Dogs can be expensive and just like with kids there are a million different ways to raise, train and feed your furbabies. While, I can’t do anything about the vet bills there are a few ways we save money on our dogs. We have 3 dogs and 6 cats :o Insane I know! We try to save money where ever we can without compromising their diet or quality of life. Here’s how:
1. Nails
We cut our dogs nails ourselves. This has been a bit of a journey for us, see originally we cut their nails ourselves. Then I cut a nail too short on our Pitbull rescue, Lila. Then we waited too long the next time and she busted a nail having to go to the vet to remove it. Ever since she has had issues. It stressed her out, it stressed my husband out and it just wasn’t worth putting everyone through it. So for about 6 months we took her in every month to 2 months depending on how quickly they grew, to get them cut. We also decided to do this with our Great Dane rescue because of his insanely thick nails. This cost $20 every time we went in.
Last month my in laws were down for a visit and we got around to talking about clipping their nails (no idea why). I showed her the clippers we were using and she told us that this kind causes the dogs pain. (She’s a former vet tech) When they got home she ordered us a better pair. Between that and continually giving treats as their nails are cut we have been able to do it at home again.
( Source These are the ones not to use. While they are probably fine for small dogs, they should definitely not be used on medium or large dogs))
(These are what we have. The powder is for if you mess up and cut too short. It's not necessary but I would highly recommend)
2. Ears
Cleaning your dog’s ears prevents problems later on. By keeping up with your dog’s ears you can prevent an unnecessary vet visit. Personally, I don’t like chemicals so I use a 50/50 vinegar water solution and a baby booger sucker to clean our dog’s ears. How often you need to do this depends on your dog. Lila almost never needs hers done, partially because her ears are cropped (I promise she came that way) and because our German Shepherd mix Titan likes to clean them (ew). Titan on the other hand needs his cleaned pretty regularly and has to eat a grain free food or he gets yeast infections.
(Look at that beautiful boy!!!)
3. Teeth
I’ve never had to get a dog’s teeth cleaned by the vet but I have taken 2 of my cats in for this procedure and let’s just say it isn’t cheap. If your dog eats kibble I can almost guarantee he probably needs help keeping his teeth clean. This can be solved one of two ways. Either brush their teeth with a toothbrush or let them chew on raw bones. Frankly, I don’t want to try to brush my dog’s teeth. There aren’t any doggie toothpastes I feel comfortable with and it really has to be done every day for maximum effect. Though we have a pet toothbrush we go with the raw bones. You can get them super cheap at the grocery store and bonus make doggie bone broth.
4. Anal Glands
Every once in a while our dogs have issues with their anal glands. If they are scooting their butts on the floor it’s time to express their anal glands. Taking them to the vet for this is $10 a piece and we like to save money wherever we can so I learned how to do it. I know it’s really gross but you can’t homestead without a little gross and anyone who has ever had a baby or a puppy, should be able to handle it! I’m not going to get graphic but this video will show you how to do it. I didn’t feel very confident about it at first but once you get started it becomes obvious. You can also prevent anal gland issues by making sure they get enough fiber. This can be achieved by feeding them canned pumpkin or frozen green beans.
Having pets is definitely not glamorous or cheap but those are a few things you can do to help combat costs. In the end they are totally worth all the money and frustration and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Disclaimer: I am not a vet, vet tech or groomer. This is just what we do with our dogs. Please do your own research and make sure you are comfortable with any decision you make regarding your animals.
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