i have 3 cats and one dog,i need advice on the best way ..........?

Question

or should i say the cheapest but reliable way to get them flead and wormed,i have always got my things from the vets but their prices are going up every time i love my animals but i soon wont be able to look after them.the vets charge me 20 a month for spot on,15 every three months a nd they are all injected save my old cat.please i will not even consider rehoming them,they are my"babies" thats how i view them,i live on my own i would be lost without them..................want to hear avvice from animal owners on their tried and tested products not as expensive as the vets.........would appriciate any good advice thank you mandy

Answer 1

I only treat my dogs for fleas if I find a flea - & I haven't done for around 6 yrs! My dogs are wormed twice a year. I would probably do cats 3 times ayear. I know you think you are doing your best for your animals, but personally I think we are dosing our animals with chemicals too much & it wouldn't do them any harm to be dosed less.

Answer 2

If the Vet is charging £20 a month it shouldn't be spot-on he's giving you. This can be purchased in most Pet stores and supermarkets. I buy it for my dog and 2 cats and it suits them better than what the Vet treated them with. I use all of the Bob Martin's range and take them to the Vet's for yearly injections and a general check -up. The only other time my animals see the Vet is for spaying and neutering and illness which luckily is very rare until old age. It isn't a question of money for me but what suits my animals and those products do and I only treat them if there are signs of worm or flea infestation.

Answer 3

We have 3 dogs and 2 cats...

Simply if theres no reason to suspect they have worms then why worm them? Our dogs or cats haven't been wormed since they were puppies. They're checked by the vet and have never been found to have worms.

Same goes for the fleas..in the past we've had a couple of problems with fleas but we deal with it at the time. We havent had a flea problem for over 6 years now and dont use any preventative meds... if you need ongoing protection from fleas...you can order the same products the vet uses online. check www.petmeds.com for what you need. or check your local pet store for recommended products. Also as far as the fleas..reasearch online to find ways to get rid of them for good. just type into yahoo or google "how to get rid of fleas"

The only other thing you can do is check around for another vet..sometimes a vet working out of their own home wont be as high on prices as a vet who has a fancy office and a large practice.

Good luck to you :-)

Answer 4

Unfortunately, there are no "cheap" ways to care for animals. The reason costs go up at vets, is the cost to run the place goes up. The medicine you buy at vets office varies greatly from what you can get "over the counter". For instance, flea prevention from a vet office is expensive, yes, but it is the best out there. Flea prevention that you get over the counter is not the same and if often a diluted pesticide that can be harmful.
There are online pharmacies now, but they are shady too (they get their products illegally and their products are not guaranteed by manufacturers)
I do work for a vet clinic and please don't think that I'm trying to promote money making for vets. It is expensive, but if you do want what is best for your pet, that is where you should stay getting your items.
As far as vaccines, find out what your state requirements are for Rabies. If your cats are strictly indoors, that should be all you need to follow law. Thats all I do. Dogs are a different story cuz they tend to be outdoors and come in contact with other animals. Ask your vet about using a three year distemper and rabies vaccine on them (3 year rabies not recommended for cats). Also, check around or ask at your local animal shelter about low cost clinics. Most cities have them now.
Good luck!

Answer 5

Someone mentioned a "3-yr" vaccine for your dogs. This is bologna. There is no difference between a 3 yr vaccine and an annual one, just the vets think the consumers will buy into it and they can charge more. Go to your local feed store, and 99% of the time they have dog and cat vaccines. I don't know where you live, but in CA and AZ, where I've lived, you can get a Distemper/Parvo/Coronavirus vaccine at a feed store for $6. Feline distemper is even cheaper than that. Do your own vaccines and you'll save a ton of money. You can't give a rabies vaccine, find a Petsmart or some place that has a "rabies clinic" and you can get them cheaper. As for flea meds, I use eBay, it's the same stuff whether it's sold in Germany or US.

Answer 6

There may be a PDSA in your area where you can get free treatment for pets if you can't afford a vet. This should include flea and worming remedies too. You can make a donation of what you can afford. If the pets are flea free but the fleas have infested the house the council can come out and fumigate and it used to be free but that was a few years ago.

Answer 7

Buy your stuff on Ebay - but shop around on there first, I use a spot on wormer for my 14 cats - much easier than pills. Also get hold of a good household spray for carpets and soft furnishings. Don't forget to spray in dark corners and under the furniture which is where the flea larvae hide until they are big enough to hop on a passing cat.
Always read the warnings as some dog treatments are lethal to cats.
Keep them vaccinated.

Answer 8

Get her declawed. it is no longer merciless in any respect. We were given my cat declawed even as he became a pair months because he tore up each and everything and he nonetheless performs with string and all and its thoroughly popular for cats to get declawed. they only cant do the lower back claws they only do the front. even as your cat will only come out of being declawed, it will be very drained and sleep the entire day so dont be worried. Its paws also will seem gross yet thats only for an afternoon or 2 and then through a week they're going to be delicate and cuddly. you could positioned her on your lap without her claws getting stuck on your outfits. i ought to get her declawed if i have been you. we are getting a kitten quickly and would ought to get it declawed. you'll sense so much better in case you only get her declawed.

Answer 9

You would only have to deflea your cats monthly if they go outside or if they get them from your dog. If you dog is on heartworm preventative, which is very important, then he is already getting dewormed for most parasite already. If you cats stay inside I don't believe they would need to be dewormed yearly unless you see a problem. Also ask your vet about his views on vaccinating every 3 years. Many studies have shown that animals are still protected for much longer than previously believed.

Answer 10

Once you get all your pets flea free, you shouldn't have to worry about giving flea medication anymore. As long as they aren't in an environment with fleas, or around other animals with fleas, they should be alright. But the dog should have heartworm medication every month, or whenever it's supposed to be given. Heartworm medication doesn't cost that much if it's only for one animal. Good luck.