Avenue K9

Annual checkups, teeth cleanings, blood work, heartworm medication–owning a pet ain’t cheap. Faced with shrinking bank accounts and tight credit, many pet owners are foregoing routine checkups and medication in order to save money.However, veterinarians  caution that skipping annual exams could lead to even higher vet bills in the future if certain conditions or problems aren’t caught early on. Costs for emergency pet care are usually much higher than regular checkups and routine health maintenance.

Instead of risking their pet’s health, other pet owners are doing other things to cut costs, such as buying fewer treats and toys. Things like heartworm prevention medication, while not cheap, shouldn’t be skipped. The cost to treat heartworm and the potential health risks to your pet aren’t worth the temporary savings.

Source: msnbc.com