my resource for all my pet questions.)


Here's a fun little trick. Fill a child's pool for your dog. This is especially good for dogs that don't particularly like baths. Get him used to being wet by having fun in his own pool. A pool like this can make bathtime easier for you too.