It's A Dogs Life, Especially The Bills. Reduce The Cost Of Pet Ownership With These Top Tips!

We are a country of animal lovers. A staggering 93.6 million pound is spent on our pets every single week with an average dog costing just under 9,000 pounds over its lifetime. An average cat will set you back around 7,200 pounds.

Ever heard of the phrase "a dog is for life, not just for Christmas", well this applies to all animals. Many people buy pets without fully understanding the cost of keeping it. With veterinarian costs continually on the increase and the staggering amount involved in keeping pets, the level of abandoned animals has soared. Between 23rd and 27th December 2010, the RSPCA investigated 329 reports of abandoned pets. However, there are various ways you can cut the cost of your pet care during these tough economic times. Here are just a few examples.

Insure your pet: Sadly, 300,000 dogs and cats are put down as vet fees and medical expenses too much for the owners to afford. Looking over a longer period, 1.6 million pets had to be put down between 2003 and 2008 because of veterinarian fees; it goes without saying that pet insurance can help avert having to fork out for unexpected veterinary bills which you might not be able to meet.

Get your pet insured: Unfortunately, around 300,000 cats and dogs are put down annually as veterinarian fees means owners simply cannot afford the costs to make them better. Looking into the long term trend, between 2003 to 2008 saw 1.6 million put to sleep for the same reason. With these figures in mind, it goes to show how important pet insurance can be and actually help reduce costs over time.

Pet insurance does not have to cost a fortune; many plans can start from as little as a few pounds per month. These few pounds could lead to your pet being well protected and at the same time could avert having to pay a fortune in veterinary costs on the spot at a future date.

Pet sitters: One cost of going away for an extended period that people tend to underestimate is kennel fees, per animal you most likely looking at 10 GBP per night, so it easily adds up over time and can cost a few hundred pounds if you are not careful.

Make your own toys: Many people are guilty of spending a fortune on plastic or metal toys for their pets. However, it is just as easy to create your own pet toys at home. Old socks and old fleece clothing are perfect for making pet toys as they are often brightly coloured, easy to wash and Do not fray. In addition, everything from old toilet roll tubes or old kids toys, squeakers or soft toys, make great pet playthings. And, why not make them a pet bed from a cardboard box and an old blanket or fleece?

Do not use too much food: A report conducted by a major supermarket in 2008 found that a massive 43% of pets were overweight, based on findings by their vets. Not only this but 47% of all dogs were considered too fat and over a quarter as obese. The survey also estimated that 19% of cats were also obese. Therefore, Do not spoil your pet with luxurious food and treats. Ensure you feed them just when required to limit the risk of them becoming obese.

Over feeding is costly and dangerous: A report from a major supermarket found 43% of pets are overweight, with evidence backed up by vets findings. Again looking more closely at cats and dogs, 47% of dogs were fat, with 26% being classed as obese, on the cat front, 19% were found to be obese. So no matter how much they might beg, you will be doing them a favour in the long run not giving in to the sad puppy dog eyes.

Quality food: Pet food can be extremely expensive, so every pet owner likes to look for bargain pet food. However, rather than focus solely on price, look at quality too. Quality pet food can prove to be extremely cost effective, as you often do not need as much to satisfy the animal whilst also providing it with the key nutrients. Poor quality food will not necessarily last as long, and your animal could very well fall ill as a result of poor nutrition. Just be aware of what is in the products you buy to ensure you are buying it with your pets best interests at heart.

Good food: Buying cheap pet food might be the easiest visible way of cutting pet costs, but this above all other cost cutting measures can actually do more damage in the long run. The better the food is (which means the more expensive sadly) the more filling it will be for your pet and more nutritious than the less expensive food. The more nutritious obviously means the healthier the animal will be, with that in mind another tip is that dry food mix is normally more balanced than tinned meat or other wet food for almost all types of animals.

Can worming your pets reduce pet insurance premiums

Like any other type of insurance, pet insurance is largely based on risk - so if you can demonstrate that your animal is in a fit state of health, and that you're consequently less likely to make claims on your pet insurance, your insurance premiums could be reduced significantly.

Your pet's health is likely to be the overriding factor in the cost of pet insurance quotes, and could mean a big difference between various price bands. Many pet owners take out insurance to receive help towards the cost of expensive vet bills and other healthcare fees, so by keeping up with your animal's essential checkups - including worming treatments - and treating any problems before they develop into more serious issues, you stand a much better chance of enjoying lower rates on pet cover.

Your pet's health isn't the only consideration that can affect your insurance quote, of course, with everything from their age to their breed also playing a factor. If you've kept up with worming treatments to keep your animals healthy throughout their lives, you won't necessarily be paying more for your insurance just because your pet is advancing in years. However, that also means you shouldn't leave it until later in your pet's life to start taking care of such treatments, as your insurance quotes could even be affected at a young age if your pet is found to be in ill health.

Worming treatments are inexpensive, especially when compared to the price you'd pay without pet insurance. This invaluable commodity can ease the financial strain of your visits to the vet, and ensure your animal never goes without essential treatments when they need them most.

If you're concerned about the cost of insurance premiums, settling for the cheapest insurance option available isn't always the wisest move, as these may not include all the cover you'll need. Fortunately, there are many ways to lower your premiums without impacting on the quality of your policy, especially when looking for discounts and deals available. Some insurers offer reductions if you buy your policy online, and paying by monthly direct debit could also lead to further reductions.

Generally speaking, you should take out as much cover for your pet as you are realistically able to afford - skipping some of the policy extras that you don't think are likely to be needed, but making sure you cover all the essential bases. Many pet owners who've been forced to foot the cost of expensive vet bills have sadly realised the value of pet insurance too late.

The author of this article is a part of a digital blogging team who work with brands like Confused.com. The content contained in this article is for information purposes only and should not be used to make any financial decisions.