To be nosy and ask how much your pet costs you per month?

[phoneybaloney]

We very sadly lost our dog recently and we are all really missing having a pet.

I am currently very torn about getting another pet in the future, purely due to the rising costs of living. This feels sad to me as we definitely feel all the benefits of having a pet. My old dog was such a boost to my mental health, and I think I'd sacrifice other things like TV subscriptions etc to prioritise having a pet BUT I am thinking cautiously about it from a finances point of view.

If you have a dog, a cat (we may go cat instead of dog, it's a current family debate), or any other pet and are happy to tell me your monthly costs I'd really appreciate it.

Food, insurance, flea and worm treatment, vaccinations, vets, etc. It all adds up doesn't it and I want to be aware of costs. Even since my dog passed with everything going up it's definitely my main thing to consider.

Dog 1 £96
Insurance £50
Vet plan £16 (jabs, wormer, flea stuff, check ups)
Food £20
Supplements £10
+any extra vet fees

Dog 2 £156
Insurance £40
Vet plan £16
Supplements £10
Monthly jab for arthritis £90
+any extra Vet fees

Good job I love them :)

Toy poodle-
£45 month insurance - best one we could find with pet plan
£15 month food- she’s tiny and eats such a small amount!
£10 a month or so for worming/flea tablets
£35 /6 weeks for groom but she hates it so I do it now!

So about £65/70 a month and last month she had a teeth cleaning which was £250!

1 tray a day is about £40 and an adult lab needs way more calories than that if that’s all they’re eating, so it’s no surprise.

£40 per month, that should say!

Insurance £42 pm
food £55 pm
dog Walker £144 pm
groomer £40 per visit go 2-3 times a year

we don’t flea, worm etc, just do a worm count every 4 months

3 cats here - costs are as follows and per month:

food £60 - £70 per month
insurance - £100 per month
flea treatments and workers £20 per month

we also have vet excesses to pay, even with the highest level of insurance. One of our cats required an emergency overnight stay a few weeks ago and even with insurance we still had to find £300. We also buy new cat beds, blankets and scratch posts fairly regularly.

@LynneBenfield yes you're probably right. I use their 'just' trays for a similar sized dog but mix with cheaper carb based filler as too much protein makes my dog a total PITA. Suppose that's the thing though isn't it.. just like with kids you can't always anticipate costs and any additional needs. Ours won't cope in strange houses so we have to spend extra on house sitters. Some have medical needs yada yada. It's like signing blank cheques.

Medium size dog (springer/collie cross)
He was a DT rescue ( £110) who joined us 5 years ago at the age of 9 months and had already had primary vaccinations and been neutered.
He costs per month
Food £47 (increased by £6 since April)
Day care £240
Preventative health care plan £8 (covers parasite treatment, boosters, two vet checks a year and various other bits and bobs like nail trims )
Insurance £32
Toys (balls mainly!) £10
Yearly costs include boarding for some trips away £300
Kennel cough vaccine £17
Hotel/ Cottage charges £100
Two grooms a year £50
Additional costs for leads , vetbed, Christmas etc £50-£100

However, as I work at a veterinary hospital I get a hefty discount on vet bills, discounted insurance and half price health care plan and an excess allowance if I did have to claim on insurance.
Animals are not cheap and sadly with current economic climate we are seeing more pets at work sicker than normal as people have had to delay treatment (then end up with higher bills) and seeing an increase in euthanasia. Even if a client is insured they may need to choose between paying the excess or a weeks shopping. Never mind the vet trip that is just under excess so non-claimable!
Food for sensitivities or allergies are becoming more expensive.
I appreciate my monthly budget for my dog is reasonably high through personal choices like day care etc. (and know I am fortunate to have good discounts) .
My previous dog cost £4k during six weeks of illness (worth every penny as he lived for another four very healthy years) but I would have hated to be in a situation where we had to make decisions based on costs.
We have also considered what would happen if our circumstances changed.

My cat costs £12 a month for pet plan with the vet (to cover vaccines and parasite treatment etc) and around £30 for food and cat litter.

I have a cat. My costs for her are

1 box of Sheba fresh choice from b&m £12.99
2 packs of Sheba fresh choice (different flavour!) from my local Co-op £3.90
2 packs of Lick-e-licks £2.00
large bag of senior biscuits (from vet, with 25% discount for belonging to vets health plan) £13.00
Vet health plan (includes monthly flea/worming treatment, all vaccines, 2 health checks per year, free nail clips, 25% off food or other items in the vets shop like brushes or toys and 10% off any consultations or treatments) £12.99

total of £44.88

I used to have an insurance policy that has cost anything between £8-£17 per month. The price has increased with her age (she is now 17) yet I now have to to pay the excess and 20/25% of the fees. I now set some money aside each month for if she needs any treatment.

If I go on holiday then there is cattery fees at £11.50 per day but that is factored into the price of the holiday.

I would make other cut backs if needed in order to keep a pet. The positive benefits to my mental health is worth the cost to me.