Just curious who else is living super frugal

[Arielle]

This is what I have been doing: I started using powdered sulfur for the fleas on the cats. Cats think I am just giving them some good rubs while administering a pinch of powder here and there. It worked for a while then the flea population increased so I changed to buying, gulp, the expensive stuff Advantage II. Buying the over 9# doses and splitting one application between 2 cats. THat knocked down the fleas again. I"m thinking the sulfur might be best for living areas-- where the cats like to curl up. ANd for many of those spaces I place a towel and change out every couple weeks and wash it to get rid of any flea material.

As for heart worm, I remember a dog breeder using a bottle of injectable ivermectin. THe cattle stuff. THat is what I will do next time with a puppy. THe once a month tablets are rediculously expensive. Of course the new recommend is treating cats for monthly heart worm too--- just not sure the injectable is safe for cats as I have not investigated that-- so no recommends for cats at this time.

 

[lazy gardener]

One vet I spoke to said that heart worm was not much of an issue for cats. I do think that some vet practices use the immunization schedules to their advantage to get the animals in for the yearly immunizations to pad the profit margins. For instance: giving the yearly rabies vaccine when there's a 3 year one available, and giving the whole litany of vaccines to the cat who never goes out.

 

[Beekissed]

I've never medicated for heartworm in my dogs, nor do we do rabies shots unless they've been vetted for something else and they require it. My dogs live to a ripe old, old age and never show affects of heart worm, if they have it at all which I strongly doubt or they wouldn't live so healthy and for so long. Back in the day we had never even heard of such things and, IMO, it's a money maker, pure and simple. Dogs live to their expected age out in the country, without such nonsense.

 

[alldembirds]

I have a couple vets I go to and one of the offices never shuts up about spaying or neutering and they charge an ungodly amount, I know they are just trying to make some money I tell them every time I bring a dog in I am a good owner, I watch my dogs, and I dont have accidental litters, they say well it decreases the chances of cancer if your dog is spayed , I just laugh and hold my wallet closer. If I really wanted to spay they have pitbull specials all the time through different rescues that offer low cost spay and neuter for bully type dogs. last year they had 50$ spays locally, not bad, included a rabies booster.

 

[Beekissed]

Well, sure it does....if a creature no longer has a body part, that naturally decreases the chances of them getting cancer in that part. Why don't we all just cut off the body parts we no longer use so we can decrease our chances as well? That makes about as much sense as claiming dogs will get cancer if not neutered or spayed. It's like the toothpaste ads that claim that their product decreases the chance of getting cavities more than "brushing alone"....meaning, brushing without any paste at all. Well, duh! But wouldn't any toothpaste be better than just brushing without any at all? It's all about the money, folks. Don't buy into it.

 

[wyoDreamer]

I looked into the "spay/neuter reduces the chance of cancer" claim. From what I could find out, the study was on golden retrievers and the reduction in cancer rates was something like 4%. If that is the only reason to do it, I would not have my dogs altered. However, I do like the easier to train, stays in the yard and I can take them with me without worry affect of having the neutering done.

 

[Beekissed]

I spay and neuter also, simply because my dogs are outside all the time, so no way of really monitoring their sexual activities 24/7. Usually I get "used" dogs that no one wants any longer and they have already been through the shelter and gotten fixed, so I've only had to initiate one neuter so far. I only did that because Jake was riding my old, arthritic Lucy and I felt she shouldn't have to live out her days being subjected to that every time she stood up.

 

[Arielle]

One vet I spoke to said that heart worm was not much of an issue for cats. I do think that some vet practices use the immunization schedules to their advantage to get the animals in for the yearly immunizations to pad the profit margins. For instance: giving the yearly rabies vaccine when there's a 3 year one available, and giving the whole litany of vaccines to the cat who never goes out.

I agree with you.

THe 3 year vaccine is the SAME as the one year. THe difference according to Mass Law is that the booster must be given within 365 days of the first shot. Laws vary state to state, so another state might be worded differently.

Vaccines are the easy money for a vet. My horsey friend always said she had out the vet to do spring shots so he would be there when she had an emergency. So continues to give him the easy money.

An indoor cat should definitely have the basics, and rabies is one. So that that one trip outside and an encounter with a rabid animal doesnt put the family at risk. This was my rational, too, when I started vaccinating my sheep for rabies. GIven the number of times my hands were in their mouth, I realized with dumb rabies in sheep I would NOT know if any had been bitten by a rabid creature. Used to get myself vaccinated too. ANd I didnt need a booster every year-- just check the titers to know. Which is the same idea behind going to the 3 year vaccine time period. If an animal gets 2 shots within one year the titer will stay sufficiently high to keep the cat or dog well covered for the next 3 years.

(Not every wild animal is rabid, but it is out there and preventable for the most part. I let the wild animal be and welcome the bats to kill of the mosquitos. CHeap mosquito control-- they are free!! lol )

 

[Arielle]

Well, sure it does....if a creature no longer has a body part, that naturally decreases the chances of them getting cancer in that part. Why don't we all just cut off the body parts we no longer use so we can decrease our chances as well? That makes about as much sense as claiming dogs will get cancer if not neutered or spayed. It's like the toothpaste ads that claim that their product decreases the chance of getting cavities more than "brushing alone"....meaning, brushing without any paste at all. Well, duh! But wouldn't any toothpaste be better than just brushing without any at all? It's all about the money, folks. Don't buy into it.

I recently read an article that has concerns about the growth of the bones in dogs that have their testes removed early in life. As in some bone issues result. I have had my own personal issues of lack of testosterone, yes I am a girl, but I have or rather had testosterone too, and now without it I am much weaker physically and more prone to ligament injuries. I look at my aged gelding and wonder if he would be stronger now if he had not been cut. And now I think of the fixed dogs too, girls and the boys.

I am on the wait list for a puppy, and already talked with the breeder about NOT getting her fixed. Yesterday, my son asked me if I was getting a girl or a boy. I said a girl, and started to smile. My DH glanced at me as my son blurted out-- so she can have puppies??? LOL Kids. Maybe someday. My rottie girl was never fixed and lived to a ripe old age of 11 ( both parents were gone of cancer by age 6).

I'm for controlling the pet population for sure-- but I use fences and crates instead of the knife.

 

[alldembirds]

right I have 4 girls, when they go in heat they get a nice pen to get pampered in, I dont think it makes them any easier to train if fixed either, all 4 of mine know sign language and don't wonder at all.