What can a Pet Food Cost You?

Suddenly your dog or cat refuses to eat, quickly becomes sick.  An emergency visit to your Vet is required.  The shocking cost of what a pet food could cost you (and this is just the beginning).

While there are no confirmed numbers, my guess would be that every single day in the U.S. alone, dozens of pet owners rush their dog or cat to the vet because a pet food has caused serious illness.  Not only do these pet owners have to deal with the extreme stress and worry of their pet’s health, very soon they will have the added pressure of paying for veterinary tests and treatment.

In what feels like an instant, the following could be what you are facing in Vet bills…

Charges for these basic services and treatment scenario were provided by Dr. Cathy Alinovi, DVM.  Dr. Cathy did say that her hospital charges are well on the conservative side.

Sick cat or dog comes in – pet food is suspect – pet is vomiting and has bloody diarrhea
$42 exam

$39.50 a day hospitalization

$117.95 CBC/chem./electrolytes

$45.00 place IV catheter

$10.60 a bag for IV fluids

$28.00 urinalysis

$21.00 shot of cerenia – antivomit medicine

$8.50 tube of bio-sponge to adsorb toxins in the intestinal tract – causing the bloody diarrhea

So, day 1 = $312.55.

If the blood work indicates infection – add $21.00

If we’re thinking Salmonella – add $90.00 for 5 fecal cultures

Day 2+
$39.50 a day hospitalization

$10.60 a day for fluids

$21.00 a day for cerenia

$8.50 a day for bio-sponge

$79.50 a day and these things tend to run 5 days.

Now, we’re at: $630.95.

And, we probably re-checked the blood at least once – another $117.95.

Of course, if the cat/dog stopped eating and we had to rule out obstruction, or the blood work indicated raging infection and we needed to see where, we would have done radiographs.
2 views of 10 x 12” radiographs = $94.20 and $21.20 interpretation fee.

Other things that can happen – indications of pancreatitis – $40 for another, specific, blood test.  Abdominal ultrasound (tells different things than an x-ray) $42.

Easily, a food related emergency can cost over $1000.00

Then, to top it off – the patient may have long-term repercussions – like may now be in kidney failure.  Depending on the size of the patient, medications may be from $20 a month to $60 a month.

Instead, buy a $40 bag of good food, or, spend the same $40 and cook for your dog or cat – you have money for 2 years of quality food for the average pet, rather than spend it with me.
Dr. Cathy

Great point Dr. Cathy!

No pet food company offers a guarantee their dog food or cat food will not be recalled (although they should – with the offer of paying your vet bills if the worst happens).  Many pet food experts firmly believe providing your dog or cat a food that contains the highest quality of ingredients, highest quality of sources for ingredients, health promoting ingredients, and provides prompt, honest answers to petsumer questions to be a safer, healthier pet food that could help you avoid a pet food emergency at the vet.  However, many pet owners assume they simply cannot afford to purchase a pet food that uses high quality meats and health promoting ingredients.  To dispel that myth, below you’ll find a breakdown of costs for three randomly chosen dog foods and three randomly chosen cat foods on PetFoodDirect.com.  And remember…”easily a food related emergency can cost over $1000.00.”

For comparison purposes, all of the foods below contain chicken ingredients.  Pet foods were chosen at random as examples of three different price categories of pet foods available at PetFoodDirect.com.  

Dog Foods
GoodLife Recipe Dog Food – considered a mid-price ranged pet food.
Ingredients include Corn, Chicken by-products (by AAFCO definition is not considered human grade and includes no meat), and Animal Fat (one of several ingredients the FDA determined to be most likely pet food ingredient to contain the euthanizing drug pentobarbital thus would be likely pet food ingredient to contain a euthanized animal).  Ingredients do not include probiotics (health promoting bacteria to strengthen the pet’s immune system) or no chelated minerals (chelated or proteinated minerals provide the pet easier absorption of minerals).  This dog food contains only one meat ingredient (chicken) according to AAFCO definitions.
Pet Food Direct price – $7.19 4 lb bag = $1.80/lb
http://www.petfooddirect.com/Product/8232/The-GoodLife-Recipe-with-Natural-Chicken,-Brown-Rice-and-Vegetables-Dry-Dog-Food

