For Pet Lovers with Low Income: Dog Neutering Resources
What if you could provide better care to your pets, no matter your income?
It can be a struggle to provide for your family when you don’t have much money. That’s especially true when it comes to taking care of fuzzy friends like dogs.
Fortunately, there are special resources to help provide the care your dog deserves. This includes resources to help pay for neutering your dog.
Interested in learning more about the dog neutering resources available to you? Keep reading to discover the resources available today!
The Importance of Dog Neutering
Our guide is going to walk you through getting your dog neutered at an affordable price. However, you may have an important question we need to answer first: why is dog neutering so important?
The obvious reason is that neutering or spaying your dog improves their quality of life, increases their lifespan, and helps to cut down the population of unwanted pets. It’s the humane thing to do and better for you and your pet in the long run.
In the case of a female dog, getting your pet fixed can prevent the unwanted responsibility of caring for a sudden litter of puppies. Little steps like this can help you take control of your financial future.
In the case of a male dog, in addition to helping control the local pet population, neutering your dog can help prevent testicular cancer and prostate problems later in life.
Finally, there are some important behavioral benefits to spaying or neutering your pets. For example, male dogs are less likely to behave aggressively or wander away from your home. Additionally, neutered male dogs are less likely to mark territory in and around your house and are likely to be better-behaved around people.
Now that you know why neutering is so important, we will explore some different resources for low-income dog care.
Finding the Right Clinic
For most pet owners, “Plan A” for neutering their dog involves going to a local clinic. However, it’s good to know that not all clinics are created equal.
If you make a few phone calls, you might discover a big difference in pricing when it comes to spaying or neutering your dogs. In this sense, spending half an hour on the phone can help you save quite a bit of money!
Additionally, your research will help you discover if there are any low-cost clinics in your area. These are clinics specifically designed to provide pet care to those who have few financial resources.
Is the low-cost clinic a good option for you? That depends on your pet and your exact needs.
Low-Cost Clinics vs. Average Clinics
On paper, a low-cost clinic sounds perfect. Before you dive in, be aware of some of the key differences between an average animal clinic and a low-cost animal clinic.
For example, the low-cost animal clinic is likely to have fewer people on staff. That may affect how long you have to wait for certain services like dog neutering.
Low-cost clinics are also less likely to require any extensive paperwork or testing before neutering. While this can be a time-saver, it can also lead to certain complications for your dog (more on this later).
Finally, low-cost clinics usually have fewer resources to monitor blood pressure, body temperatures, and CO2 levels. This may be a non-issue if you have a young and healthy dog. Dogs who are older and/or suffer from major health issues may need the resources of an average animal clinic, even if the bill for neutering is a bit higher.
The Importance of Bloodwork
Generally speaking, a low-cost clinic is less likely to require bloodwork. What does this mean, and why is it important for you and your dog?
Many standard clinics require bloodwork to screen for any potential issues before neutering. These issues are rare in younger dogs, but there is always a chance they may have an issue with blood, liver, or kidneys that makes surgery riskier.
Now, not requiring bloodwork is a bit of a double-edged sword. This is one of many ways that low-cost clinics keep their expenses low. However, it does mean that there is a non-zero chance of something going wrong during the surgery.
Long story short, if your dog is young and seemingly in good health, getting bloodwork done may be less of a priority. If you’re worried about your dog’s current age or health, consider using some of the resources later in our guide to take your dog to a full clinic.
Is Your Dog High-Risk or Not?
Another way to think of low-cost clinics is that they are good for most dogs. However, they are not the first choice for owners of high-risk dogs. What does “high risk” mean, and does this label apply to your own dog?
Generally speaking, a dog considered a “large” or “giant” breed is high-risk. The same goes for dogs that are very old and/or obese. Dogs that are currently pregnant or in heat are also considered high risk.
Aggressive dogs are always considered high risk. Believe it or not, dogs with smashed or flat faces are at high risk. Finally, dogs with a history of medical issues will be at high risk due to their medical history.
Does this mean a low-cost clinic can’t take care of a high-risk dog? Not at all. As the dog owner, you need to weigh the potential risks to your dog before you take them in to get neutered.
Getting the Timing Right
One last point about the average low-cost animal clinic: as we noted before, they are typically less staffed than other types of clinic. That usually means they have fewer staff and resources to help take care of your dog before and after surgery.
What does this mean for you? Ideally, you can schedule the dog neutering for a morning or afternoon where you have some free time. That way, you can bring the dog in and take them home as soon as the clinic allows.
This may come naturally to pet owners who don’t want to leave their dog alone after a scary medical procedure. However, if you are counting on the low-cost clinic to take care of your dog for several hours before you come by, you may need to change your plans!
Now that we’ve reviewed options regarding your local low-cost animal clinics let’s examine some other resources you may find helpful.
Local Humane Societies
One of the most comprehensive resources you can take advantage of is your local humane societies. That’s because providing low-cost neutering and spaying is a specialty for these different societies.
As a bonus, many humane societies also help provide affordable dog food (though it’s also worth checking with your local food bank for pet food). If you are worried about your pet having enough to eat any given week or month, reaching out to the local humane society can ease those worries.
Additionally, humane societies can usually help you find other local resources you were unaware of before. This can help you with pet care resources that go beyond spaying or neutering your dog.
Pet Financial Aid
For things like a college education, many people need to pursue financial aid. Did you know that financial aid is available for your pets as well?
There are pet financial aid organizations throughout the country. Many of these organizations specialize in certain things like providing money for dog cancer screenings and treatment.
If you need aid for dog neutering specifically, consider reaching out to The Onyx & Breezy Foundation. They help with spaying, neutering, food, cancer research, and much more.
Special County Resources
Volunteer organizations and non-profit institutions will offer many affordable pet care resources in your area. In certain areas, though, you may have access to governmental resources.
Certain counties throughout the country provide their own spaying and neutering programs. The reasoning is simple: by helping pay for these procedures, the county actually saves money by controlling the local animal population.
Even if your own city or county doesn’t offer these resources, you may want to research what is available in nearby areas. The right local resources can make all the difference in helping you save money!
Using CareCredit
Did you know there is a credit card specifically designed for healthcare costs, including pet healthcare? This is known as the CareCredit card.
You may or may not be in a good position to take on credit card debt. It’s always a good idea to be very careful about taking on debt. However, depending on your local clinics and other resources, you may still have pet care costs you cannot easily afford.
A CareCredit card can help pay for these costs. They also offer special no-interest financing for limited periods on bills that are higher than $200.
Ultimately, if you need to use a credit card to pay for dog neutering and other pet needs, this card provides flexibility and additional spending power.
Your Next Move: Save Money on your Wireless Phone Service
Now you know why dog neutering is so important and how you can make it more affordable. However, what if you had more money each month for pet care and other needs?
With Lifeline, you may qualify for free talk, text, and data. No phone bill each month can mean big savings over time. To experience the savings for yourself, apply today!
