Look Before You Leap – The Cost of Puppy Ownership

By Allen Gignac, Yorkville Animal Hospital

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As a veterinarian, one of the saddest things that I occasionally see is a very sick dog whose owners do not have the financial ability to provide the kind of care necessary to help their beloved pet. These situations are excruciating and heart wrenching for everyone involved. On the other hand, it always greatly impresses me when people who are thinking of adopting a new puppy call beforehand to inquire about what sort of care is required, and what the associated costs are.

That little ball of fluff in the pet store window may be the cutest thing you ever saw, but an impulse purchase of a new puppy invariably leads to all sorts of unexpected surprises. Once reality sets in and the work and responsibility begins, the honeymoon can end very quickly. After that first trip to the vet, sticker shock can rear its ugly head – examinations, vaccinations, booster vaccinations, fecal testing, deworming, neutering or spaying, heartworm and flea prevention – the list (and costs) can seem to go on and on and on…

Preventive medicine is extremely important, and as veterinarians, we always strive to promote health in our patients rather than just treating their illnesses. A good preventive health program can be costly – but the consequences of not providing excellent preventive medicine can be disastrous and far more costly in the long run. That first year of life is a costly one, but the good news is that once your puppy becomes an adult, things usually settle down, and the costs usually become more manageable.

Veterinarians may differ slightly in what they offer in a preventive health program, but in general, recommendations tend to be quite standard. A new puppy will need a series of one to three examinations and vaccine boosters, depending on its age and previous vaccination history. Parasites are very common in puppies, and fecal testing and/or deworming medications are mandatory. Heartworm and flea prevention are important in the spring and summer months. Neutering and spaying usually happens around six months of age, although some veterinarians may choose to do this earlier. Prior to neutering, many veterinarians recommend or require pre-anaesthetic blood testing, to ensure that our patient is healthy enough to tolerate the anaesthetic and to make things as safe as possible.

As you can see, all of these procedures can quickly add up, and be a real financial strain on some families. That is why we always recommend consulting your veterinarian (or future veterinarian) before you decide to add a new addition to your family. We are more than happy to provide estimates for the costs associated with puppy ownership, and we LOVE when a new owner comes to us already well educated and well researched. Educated, well-researched pet owners result in a happier owner, a happier veterinarian, and a much happier puppy.

Although preventive health care costs can be predicted and budgeted for, it is important to realize that, sometimes, unexpected problems can occur. Not uncommonly, puppies can develop dental problems as they grow – sometimes deciduous (baby) teeth do not fall out properly, and need to be extracted. Sometimes, the anatomy of the mouth (especially in squishy-faced breeds like pugs and bulldogs) can result in a malocclusion, causing abnormal tooth-to-tooth or tooth-to-gum contact. This results in pain, and damage to the teeth and gums, and may need to be corrected through the extraction or shortening of certain selected teeth. Puppies can become sick and require expensive testing and hospitalization; they can break bones or swallow things-that-should-not-be-swallowed and require surgery. When dealing with puppies, we try to puppy-proof our homes as well as possible, but accidents can and do occur.

Because of the potential for unseen costs, I always heartily recommend pet health insurance to all of my new puppy owners. Several different insurance companies exist, and each company has several different plans available. Some plans only cover accidents and illness, and some plans cover a proportion of the costs of preventive health care as well. Unless you are in a situation where cost is not a problem if something unfortunate should occur (wouldn’t that be nice), then pet health insurance is a wonderful investment. Hopefully, you will never ever have to use it, as your puppy will remain happy and healthy for many, many years – but it’s nice to know that if something should happen, then you and your veterinarian can do everything medically possible to ensure that your new friend gets better, instead of worrying about how much everything is going to cost.

A new puppy is a wonderful thing. With a little bit of homework and forethought, you, with the help of your veterinarian, can ensure that you can spend many happy, healthy, and stress-free years together – exactly as it was meant to be.

Allen Gignac, DVM
Yorkville Animal Hospital
www.yorkvilleanimalhospital.ca

For more information on preventive health care for puppies, follow the following link to Dr. Gignac’s website: www.yorkvilleanimalhospital.ca/index.php?view=pageView&pageid=12

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About The Author

			Dr. Gignac always strives to offer the very best medical, surgical, and dental care possible for his patients, and places a strong emphasis on the importance of preventive health care. While always trying to keep the clients needs in mind, he is, and will always continue to be, an advocate for his patients first and foremost. Dr. Gignac believes in treating every one of his patients as if they were his very own. Dr. Allen Gignac is the owner and sole veterinarian at Yorkville Animal Hospital. Dr. Gignac can be contacted at (416) 923-8896.

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