Great Feed, House and Keep Your Pets Hunt

Leonie

Husse don't have a distributor in my area, unfortunately - so can't give me a free sample.

Vitalin want you to ring an 0870 number for a free sample.



But thanks anyway!

merdekaorang1125

This is a good thread. Here’s a small contribution to it.

Annual Injections: Many years ago I worked out that the man next door who never, ever had his dog and cats jabbed still didn't get problems with the 'promoted' diseases. So I decided after that to just inject my dog and cats for the first two years of their life - or in my house - and then forget it. Most dogs and cats rarely mix with other animals to the extent that they might catch diseases. They'll get worms, of course, if they roam free, so regular worming is essential. Then my wife told me that her cousin is an international dog trainer/psychologist and dog boarder. She also only has injections done on her own dogs during the first two years and then drops it, even though she allows them to mix with boarder dogs (yes, there may be some ‘inoculated herd protection’ playing it’s part here, surely then, the validity of the argument for pet owners whose animals never get that close to others is reinforced). That's good enough for me and, having had dogs all my life and cats for the last ten years, we have never had any contagious illnesses. The saving is significant. Always remember, it is in the interests of the veterinary profession to scare you into using their services. Like opticians, they charge as much as they think they can get away with. Work it out and use them only when there is no alternative.

Feeding: When I first had a dog there was no dry food available but at the time I worked in a fertilizer and animal feeding-stuff store. I noticed that when my dog, who came to work with me, ate decorticated cattle cake (don't ask but it contained molasses apart from waste vegetable fibre and sorry about the detail but it's necessary) his stool was firm. Usually it was loose to runny. We were feeding him cans of wet food otherwise. So I took him off the wet food and went on to the stuff he liked to snack at work mixed with table scraps and things like liver and lights from the butcher – very cheap in the ‘70s. He never had a problem after that. Since ever we could get dry food readily we have fed our animals on that and they never have tummy upsets or bad teeth. They look good, have plenty of energy and we rarely have to clean up after them. In fact, my 7 year old lab/bc cross has only dumped in the house once - 10 weeks old when he came to live here - and that was after the little gannet had scoffed a chunk of long-dead wild-life while out for a walk one day. We now feed our cats on Hill's Nature's Best and the dog on James Wellbeloved. They are expensive foods initially but you can do some sums: a. they never go off the food so no throwing away part-eaten cans; b. their teeth are great, their digestion is un-troubled and their coat looks brilliant. C. Vets bills are rare or very low. So, find out the cost of a bag of dried food to suit and don't foget to aks if the store has any sample packs, often free, count the amount you spend on wet food and how much gets chucked and I bet, as we did, you will see that you will save overall. If the crittur balks at eating dried food to begin with, just mix it in ever increasing amounts with the wet stuff until the wet stuff is discontinued. Another benefit: leave food out for eat-on-demand and soon the animal will do just that and, in additon to all that, the house won't smell like Chichester. Your pet might, at the beginning, scoff the lot but this habit soon ends once they realize that food is always there. Quite sensible things, really.

Good luck.

WilChil1964

Anyone know whether Lidl and Wilkinsons do good dry cat food for senior cats? I'm trying to cut the cost of cat food as I have three cats, but would like to keep them on good senior food as they are 11 years old and I want them to stay healthy as long as possible.

herriot67

Do you use Advantage, Frontline or one of the other spot-on treatments? Well we have 5 cats and only need to treat them annually not monthly saving £100s over the year.

The secret? Clear rough crystal. Yes just the normal clear unfinished rough crystal in each water bowl that you can get for about £2 each. If they are correctly cleansed they will prevent fleas for over a year each.

Dont believe me? Well this tip was passed to me by a member of the Cat Appreciation Group on Yahoo some years back who had at the time 32 cats and no fleas. And yes I saw it myself as I visited her and her moggies on the coast of Suffolk.

On to insurance, I have yet to own a cat who hasn't at some point in their lifetime had a major claim so some reason. The latest one is a 6 year old tabby with a mysterious sneezing problem which has baffled both our local vets and a specialist feline referral centre, so far costing £1,725.28 since May 2006.

This is not so unusual these days as veterinary medicine is now very advanced and so specialists certainly do run up the bills. Trust me I know, I was a veteinary practice manager for two years (hence the nickname)!

Note - if you have a lot of cats you may be better to have a savings plan instead of insurance.

herriot67

WilChil1964 wrote:

Anyone know whether Lidl and Wilkinsons do good dry cat food for senior cats? I'm trying to cut the cost of cat food as I have three cats, but would like to keep them on good senior food as they are 11 years old and I want them to stay healthy as long as possible.

Not that I have seen. I have tried many different types with the best being Hills (unfortunately not in supermarkets - best high st price is Pets At Home) and Perfect Fit which is a lower cost than most and available in Sainsburys (presumably other supermarkets too).

James

bulchy

My local sainsbury's quite often has the perfect fit on promotion, i get it for my 2 cats for a change now and again, they usually have James wellbeloved.
Sue

Be_Happy

STORING DOG FOOD

We buy dogfood in 15Kg bags. Old ones had zip top, but new food doesn't. It's stored in large swing top bin, but kitchen is starting to smell. Has anyone come across cheap airtight storage bins this size? Special ones sold in pet shops are expensive.

serendipitity

Two years ago i started feeding my Rottie on Dr John's silver which has kept her very healthy and only cost's £8.00 for a 15 KG bag. She loves it. We also have a Yorkie and he loves it. The vet has said how well they both look.
There is also a higher protein which cost's £9.00 for 15KG.

ailuro2

fwiw my friend's vet told her the cat was taking liberties (words to that effect,hehe!) when she asked him what to feed her next as she had gradually gone off every food put down to her and my friend was buying ever dearer brands of food/tins of tuna etc..

Feed them what you think is healthy, there is not much to be gained from little plates of gourmet food.

mommasue_2

I have a Dalmation and Jack Russell. I went to buy soft dog beds at the pet shop and was amazed at the cost, they start at about £40 for large one. We like to let the the dogs in the sitting room when we are in there, so I buy them their own 2nd hand sofa out of freebie local paper, I have never paid more than £20.
Dalmation is 12 now and on the third sofa, as after a few years they get smelly. I cover them with old washable covers/blankets which I throw in the washing machine twice a week. Neither dog has ever attempted to sit on our better furniture.
Some years ago though, I would have been hard pressed to pay £20 for old sofa for ourselves, dogs don't know how lucky they are!