Here’s The Budget Of A Retired Colorado Teacher Making $70,000 A Year During A Month With Her English Labrador – DodoWell

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How much does taking care of a pet cost? It depends. Pet parents across the country with varying income levels tell us exactly what they spend on their pets each month in our new series “Pet Parent Budget Diaries.”

We spoke with a retired teacher living in Colorado who, along with her husband, makes a combined income of $70,000 a year to see what she spends on Fred*, her English Labrador, in an average month.

Occupation: Retired teacher
Age: 48
Location: Colorado
Salary: $70,000 (combined)

Dog’s age: 13
Dog’s weight: 75 pounds
Dog’s breed: English Labrador
Dog’s personality: Super laid-back and a very stubborn teddy bear
When did you adopt your pet?: 2010

Our interview took place at the beginning of summer, as the retired teacher was getting ready to do some traveling between Colorado and Texas.

“We’ve had Fred since he was a puppy, and we really can’t imagine life without him,” the pet parent said.

“To save money, Fred travels everywhere with us. Obviously having a dog is expensive, but he’s worth every penny! That being said, I think everyone should know that when they’re getting a pet, you have to think about the cost associated with caring for them. Especially when it comes to medical-related expenses, which can happen when you least suspect them.”

June spending

Here’s what this pet parent spent on her dog in the month of June.

Accessories:

Total spent on accessories: $15.95

Food and treats:

Total spent on food and treats: $154.81

Healthcare:

Total spent on healthcare: $521.15

June diary entries

Here are a few of this pet parent’s diary entries during the month of June.

Saturday, June 4

Today I’m ordering Fred another set of wipes to help with his itchy paws, and tomorrow we’re going to see the vet to see how he can help.

Fred developed really bad allergies at age 2, and after lots of research and trial and errors, we gave him a holistic allergy test from Glacier Pet Holistics (they use zero needles, which we liked). After they sent us the results, we got some medication and he was finally feeling better.

His allergies are food related for the most part, so when he has itchy paws, it means somebody gave him food he’s not supposed to have (you can’t believe how many people come up to him without asking us and just give him stuff!).

His veternarian has been great, and with his advice after the visit, and a medicine called Apoquel to help with the itch, Fred is good as new in no time.

Wednesday, June 15

Unfortunately, the allergies are back again, and Fred is licking his paws uncontrollably. He will need to be put back on antibiotics again to help them heal (licking is a vicious cycle; once they start, they won’t quit). His itching medication, Apoquel, blocks the itching from the brain so they forget about it and stop licking, which will help his paws heal (and it’s a lot better than having him wear a cone).

But administering both the antibiotics and Apoquel together is a lot to manage, and Fred isn’t happy about it. The last time he was on antibiotics and Apoquel, it was twice a day for 14 days.

Monday, June 27

Fred has started getting new treats! I ordered Checkups dental treats on Amazon, and we’ll probably let him have a couple Buddy Softies too (his favorite) since he can’t go swimming for a while due to his allergies. Swimming is his favorite summer activity, but I’m sure he’ll be back at it very soon. There are many more adventures ahead of us.

As this retired teacher enjoys her summer, it’s important to note that dogs don’t get the “vacation” memo. Health issues will inevitably come up, so it’s good to be financially prepared to cover any emergencies that might arise. Being a pet parent is a big responsibility, but it’s also one of the best decisions you can make in life.

*Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality, and diary entries are edited for length and clarity.

If you’re interested in sharing your budget as a pet parent, fill out this form. (We provide compensation if you’re chosen!)

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