How do people afford more than one pet ?

[Judy Judy Judy]

My title about says it all, someone dumped their animals in my yard, two beagles and one very large hound type dog. The hound dog ran off whenever I went out to see what was dumped , I seen the man dump them thru my den window and race off in his black truck. The hound dog circle back to my house late last night and I let him in, tired, hungry and in horrible shape, fleas etc, I bathed him in dawn but he needs flea meds..

Well today I have bathe them all and they all seem so happy to be here and they get along great with my other dog, I have no problem keeping them, the hound has found a place on the spare bed and I don't have the heart to move him, he sleeps all the time, the other two beagles runs in and out of the house because I have a doggie door and we could all be a family easy, but they all need to go to the vet.

My vet that I take my dog to now wants to charge me full price for all of these animals, no discount for having more than one , I know they will need shots too. Bottom line is I can't afford that, does anyone know if there are certain vet places you can go that it would be cheaper for more than one pet, is there such a thing as a vet type health clinic?

I would love to go ahead and just keep them but they have to be healthy to run in and out of my house, if not I will have to try and get rid of them. TIA

 

[MyManGoofy!]

I would definitely get another vet. I have four cats and my vet gives me a huge break mainly cause she sees me so much! Call around to the vets in your area and explain your situation and see what they can do for you. Most SPCAs also have low cost clinics that you can use as well.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I would ask the local SPCA for suggestions.

 

[TheZue]

I would definitely contact the SPCA and see what they can do. Ours often has discount services for those that qualify. I'd also call around to some local vets and tell them the story, that you are basically keeping these dogs out of the shelters and need a break in the initial medical expenses.

 

[Mad4Mickey]

I work for VCA we give a discount for people who have more then one pet . You do not pay an exam for all 3 pets only for 1 and you get discounts on the shots.

Also go to the Website for VCA and print the coupon they have for 30.00 off

 

[HunnyPots]

I would call the local branch of the Humane Society or ASPCA for advice. I'll bet they will have experience that can get you some discount vet care or payment plan or something since you are trying to rescue some pets that would otherwise become their problem.

We changed vets after many years when ours began to charge outrageous fees and offered no family discounts. Our new vet charges approximately 1/3 what the old vet did! Our new vet is wonderful with our dogs and you can tell he is a vet out of pure love for animals. It pays to ask around and change if neccessary!

 

[Judy Judy Judy]

I called the SPCA and left a message for them to call me back so we will see about that. They are all really goods dogs, I would hate to have to find them new homes.

 

[mamamary]

I think that's great that you're helping the dogs. I know I have just one dog and we really spend alot of money on him (but of course we love him and he's worth it). He has some issues that makes us have to visit the vet more than normal. I'm interested in hearing what happens with your situation.

 

[Colleen27]

Something else to check into (in addition to checking with the local SPCA, Humane Society and other shelters, many of which can refer you to lower-cost vet services) is your local pet superstore - Petco or the like. Ours has a vet clinic staffed by fresh-out-of-school vets and interns that provides basic services like vaccinations and flea and heartworm preventatives, and they are much more affordable than most full service veterinary practices.

And as an aside, bless you for taking in those animals so willingly. With the failing economy and syrocketing foreclosures, abandoned pets are becoming a bigger and bigger problem as people who either can't keep their pets at their new residence or can no longer afford to feed/care for them dump them off, and shelters are overwhelmed.

 

[MyManGoofy!]

Something else to check into (in addition to checking with the local SPCA, Humane Society and other shelters, many of which can refer you to lower-cost vet services) is your local pet superstore - Petco or the like. Ours has a vet clinic staffed by fresh-out-of-school vets and interns that provides basic services like vaccinations and flea and heartworm preventatives, and they are much more affordable than most full service veterinary practices.

And as an aside, bless you for taking in those animals so willingly. With the failing economy and syrocketing foreclosures, abandoned pets are becoming a bigger and bigger problem as people who either can't keep their pets at their new residence or can no longer afford to feed/care for them dump them off, and shelters are overwhelmed.

However - please be careful of Banfield. Not that they give bad care - they are pricey and will try to sign you up for their "insurance" plan. It is not quite the deal they would have you believe.

 

[Tinkin]

I live in the Houston area and years ago there was a vet called the "Roadside Vet". Every Saturday he and his staff traveled to a different part of town and set up a clinic in a parking lot. Everything was on a first come, first serve basis. He offered very, very low cost vaccinations and check ups for animals. You may have something like that in your area you can look into. This was a lifesaver for me years ago when I was young and struggling.

Do you have any PetsMarts in your area? The PetsMart by us has a mobile unit set up on Fridays that offer low cost (it may even be free - not sure about this) spay & neutering services so maybe they do low cost vaccinations also?

I feel your pain, I know how fast these things add up, we currently have 3 dogs!

Please keep up updated, I sure hope you are able to keep these dogs. I think you should post pictures of the sweet doggies.

 

[bumbershoot]

To answer the question in your post title....I have no idea. I don't even know how people afford one pet. Our cat was very very expensive and it was extremely difficult for us. DS is begging for a dog and my emotions are leaning to his side even though my allergies might come back and with that my asthma, so hubby and I are focusing hard on the $$ aspect of it, and I hope the $$ aspect wins.

I loved growing up with our big dogs and (outdoor) cats, but I don't have any idea how my mom did it (and indeed she stopped having pets b/c it was too heartbreaking for her).

 

[hiwaygal]

For the most part, having three (or more) isn't really all that much different from having one.

The biggest cost difference is, as you noted, vet care.

You've gotten some great advice and you might also want to see if a vet will help you give vaccinations yourself. You can buy the equipment and medications at several on-line sources you just need a prescription.

Also consider spacing out their visits so you aren't faced with one huge bill once a year. It's a bit more time consuming to go more often, but at least it's not one big hit cost wise.

