How to Prepare Your Budget for Dog Adoption & FAQ for Dog Veterinarian Visits

[Guest Lancelot Arnold]

How to Prepare Your Budget for Dog Adoption
Being a good caring dog owner involves many things that don’t affect your wallet, like your time and love, but there are certainly costs to plan for. If you’ve never owned a particular type of pet before, knowing how much your new pet will cost can be complicated. When adopting a dog there will usually be an dog adoption fee. Rescuing pets is expensive work! The rescuer often pays to have the dogs spayed or neutered if they aren’t already, provides vaccines, and pays for all medical care needed while the pets are in their rescue. Food, beds, leashes, collars, tags, grooming, it adds up, but luckily much of that cost is not passed on. Typical dog adoption fees range from $100 to $300. Next consider you basic supplies such as a collar, IDs, microchip, leash, pet bed, bowls, and toys. The biggest cost will be food, that depends on the size and type of dog you will be adopting. Asking the shelter what they are feeding the dog you want to adopt and the cost can help prepare for this. Other costs are mostly medical and will include regular vet checkups, and the potential for a trip to the vest because of an accident, or illness. If you will be away from your dog all day long, you may want to look into doggie daycare, or a dog walker.

FAQ for Dog Veterinarian Visits
Taking your newly adopted dog to the veterinarian should be your first priority. This is especially true if you have other pets. It’s a good idea to make sure your new dog is healthy and doesn’t have any diseases or viruses he or she could transmit to other animals in the house. The best way to find a veterinarian is by word of mouth. The animal shelter or rescue group where you got your dog may have a good recommendation for you. For proper preventative care, your dog or cat should be examined by a veterinarian twice a year. A typical vet checkup includes searching for fleas using a special flea comb. Taking your dog’s temperature, and a physical examination which will include checking your dog’s ears, eyes, nose, teeth, skin, legs, joints, and genitals, and lymph nodes and listen to the heart and lungs. It will be common for the veterinarian to stress the importance of avoiding parasites, and will suggest options for flea and tick prevention and control.