The price tag for a pet

Veterinary consultant Jim Wilson, DVM, JD, produced a spreadsheet that potential owners can use to calculate the lifetime costs of their new pets. The goal is to ensure they're prepared for the expenses of adequate care. From toys and food to health care and vaccinations—not to mention household damage—a puppy from the local shelter could end up costing $23,000 in its lifetime. Dr. Wilson found that the average lifetime expenses for a large dog weighing more than 40 pounds and living up to 17 years total $17,822, with about one-third of that going toward veterinary care. For a cat living 15 years, the average lifetime expenses add to $10,424, with 25 percent of those expenses going toward veterinary costs.

Web Watch

Visit www.aahanet.org to view the newly released and revised 2006 AAHA Canine Vaccine Guidelines.

For the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on recommended practices for vaccine storage visit www.vaccinestorage.com.

Visit www.BayerDVM.com for product information, practice tools, online CE, and research articles.

48% of those surveyed say there's someone on their team they believe incites conflict intentionally.

Source: VetMedTeam.com