Thanks for taking them in...the hound sounds like he's an older fella who just wants a warm home and someone to look over him!

 

[perla75]

Oh my goodness, I can't believe someone just dumped these dogs in your yard-like they are discarding trash or something

That is just aweful....I guess the dogs lucked out with the right house though-you are so kind to keep them & take care of them!!

 

[Judy Judy Judy]

Oh my goodness, I can't believe someone just dumped these dogs in your yard-like they are discarding trash or something

That is just aweful....I guess the dogs lucked out with the right house though-you are so kind to keep them & take care of them!!

Well the funny thing is that we have been talking about getting another dog for a while now and just wanted to wait until the holidays were behind us.
We just didn't plan on this many.

I have a call into a lady that my dh works with, she's looking for a beagle for her farm and she might be interested in the beagles since they are both just pups, they both can't be over a year if that.

So this may all work itself out, we will see. I'm keeping the hound no matter what, he's just a lazy boy needing a good bed and food and we have both...hehe

 

[rt2dz]

Having pets are expensive. Four dogs especially. Think long and hard about it. There is monthly flea preventative, monthly heartworm pills, yearly vet visits, feeding them every day, being prepared for illnesses, etc.

If you do think you can do all of that and are looking for a less expensive option, looking into low cost vet clinics. We have mobile vets that will do shots. Also, the county animal shelter, the Humane Society and the SPCA have vet services that are highly discounted. Also look into private vets that will offer a discount for multi-pets. I don’t know of any around here, but it never hurts to ask. Places like Banfield (Petsmart) also have health wellness plans that might be worthwhile to look into. If you wind up with sick dogs, it can save you a ton.

As far as the other expenses go, check into online vets or make sure your vet price matches. Drs. Foster & Smith and Pet MD are good ones to look at.

If you can’t afford four dogs (and that is quite an expense), consider contacting a shelter group and volunteering to foster the dogs until a home can be found for them. That way you know they’ll have a good home and not be euthanized.

Please keep in mind that whoever had these dogs were not good to them. They may need a lot of training that isn't evident yet.

 

[Judy Judy Judy]

Having pets are expensive. Four dogs especially. Think long and hard about it. There is monthly flea preventative, monthly heartworm pills, yearly vet visits, feeding them every day, being prepared for illnesses, etc.

If you do think you can do all of that and are looking for a less expensive option, looking into low cost vet clinics. We have mobile vets that will do shots. Also, the county animal shelter, the Humane Society and the SPCA have vet services that are highly discounted. Also look into private vets that will offer a discount for multi-pets. I don’t know of any around here, but it never hurts to ask. Places like Banfield (Petsmart) also have health wellness plans that might be worthwhile to look into. If you wind up with sick dogs, it can save you a ton.

As far as the other expenses go, check into online vets or make sure your vet price matches. Drs. Foster & Smith and Pet MD are good ones to look at.

If you can’t afford four dogs (and that is quite an expense), consider contacting a shelter group and volunteering to foster the dogs until a home can be found for them. That way you know they’ll have a good home and not be euthanized.

Please keep in mind that whoever had these dogs were not good to them. They may need a lot of training that isn't evident yet.

This is so true and I'm going to try and find the beagles a good home, they are still pups they can't be over 1 year old and I already have a women coming tomorrow to look at them so we shall see, if she doesn't work out, I will find them a good home, they deserve that.

 

[Aimeedyan]

You're a saint to care for them! Many people would have just driven them to the shelter where they would have likely been put to sleep within days. So sad they were just dumped by the people they loved =(

To answer your question, we don't find 3 dogs much more expensive than 1 honestly. They are easier, IMO, since they keep each other company and entertain each other when I'm tired or distracted

The annual vet visit is the only big ticket item, because I buy a year's worth of heartworm meds at one time. Dogs don't need annual shots so I don't have that expensive. Mine are fairly small and I feed a high quality food so they don't eat as much. I make my own treats for them usually using stuff I already have. We don't bother with flea meds year round. So, it doesn't end up being much cost in the long run.

That said, none of mine have had any major medical issues and when/if that time comes, the cost for multiple dogs will be felt. For now, it was an easy financial addition.

Good luck to you!!

 

[lisajl]

How do I afford it? I work for a vet. He only charges us the cost of the vaccine, God Bless him! Plus the last three cats I got, I got them from work.
They were to be euthanized, and he told me to keep them and try to raise them.

Thank you for taking care of those dogs, you are a good person.

Lisa

 

[yoopermom]

God bless you for taking care of them, say my eight hounds and beagles! Honestly, people have been taking care of their pets for years "fairly" inexpensively.

We buy the vaccinations at a place like Tractor Supply, Farm and Fleet, feed mill, etc. They are NOT expensive, and not difficult to give. Most states only require the vet to give the rabies shot (which is silly, since you can buy it over the counter, too, but that's beaucracy for you...). Keep the labels off the vaccination bottles, in case your vet wants to see them.

Heartworm/flea/tick meds, etc, can all be purchased off the internet, as well. A good quality dog food can be fed in a lower quantity than cheap corn filled junk. Suppliment with human veggie/protein leftovers (introduced slowly so as not to induce stomach upset). Our dogs get a high quality dog food with veggies mixed in for fiber/filler, because they're easy keepers!

Ask all the previously listed sources for low cost spay/neuter. This will probably be your greatest expense. Hounds (incl. beagles) tend to be VERY hearty, with few health problems, and are VERY loving friendly dogs. Get yourself a basic home vet book, and you will be able to do much of the work yourself.

My only worry is that you must NEVER let them run loose/off leash, because they follow their noses! I hope it all works out, and feel free to p.m. me with any specific problems you run into.

Good for you!
Terri