Discount Pet Meds and Beyond - 4 Ways to Save on Pets

     Most pet owners don't like to spare any expense when it comes to their four-legged friends. As much a member of the family as anyone else, owners can't bear to deny their pet medical treatment any more than they could deny their child treatment. Unfortunately, in today's tough economy, many pet owners are concerned that they aren't going to be able to afford to care for their animals the way they really want to. Even though there are discount pet meds available online, some pet owners fear that they can't afford even that.

Benjamin Franklin sagely taught that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The same holds true when it comes to caring for your pets. Rather than allowing vet bills and pet med costs to rack up, consider these money-saving tips.

1. Don't skimp on heartworm medication

There might be some pet meds you can do without, or certain times of the year when you don't need certain medications, depending upon where you live. However, especially if you're a dog owner, you should never skimp on heartworm medication.

Heartworm treatment is expensive and quite complicated. Removing worms that grow up to a foot long from your dog's lungs and heart is no simple task. Instead of putting yourself in the position of seeking treatment for heartworms, make sure your animal never gets heartworms in the first place. You can use a discount pet meds site to find inexpensive tablets to prevent heartworm disease in your dogs and your cats. This small investment will save you money in the long run.

2. You might not need flea and tick medication all year long

Depending upon where you live, you might be able to stop giving your dogs and cats flea and tick medication for certain months out of the year. Fleas and ticks are both particularly active during warmer, moister times of the year. Depending upon the climate you live in, you might be able to stop applying flea and tick medication during colder and drier months. If you live in the South, you should probably still use preventative flea and tick medication all year long.

3. Exercise your animals every day

You might not be too concerned about your own weight, but unless you want to spend a lot of money on medication and veterinary procedures later in your animal's life, make sure he stays at a healthy weight. Usually, just a simple walk each day, combined with proper proportions of food, is plenty to keep your dog in shape. Since it's hard to walk a cat, make your cat feel like a kitten again by encouraging play and providing climbing structures.

4. Make your own dog or cat food

Making your own dog or cat food not only saves you money, it also keeps your pet healthier. A healthier pet is also usually a money-saving pet, too. It's easy enough to find healthy, cost-effective recipes for dog and cat food online. Typically, you can make one giant batch of food per week, divide it into daily portions, and freeze it until you need it.

Saving money by using discount pet meds is a great way to keep your pet budget low. However, it's even better when you can avoid having to buy those discount pet meds in the first place! Do you have your own tips for saving money on vet and medication bills for your furry friends? If so, share your experiences below.