Puppy love isn't cheap

CADILLAC - The cost of keeping family members healthy can be high but April Webster said the love she gets in return is worth the price.

Depending on an individual's definition of family, it may include pets - and Webster's definition does.

She and her boyfriend are the happy owners of three dogs and two cats. They find spring can be an expensive time with annual check-ups, unexpected injuries and procedures.

"It's worth it. We don't have human babies, we have them," Webster said. "They are very spoiled and they keep us busy."

As a child Webster grew up with cats, dogs, three siblings and a big house. During her childhood, she developed a love for animals. To Webster, pets are valuable because of their companionship and unconditional love.

"They are good stress relievers and each have their own personalities," Webster said. "Don't get me wrong, they have their moments."

These "moments" include encounters with porcupines, skunks for the dogs and climbing drapes for the cats.

For Veterinarian Craig Brakeman having pet owners like Webster make his job a lot easier.

"Rarely do people call and ask how much it is going to cost when they call about getting a pet. They don't ask until they come to see me," Brakeman said. "We try to teach responsible pet ownership."

For dogs, owners should have an annual physical, shots which include distemper, rabies and Parvo and heartworm testing, Brakeman said. He said the cost of the physical, heartworm test and shots cost around $60 and - depending on the size of the dog and brand of the pill - another $20 to $80 will be added.

For cats, Brakeman said the cost of vaccinations and care is similar to dogs but it varies depending on if it is a indoor or outdoor cat. Regardless of whether the feline is indoor or outdoor he said it should receive the rabies vaccination as a precaution.

"Outdoor cats are more costly because of feline Leukemia. It is passed on by direct contact or a bite wound," Brakeman said. "I recommend getting the rabies shot even if it is an indoor cat in case the animal bites someone."

Besides house pets, livestock such as horses or cattle need annual check-ups, Brakeman said. This includes the Coggins Test, which looks for the horse version of AIDS, and costs $30 plus sleeping sickness, tetanus and West Nile vaccinations for $27 dollars. Brakeman also said horses need to be dewormed every couple of months which costs $40 to $50 a year.

The cost of petcare is similar to healthcare and Webster is familiar with both as she is a pet owner and training to become a registered nurse. Webster said during the past eight years she has probably spent about $5,000 for care, food, toys and of course Christmas presents.

"As a nurse I understand the medication prices. They (veterinarians) don't have any control over the price," Webster said. "They (Airport Animal Clinic) know me and they take care of me."