Pedigree Dog Food – considered a low-price ranged pet food.
Ingredients include Meat and Bone Meal (one of several ingredients the FDA determined to be most likely pet food ingredient to contain the euthanizing drug pentobarbital thus would be likely pet food ingredient to contain a euthanized animal), Corn Gluten Meal, Corn, Chicken by-product meal (by AAFCO definition is not considered human grade and includes no meat), Animal fat with BHA/BHT (one of several ingredients the FDA determined to be most likely pet food ingredient to contain the euthanizing drug pentobarbital thus would be likely pet food ingredient to contain a euthanized animal. BHA/BHT is a chemical preservative linked to serious illness.), and dyes.  Ingredients do not include probiotics (health promoting bacteria to strengthen the pet’s immune system) or no chelated minerals (chelated or proteinated minerals provide the pet easier absorption of minerals). This dog food contains no meat ingredient according to AAFCO definitions.
Pet Food Direct price $20.33 16.3 lb bag. = $1.25/lb
http://www.petfooddirect.com/Product/215/Pedigree-With-Chicken,-Rice-and-Vegetables-Dry-Dog-Food

Nature’s Logic Dog Food – considered a high-price ranged pet food.
Ingredients include Chicken meal (dense source of meat protein), millet, chicken fat, 3 different animal protein ingredients, chelated minerals, probiotics, and other health promoting ingredients such as kelp, alfalfa, and flaxseed.  Ingredients do not include any chemical preservatives, by-products, or dyes.
Pet Food Direct price $11.29 4.4 lb bag = $2.56/lb
http://www.petfooddirect.com/Product/7022/Natures-Logic-Natural-Chicken-Dinner-Fare-Canine-Formula

Cat Foods
GoodLife Recipe Cat Food Dry – considered a mid-price ranged pet food.
Ingredients include Chicken by-product meal (by AAFCO definition is not considered human grade and includes no meat), corn, corn gluten meal, and animal fat (one of several ingredients the FDA determined to be most likely pet food ingredient to contain the euthanizing drug pentobarbital thus would be likely pet food ingredient to contain a euthanized animal).  This pet food does not include probiotics (health promoting bacteria to strengthen the pet’s immune system) or no chelated minerals (chelated or proteinated minerals provide the pet easier absorption of minerals). This cat food contains one meat ingredient according to AAFCO definitions.
Pet Food Direct price $6.99 2.7 lb bag.= $2.59/lb
http://www.petfooddirect.com/Product/11732/The-GoodLife-Recipe-Indoor-Formula-with-Chicken,-Brown-Rice-and-Garden-Greens-Dry-Cat-Food

Friskies Signature Blend Cat Food Dry – considered a low-price ranged pet food.
Ingredients include Corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal (by AAFCO definition is not considered human grade and includes no meat), meat and bone meal (one of several ingredients the FDA determined to be most likely pet food ingredient to contain the euthanizing drug pentobarbital thus would be likely pet food ingredient to contain a euthanized animal), and beef tallow (one of several ingredients the FDA determined to be most likely pet food ingredient to contain the euthanizing drug pentobarbital thus would be likely pet food ingredient to contain a euthanized animal).  This pet food does not include probiotics (health promoting bacteria to strengthen the pet’s immune system) or no chelated minerals (chelated or proteinated minerals provide the pet easier absorption of minerals). This cat food contains two fish ingredient according to AAFCO definitions, however they are not within the first five ingredients (majority of the pet food).
Pet Food Direct price $5.49 for a 3.15 lb bag = $1.74/lb
http://www.petfooddirect.com/Product/8604/Friskies-Signature-Blend-Cat-Food-Dry-%28Formerly-Chefs-Blend%29

Nature’s Logic Natural Chicken Dinner – considered a high-price ranged pet food.
Ingredients include Chicken meal (dense source of meat protein), millet, chicken fat, 3 different animal protein ingredients, chelated minerals, probiotics, and other health promoting ingredients such as kelp, alfalfa, and flaxseed.  Ingredients do not include any chemical preservatives, by-products, or dyes.
Pet Food Direct price $10.29 for a 3.3 lb bag = $3.30/lb
http://www.petfooddirect.com/Product/7026/Natures-Logic-Natural-Chicken-Dinner-Fare-Feline-Formula

Comparing the cost difference between the low-end pet foods and the high-end pet foods…
Dog Food
High end costs $1.31 more per pound.  Average each pound to provide three meals equals $0.44 more per meal.  

Cat Food
High end costs $2.56 more per pound.  Average each pound to provide four meals equals $0.64 cents more per meal.

For less than one cup of the cheapest coffee out there a day ($0.64 cent cup of coffee?), any pet owner could divert that coffee money into pet food money; potentially saving them unbelievable heartache and a huge vet bill.  Save your pet, drink less coffee.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author, Buyer Beware
Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
PetsumerReport.com

What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
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