Dr. Shawn’s Blog

The Economy and Your Pet

August 2, 2010 on 6:41 am | In General Posts | No Comments

With many people out of work, and with everyone tightening his or her budget, it’s tempting to take a look at how this affects our pets.

In my experience in Plano, Texas, an area that thankfully has only minimally been affected by the economic downturn, I still see how the economy has affected the care of pets. Some pet owners are not able to bring their pets into the veterinarian’s office for routine care. Other pet owners have to make a difficult choice in how much care they can afford to give a pet who becomes ill. Sadly, for some pet owners, any amount of care is cost prohibitive, and euthanasia of an extremely sick that may be the only choice available due to the owner’s economic situation.
Additionally, animal shelters and rescue groups have reported an increase in the number of pets turned over to them. Many of these pets will never be adopted, and due to overcrowding euthanasia is often the only choice for these pets.

For those fortunate owners who can continue to afford excellent care for their pets, veterinary medicine can offer much help in both preventing illness as well as treating pets, even those with serious or life-threatening disabilities.
For owners whose economic situations may be diminished due to our country’s current economic troubles, I recommend having a frank discussion with your pets’ veterinarian. Be honest about what you can afford to do for your pet. Spend money wisely; avoid annual vaccinations as these are not necessary. Try not to skimp on an annual exam or blood test that can allow early diagnosis and less expensive treatment of problems. If diseases do occur, explore every possible treatment with your veterinarian and choose a treatment that is both affordable and will allow the best chance for your pet to recover quickly from its condition. For those owners who can continue to afford high-quality care for their pets, I encourage either getting pet health insurance or setting up a savings account for your pet, using the insurance or the savings account whenever emergency care is needed.

Our economy will hopefully improve soon. Until then, do the best you can for your pet by spending money wisely on your pet’s care.