Everyone goes to the doctor

[azulaco]

Cutest Dog Ever needs to go to the vet for annual tests (heartworm etc.). I have also scheduled a teeth cleaning for him. Do you know how much it costs to clean the teeth of a 30-pound dog? It's going to cost us $190 for the cleaning, and then there will be other charges for the tests. Whoa. I don't even want to know how much the teeth would

Comments

Fresh food for pets

[azulaco]

I actually don't mind so much going for the better quality food, if it means less hassle for me later on. The dog stays healthier and doesn't stink when he has good nutrition, so that's a good trade-off for me. Less trouble down the line. Hey, they may be scavengers, but so were humans once, and now we know better. We can survive without proper nutrients, just not as long and not as well.

What I think is really nuts is the fresh-food movement - the people who actually feed their dogs nothing but 100% fresh meats and vegetables, prepared for them every day by owner's loving hands. That is way too much trouble, unless you have an excessively inbred dog who is about to die from his food allergies. Although I have to admit, if my dog were deathly sick, I'd probably do the fresh food thing. I just can't imagine putting that much effort into feeding a dog without a compelling reason. I do remember making chicken broth for my childhood dog in the last days of his life, when he couldn't digest solid food any more, but that was only for a week, until it became obvious that his body had just quit. Jaz will not be getting chicken broth anytime soon, I can assure you.

The surrogate child explanation for spoiled pets is kind of compelling. Except I don't think I really have a lot of parental instinct to begin with. Every time I think of having to deal with a child, it just makes me tired and irritable. Probably not the best recommendation for motherhood.