Copyright dailyrecord
Welcoming a pet into your life is incredibly exciting, but it can also prove expensive. From vaccinations to unexpected veterinary bills , there are numerous costs associated with pet ownership. However, pet owners can take precautions to save money on their vet bills. Dr Ben Simpson-Vernon , who graduated from the University of Cambridge and works part-time as a Goddard Veterinary Group Veterinary Surgeon, took to TikTok to share his top tips. Posting as Ben The Vet (@ben.the.vet), the vet said: "There are some things within a pet owner's control that can help to keep the cost of veterinary treatment lower for their pet: here are six of them!" In his video, Ben explained: "Lots of people that I meet in practice as a vet are understandably worried about the cost of veterinary treatment. Some breeds of dog and cat are much more expensive to own in terms of vet bills and insurance premiums. My first piece of advice would be that you need to factor this into your decision-making if you're buying a puppy or a kitten. "Giant breeds of dog need much higher doses of medications than smaller dogs, which is more costly. Lots of veterinary professionals joke that French bulldogs pay their salaries, and that's because, unfortunately, they, like many other breeds, are predisposed to a lot of health problems, which are expensive to treat." Ben continued: "Number two, neuter your female dogs and cats. Female dogs have a one in four lifetime risk of a pyometra, which is a life-threatening womb infection where the womb fills up with pus. We also see this in female cats that haven't been neutered. I've seen four female cats with this condition in the last six months. It's often not picked up until the pet is very sick, and treatment usually requires hospitalisation and an emergency hysterectomy, which is much, much more expensive than a routine spay." He then shared advice for dog owners, telling viewers: "Number three, do not give your dog bones or antlers to chew on. I see so many dogs with broken carnassial and canine teeth because of chewing on things that are too hard. Where a dental fracture exposes the pulp cavity or nerve inside the tooth, this can lead to pain and a high risk of tooth root abscess formation, so the tooth generally needs to be extracted. "In general, anything you give your dog to chew on should pass the fingernail test. It should be soft enough that you can indent it with your fingernail; if you can't, it's too hard. Number four, do not let your pet become overweight. "We know that dogs and cats that are too heavy live shorter lives and are at high risk of health problems, like diabetes, respiratory disorders, and arthritis. All of these can be costly to treat, so make sure that you take your responsibility seriously as a pet owner because you ultimately control how much your pet is eating and how much they're exercising." The vet also emphasised the importance of vaccinations. He said: "Number five, keep your pet up to date with vaccinations. Contrary to what you might read in a local Facebook group or what some lifestyle influencers might post, vaccinations that we give pets are extremely safe and they prevent some life-threatening infections such as parvovirus and leptospirosis in dogs, and leukaemia virus in cats." For his final tip, Ben told pet owners to practice teeth brushing at home. "Number six, get them used to having their teeth brushed at a young age. Periodontal disease is the biggest dental problem that we see in practice. It's because of tartar buildup, purely because most dogs and cats do not brush their teeth twice a day, like you or I. "Without tooth brushing, many young dogs and cats that I see end up needing dental procedures at a young age, costing hundreds. Not all dogs, and especially not all cats, will tolerate toothbrushing, but it's really worth putting in the effort because it will save you a lot of money and them a lot of discomfort."
