How much do you have in a pet savings account?

sheramber

Nobivac vaccine in first injection followed by second one then a booster at one year.

After that distemper and Parvo are 3 yearly but parainfluenza and lepto are yearly.

So , although the term yearly booster is used, it is a combination of the two protocols.

Now, there is titre test available to check immunity which can be accepted by kennels but it is up to each individual kennel owner whether they accept it.

TBagpuss

The plan muight be having in the first year, due to the discounts on neutering and the free microchip, but check out prices for those items and do your own sums.

It's up to you whether you chose to have insurance or not, but I think it's wprth bearing in mind:

- there are a lot more treatable illnesses than there used to be. Things such as cancer where 10 or 20 years ago the vet might be saying "leave him as long as he doesn't seem to be in pain" can now involve much more sophisticated and expensive treatment, over much longer periods. And I think the same sort of thing can be true with injuries - surgery costs a lot of money.

- Dogs are often more expensive than cats, in terms of the treatment they need (Partly because cats ate more fre-ranging, and also tend to be less good at showing they are unwell, so on average, there are more situations where the cat will be killed outright, or will be too ill to treat effectively, than for a dog).

As always, when looking at costs and how much to save, be realistic about your own personal situation. Building up savings so you can self-insure is great, but do you have the resources to afford it if the accident or emergency happens in the first year, before you've built up that buffer?

sheramber

TBagpuss wrote: »

The plan muight be having in the first year, due to the discounts on neutering and the free microchip, but check out prices for those items and do your own sums.

It's up to you whether you chose to have insurance or not, but I think it's wprth bearing in mind:

- there are a lot more treatable illnesses than there used to be. Things such as cancer where 10 or 20 years ago the vet might be saying "leave him as long as he doesn't seem to be in pain" can now involve much more sophisticated and expensive treatment, over much longer periods. And I think the same sort of thing can be true with injuries - surgery costs a lot of money.

- Dogs are often more expensive than cats, in terms of the treatment they need (Partly because cats ate more fre-ranging, and also tend to be less good at showing they are unwell, so on average, there are more situations where the cat will be killed outright, or will be too ill to treat effectively, than for a dog).

As always, when looking at costs and how much to save, be realistic about your own personal situation. Building up savings so you can self-insure is great, but do you have the resources to afford it if the accident or emergency happens in the first year, before you've built up that buffer?

and do you have the willpower not to use that money for anything else?

krlyr

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Re annual boosters, aren't you supposed to do that every year? My concern would be that if for any reason she had to go to kennels, i would more than likely only be able to find one that has a strict vax policy (i found that to be true with my cat. I've never vax'd her and no cattery around here will take her).

Depends who you ask - many vets will say annually, even though manufacturer guidelines can be every 3 years. Many vets also say you need to do a 2-jab "restart", like puppies, if you're late with the annual booster - yet the whole reason puppies get 2 jabs is because they can sometimes still have immunity from their mum when the first jab is given and this can null the effect of the vaccines. Second booster is given to be sure mum's antibodies are gone, and pup is protected. Well, this doesn't apply at all in adult dogs so is riduculous - half just not getting up-to-date with their knowledge, half money-making I expect.

I would suggest reading up on the pros and cons of annual vaccinations. Some insurers will exclude anything vaccinatable if you don't have them done (so won't cover parvo but will cover a broken leg), and although kennels have previously been forced to ask dogs to be vaccinated, recently guidelines changed to accept titre testing (a titre test checks for an immune response - indicating immunity, so no need for the booster at that time). Home boarding is also an alternative to kennels.
http://www.dogworld.co.uk/story.php/160832/0/cieh_issues_new_guidance_endorsing_titre_blood_tests

It's something you need to make your own mind up on - but having a dog with hypothyroidism has certainly made me think twice (Dr Jean Dodds, a US vet specialising in hypothyroidism, believes overvaccination can contribute to many health issues - thyroid disease, seizures, and so on.
http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/31497486463/dogvaccines#.WMbR8vKnZS9

WantToBeSE

The puppy will already be microchipped and i don't plan on getting her spayed within the first 12 months, so i don't think i'll bother with the vet plan.

I will DEFINITELY be insuring her, that is a definite. I am leaning towards Petplan because of the wonderful feedback i've had from other people.

krlyr thanks for the info on vaccinations, I'll do more reading before i commit and also talk to the vet and other dog owners.

Katiehound

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Especially because she is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and they are prone to several illnesses, such as heart issues.

I am hoping that you are buying from a reputable breeder who has done as many tests as possible so that the offspring will be as free from inherited diseases as possible.

If you are going down the annual vaccination route be aware that you can generally add at least one month on to still be viable ie booster every 13 months! (But do check with the vet)

WantToBeSE

Katiehound wrote: »

I am hoping that you are buying from a reputable breeder who has done as many tests as possible so that the offspring will be as free from inherited diseases as possible.

If you are going down the annual vaccination route be aware that you can generally add at least one month on to still be viable ie booster every 13 months! (But do check with the vet)

Hi Katie. Yes i've bought from a breeder who has tested the mum and dad, plus the grandparents have been tested. Also the parents siblings from the same litter (and the previous litter) have never had any health issues.

We (the owners of the grandparents, parents, all puppies from all of them etc) are part of a FB group, so i feel assured that my pup comes from a good background.

Plus, if i ever decide to breed from my girl (highly unlikely, since i dont know enough/anything about breeding) I'll be able to provide new owners with the same assurances and add them to the FB group.

DD265

Our cats are insured, but I am trying to put £50 a month aside on top. Ideally it'd be £100 though I haven't managed that so far.

My horse is no longer insured due to age, and I spent £600 in a week at the start of Feb with a critical illness. That included an emergency appointment, blood tests and medication. We still have almost £400 in his account, then I have my own savings (<£600) plus plenty of credit card space.

WantToBeSE

DD265 wrote: »

Our cats are insured, but I am trying to put £50 a month aside on top. Ideally it'd be £100 though I haven't managed that so far.

Yeah i think £50 a month is going to be the amount that i am going to put aside for my dog and cat.

The insurace quote is £38 a month for my puppy, with PetPlan. Does that sound normal?

questionss

A CKCS - mitral valve disease is ridiculously common, half have a heart murmur by age 4, 75% by 7 and almost all by 10. It's not really an if it's a when
Recent studies show early treatment improves quality & duration of life.
Also common is diabetes and syringomyelia
Get insurance, get good lifelong insurance, check for breed related exclusions