Pet care costs keep rising every year

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Looking for pet care at affordable prices? Pet care expenses don't have to break the bank. Deals are out there. You just need to find them. Here are some strategies you can utilize to do just that.

1. Shop For Low Cost Pet Care

The first places to turn for deals on pet care are your computer and your phone book. Price-shop the various clinics in your area and compare the fees they charge for office calls and for pet care procedures such as vaccinations and heartworm prevention. Also, inquire about any and all discounts they may offer. For instance, do they offer a multi-pet discount? A senior citizen or student discount? Other common pet care discounts include those for active military personnel and first responders. Many veterinarians will also offer veterinary services at discounted pricing to rescue groups, boarding facilities, and pet owners who act as foster parents to dogs and cats.

2. Ask For a Price Break on Pet Care

Even if your vet doesn't offer standard pet care discounts, go ahead and ask for one. If the answer is "no", you're no worse off than when you started. However, If the answer is "yes", you could save big. For example, see if your vet will throw in a complimentary heartworm test in return for the purchase of a twelve month supply of heartworm preventative. You'll be amazed at how many veterinarians will take you up on that offer.

Also, many vet clinics have special pet care charity funds that the employees of the practice can tap into in order to help a struggling pet owner deal with an unexpected pet care bill. As a rule, veterinarians are caring people who don't want to see life-or-death decisions being dictated by money. In these instances, a veterinarian may choose to instead offer pet care at a discount. But you may need to be proactive and actually ask for it.

3. Work For Pet Care Professional

Working for a veterinarian either part-time or full-time is a great way to land pet care at a lower cost. Many veterinary clinics offer price breaks to employees who have worked for the practice for a certain period of time. And those discounts can be significant. For instance, some clinics offer a 25% pet care discount to employees who have been employed for at least six months and a 50% discount on pet care services plus medications at cost to persons employed five years or more at the practice.

As an added bonus, working for a veterinarian will also teach you knowledge and skills related to pet care that can save you money later on. For example, learning how to assess a pet's health status and mastering techniques and skills could prove useful if your own dog or cat ever gets injured or becomes ill. Also, that same pet care knowledge could help you generate a nice secondary source of income as a pet sitter or home hospice pet care nurse.

4. Barter Or Volunteer For Pet Care

If you have a skill that could prove useful to your veterinarian, try bartering your services in exchange for pet care. For instance, if you possess marketing expertise and can help your vet market his/her practice, a barter arrangement may be only a handshake away. Expertise in landscaping, carpentry, plumbing, or general handiwork is a valuable asset to any business, including veterinary clinics, and might be traded for pet care. 

You can also become a volunteer and save on pet care expenses. Many vets offer similar pet care discounts to volunteers as they do to their regular employees. On any given day, this volunteer work can involve just about anything, including kennel help, technician help, accounting, or reception work.  

5. For Cheaper Pet Care, Check Your Calendar

Many veterinary organizations and groups support local, national, and international pet care initiatives throughout year, initiatives designed to to increase public awareness about certain aspects of pet husbandry and health. The good news for owners is that pet care discounts are easier to come by during these calender events.

For example, February is Pet Dental Health Month.  Price reductions on teeth cleaning and other dental procedures are offered by veterinarians across the country during February. As a result, if your pet is in need of some routine dental work, February is the month to schedule it. October is National Pet Wellness Month and discounts on pet care, especially preventive health care, are common during this month. April is Heartworm Awareness Month; March is Pet Nutrition Month; World Veterinary Day is usually falls on the final Saturday in April;  National Pet Week falls in May; and World Rabies Day, along with low cost rabies vaccination drives, is in the fall. Check your computer for specific dates on pet care initiatives. There are a bunch of these out there. Just do your research.

In addition to these recognized pet care promotions, many cities and counties hold periodic rabies drives, low cost spay/neuter clinics, and discount microchip clinics. The savings related to these pet care services can be substantial, so contact your local health department to find out when and where these special events are being held in your area.

Saving money on pet care is achievable if you're willing to put in the effort to find the deals. And considering the ever-rising cost of veterinary care these days, it's definitely worth it, as the rewards for your efforts could be substantial. So get started today! Your pet will thank you for it.