Cut Pet Care Costs: Tip-of-the-Day #27

LEARN TO GROOM YOUR PET AT HOME

Do you take your pet to the vet for a wash or trim every month? How about to trim those unruly nails? That can really add up! I have a girlfriend who pays her vet $30 every time she needs her cat's nails trimmed. That's a lot of dough for something that can be handled fairly succinctly in the comfort of your own home. The trick of course is in getting your animal used to the contact and this should probably happen when your animal is young. I'm no vet, but I do know that unless you start a ritual when the puppy or kitten is too little to know any different you're going to meet resistance later on.

For $5 or less you can buy a pair of feline nail clippers. I did and I've been trimming my cat's nails for years (and I adopted her as an adult from the SPCA). Don't get drawn in by the more expensive scissors that promise greater ease of use or a detector for avoiding the "quick". The cheap ones are just fine.

For dogs, you can pick up a relatively inexpensive electric shaver for at-home grooming. There are comb sets included with the shaver that will help you determine the length by which you will be trimming the hair.

With some minor behavioral training (treats help) you can get your animal to relax while you do the “dirty work” and you’ll save yourself around $40 a month!