Here's a tip on how to save money at the veterinarian: If your vet wants to hospitalize your pet overnight for a condition, ask if a vet tech or nurse is going to be with your pet all night. If not, save your money, take your pet home, and YOU act as overnight nurse. Before leaving, have your veterinarian show you everything that needs to be done (medicating, monitoring vitals, etc.) during the night. This could save you $55 or more per night in vet bills!

 I did that recently with my ShakerToy. Gave him intravenous fluids and antibiotics, and he pulled through just fine.

Another tip is to order vaccines (not rabies, of course, which must be administered by a vet) online and give them yourself, sparing the cost of an office visit.

seaturtle:

Another tip is to order vaccines (not rabies, of course, which must be administered by a vet) online and give them yourself, sparing the cost of an office visit.

I understand the concept behind this - but I would rather pay the extra money up front and let the vet see my dog when he gets his heartworm meds, and then again when he gets his annual checkup and shots.  With my last dog (not the current one) I was pretty broke and only took her in for shot clinics; she didn't see a vet for several years, except at Petsmart - and so when she started coughing I didn't know it was more than allergies or a cold, and I found out, too late, that it was lung cancer, much too late to do anything but make her comfortable and wait for her to die.  Had she seen a vet regularly, it would have been caught much, much earlier, and there would have been treatment options besides letting her die.  Pets should see a vet at least once a year, no matter what.  Since we don't have to give heartworm preventative year round, he goes in in the spring to get his heartworm check, usually in late March, and again in August for his annual checkup and any shots he may need.  It costs more up front, but it helps prevent problems further down the road.

Another way to save on petcare:  buy high quality pet food.  For example, it costs more to buy a bag of high quality dog food, but less of it is filler, so the dog eats less, and the cost per feeding comes out the same or a little cheaper.  Also, because the food is higher quality and more nutritious, the dog is better fed and therefore in better health, preventing future problems that could come from lower quality food. 

Order flea preventative treatments, such as Frontline or Advantage, over the internet and save big $ over buying them at the vet. 

Use coupons as much as possible for food and cat litter.  Compare prices on cat litter and try the store brands.  I use the PetsMart brand of pelleted pine litter and it works just as well as Feline Pine and costs less.

 karenteacher,

You are absolutely right on both points. I should have explained that I meant just the distemper vaccine.  My cats all go in yearly for rabies vaccine and a checkup. My vet uses a different vaccine than the rabies 3-year, and he doesn't feel safe administering the distemper shot at the same visit.

I have 7 cats, and it was actually my vet who suggested he get me the vaccine to give at home because of the expense of another office visit.

Certainly if anyone skips the yearly checkup, it's not good for owner or animal. I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I've lost 2, and it's heart-breaking.

Food is very important, I find that, too. I try to use cat food without additives or corn and at least a 45% protein. It is more expensive, but as you said, in the long run, it saves a lot of money in vet bills. I also give Revolution every month.

Thanks for posting what you did. From what I said in my first post, it seemed as though I was advising people not to visit their vet regularly, and I'd hate for someone to do that because they read it.

honestly I don't take the animals in every year for a checkup.  If they show any signs of sickness or needing vet care, they go right away.  of course they are fixed too.  don't believe in yearly shots. We don't have to get our shots for measles etc every year. lots of vets are going to every 3 yrs for shots except rabies.

 they get all their first year shots.  they are city mostly indoor cats so rabies isn't a issue.   I can do their nails.  I put advantage or revolution on a couple of times a year. basically when they get a flea or two.  only seems to happen in spring and fall.

We have birds and cats.  Anything that has happened to my birds or cats, could have not been forseen by a checkup.   like the cat getting to our cockatiels wing thought the cage bars.  or eaten by a coyote. 

We will spend the money on the animals though, I think we spent about $2500 on cancer treatments etc for our cat last year, mostly prescriptions and one  operation which didn't help.  I don't begrudge the money, he was worth it.

This year I think we have spent about $1000-$1600 in vet care this year. like the wing episode $4-500 there. on the birds.   if we can get our friends to clip our parrots wings we do. partly because it is an 45min-1 hr drive each way to our bird vets. don't have the one in new west anymore sigh.  We can't clip Cocos wings.

healthy food is a must for our pets. I rather spend good money on the food and have healthy animals. like people good food builds a good body.  And we follow vets orders on certain things like our parrot is not allowed nuts anymore because his liver isn't healthy enough to process the fats. Because the first 10 yrs of his life with his previous owners, he was fed a junk food diet.  I mean the bird knows the Mcds symbol!!  so since he didn't grow up with healthy food, can't reverse some of the damage. plus he is not a veggie guy or pellet so he is on a seed diet.  gets warm parrot baby food for breaksfast for vitamins etc.

my mom feels the same way and frankly cats are happy healthy and live long lifes.   she has spent $5000 this year on vet bills so they do go when they need care.  adds up fast.   she has 7 cats so doesn't take much to run up a vet bill.  one lump with tests etc $1000.

 Good advice, karenteacher. Regular vet check-ups are important.

The one year rabies vaccine is no doubt easier on a pet's system than the three year vaccine, which is loaded with adjuvant (that helps it give three years worth of immunity).

 MarthaMFI

I'm not sure how prevalent bat rabies is where you live, but here in Houston it is a threat. House cats are at high risk of exposure, since they tend to be the ones to interact with sick bat that may find their way into homes (usually via the attic). Bottom line: Be sure you vaccinate your indoor cats for rabies as well.