Taking care of your pet doesn’t need to break your already stretched finances. Our pet life hacks are all about making the most of your pets life and health, while keeping things simple and affordable.
With these pawsome hacks, you can save money, keep your pet healthy, and make the most of your time with your four-legged friend.
1. Run with your dog instead of walkingWalking your dog is a great way to get some exercise, but why not take it up a notch and start running with your furry friend? Not only will you save money on gym membership, improve your mental health but you'll also keep your dog trim and healthy. Start slow and build up to longer distances as you and your dog get in better shape.
2. Walk on pavement to wear down claws
If your dog spends a lot of time indoors or on soft surfaces, their paw pads may become too soft and sensitive. Walking your dog on pavement or other hard surfaces can help wear down their paw pads and toughen them up, saving you money on nail clips and making walks more comfortable for your furry friend.
3. Use proper flea and worm medication
Fleas and worms can be a major problem for pets, and they can lead to serious health issues if left untreated. Make sure you use proper flea and worm medication to protect your pet from lungworm and flea allergies. Consult your vet to ensure they have the right medication and dose. Read our blog Reasons why you should treat your pet for fleas.
Check out our flea products for cats
Check out our flea products for dogs
4. Weigh your pets food
Obesity is a growing problem among pets, and it can lead to serious health issues. Weighing your pets food and marking off a weight cup based on the recommendation for your pets size will help you avoid overfeeding your pet - saving you money on food and keeping them at a healthy weight.
5. Get pet insurance
Just like humans, pets can get sick or injured, and medical bills can quickly add up. If your pet is unwell or needs surgery, the best way to pay is to claim on a pet insurance policy. For a small monthly expense, the savings across your pet’s life are almost certainly going to be significant. There are many pet insurance companies offering different levels of cover to satisfy all budgets and needs. Compare prices and services and choose the option that is right for you and your pet. If you consider that you may have a dog for around 12-14 years or a cat for up to 20 years, there are likely to be a multitude of times that pet insurance will save you money.
Remember to ask your breeder or vet if they have an arrangement with an insurance company – you may even be able to get the first 6 weeks for free!
6. Take advantage of vet promotions
We all love an offer – now more than ever! The good news is that vet surgeries often have seasonal offers and discounts. Look out for deals on neutering, vaccinations, dental procedures and microchipping. One of the most common offers is a vaccine amnesty, which is useful if your pet’s vaccinations have lapsed as this offers a vaccination restart for your pet for the price of a booster, effectively a 2 for 1 deal!
Often these offers are posted on the surgery’s Facebook or website. If in doubt, call your local surgeries and see what is available for you and your pet. Additionally, check with your local charity or animal welfare organization. Many will offer discounted neuter and spay as well as other discounted procedures if you receive certain benefits.
7. Ask for a discount or payment plan
If you're facing a large vet bill, don't be afraid to ask for a discount or payment plan. Many veterinary clinics now offer financing options or payment plans to help pet owners manage the cost of care. This option is certainly worth considering when faced with unexpected expensive vet bills for emergency treatments or costly procedures. If you can’t achieve a 0% option it may not save you money in the long run, but it will enable you to spread the costs over a longer time frame within your budget.
8. Don't cut fur matts with scissors
If your pet has matts in their fur, it can be tempting to grab a pair of scissors and try to cut them out. However, this can be dangerous, as it's easy to accidentally cut their skin, which may mean an expensive and unnecessary trip to the vet. Instead, put a comb between the skin and the matt and use cheap clippers to trim the mat.
Check out our range of shampoos to keep your pets clean, matt free and smelling great!
9.Try online video consultations
Online video consultations are a convenient and affordable way to get advice from a veterinarian. While they can't currently issue prescriptions, you can still get useful advice and guidance from the comfort of your home. There are a few online providers of veterinary care out there including Online Vetcare, a telemedicine service providing you with access to online veterinary care.
10. Avoid common pet poisons
There are many things that can be toxic to pets, including raisins and grapes, lilies, and chocolate.
Chocolate and raisins can be very dangerous for dogs and if consumed in large amounts can be life-threatening. The toxicity of chocolate depends on the dog’s weight, type of chocolate, as well as the amount the dog digests. Please always call your veterinary surgery if you suspect your pet has eaten food containing raisins as eating only a small amount can cause problems for some animals.
Lilies are beautiful and are part of many bouquets, unfortunately, lilies and cats are a harmful mix. Even cleaning the pollen from their fur can be enough to send cats into critical illness and awareness of the risks of lily poisoning is important for every cat owner.
Make sure to keep these items out of reach of your pets and know what to do in case of an emergency.
And of course, buying your medications from Vetscriptions is probably the most effective way to save money on pet care! We offer huge discounts with medicines often costing almost half of the price that a vet will charge.
TIP — Speak with your vet about getting a longer date on the prescription even if checks are needed regularly so you can save yourself the cost of incurring additional prescription charges.