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03-09-2005, 07:15 PM | #1 |
YT 6000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 6,238
| [News] Pet Expenses Soar Pet owners can expect to spend from $300 to $700 annually per animal to properly feed, house and care for their dogs or cats. That is when owners acquire a pet at 6 weeks to 7 weeks old and enter a preventive health maintenance program, according to Dr. Troy Majure, a veterinarian at Animal Medical Clinic in Jackson. The tally includes initial vaccinations and health examinations that should begin at three-week intervals for puppies and kittens. Grooming also has to be included in a pet's schedule of care, said Margie Bunn,the groomer at Wee Paws Boarding Kennel in Rankin County. Early inspections reveal the existence of congenital conditions like hernias, heart defects and internal and external parasites, Majure said. And specific to kittens are tests for the likes of leukemia and feline AIDS — which is not the same as HIV in humans, Majure said. Both diseases are communicable to other cats. Early diagnosis makes it possible to deal with health problems, Majure said. "In the first four months, it's essential to make sure these things are taken care of," Majure said. Responsible pet owners understand that, said Frank Edens of Brandon, who gets special medicine to control allergies in Tipper, the Yorkshire terrier he and wife Tersea own. "As a pet owner. It's something that you have to do. It's the demands of the pet," Edens said. "If we didn't take care of him, he'd lose all of his hair." Heart worms, which are spread by mosquitoes, are particularly bad in the South. Monthly preventive treatments are usually administered to control them, Majure said. "Flea-and-tick control is important. There are products that can help prevent fleas. We still have plenty of fleas." Majure's tips for keeping a healthy pet include: Feeding pets a quality diet consisting of name brand food. "Basically, you get what you pay for," Majure said. Providing regular veterinarian examinations and sticking to vaccination routines. Consulting a veterinarian before medicating for unknown conditions. Bunn said pet owners need to research the maintenance requirements of their animals before buying them. Long-haired pets require more attention like shampoos, clippings and groomings. Short-haired pets can be bathed at home. For example, poodles require grooming every six to eight weeks. During that time, their nails are trimmed and hair must be removed from their ears, Bunn said. And at $25 per session minimum, that might be a little more than some pet owners had anticipated spending, Bunn said. "They rush out to buy a pet and they don't think about everything that goes with it. The upkeep of it," Bunn said. http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pb...503090344/1005 |
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