I have a five-and-a-half-year-old bichon frise and an almost-nine-year-old Himalayan cat. My two furbabies are the light of my life and I have no qualms about shelling out a few extra dollars for “gourmet” dehydrated chicken breast treats, flavored – instead of plain – hairball remedies and raincoats, sweaters and hats for special occasions (yes, I’m one of those people).
That said, I don’t think it’s any secret that maintaining pet wellness or an emergency trip to an after-hours vet can put a serious dent in rainy-day savings. Insurance for my dog runs $30 a month and one bout of feline ringworm cost about $500, not including the $250 I spent after the ringworm medication caused an ear infection. And in today’s economy, many Americans struggle to take care of their own medical expenses, let alone those of their four-legged friends.
A November 2011 survey of 1,200 dog and cat owners by Farmington, Conn., research company The Pert Group and Brakke Consulting, Dallas, found that veterinarians continue to be key influencers and a primary channel for pet products but consumers visited the vet almost 20 percent less in 2011 than they did in 2007 – if they went at all. At the same time, the Internet and pet superstores continue to gain share in several product categories due to lower costs, variety and convenience.
Although I still visit the vet as much or more than in the past, I admit that how I’ve grown to use the vet is evolving. I rely on my vet clinic’s expertise but the penny-pinching recessionista in me has changed what I do with the knowledge the vet imparts.
The vet said I need to protect my cat from scratching her sore ear. So I comparison-shopped for a cone of shame and ended up borrowing one from my sister instead of paying $20 for one of my own.
The vet said I need to use flea-and-tick prevention year-round now that I live in a wooded area. Instead of buying First Shield Trio flea-and-tick prevention from the vet for $15 a pop, I went online to research the active ingredients in different brands and bought a six-month supply of Frontline Plus for $11 per application (with a coupon, thankyouverymuch).
The vet recommended Benadryl to sedate my dog on long car rides. Why would I buy a bottle of Benadryl for $15 from the clinic when Walgreen’s sells its generic version for one-fifth the cost?
For those with pets, the vet will never become obsolete but with sites like 1-800-PetMeds and Wag.com, it seems foolish to pay retail at the vet counter. Has the recession changed your pet-related spending? Are vet visits down because of cost? Or are pet owners simply getting their information – and medications – elsewhere? Will the increased options for pet care impact the industry positively or negatively? What other industries/professions could end up educators instead of vendors?