# How much does a Maltese REALLY cost ??



## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

This is by no means anything other than my curiosity, and also because I am terrible & keep every receipt ever handed to me!! lol This is more or less me 'thinking' out loud….

So, Harley had to go to the vet yesterday to have his ears cleaned under G/A - he had horrible wax build up in his ear - BAD mummy for letting it get to that, but I've learnt my lesson & hopefully my baby boy wont ever have to go through that again ..... anyways, we had a restless night as he had a little discomfort & ended up messing with his eye, causing some redness, so we were back at the vet this morning.

Happy to say, he's doing great & we have ointment for the eye, and drops for the ear .....









So, I went to put away the vet receipts in the "Harley & Dakota" file, and thought - hmmm, I wonder what the REAL cost of loving one of these babies really is ...

Harley was 3 in April and his normal vet costs so far is: $2,534
Dakota will be 1 next month, and her normal vet costs so far is: $369

*The 'Big Ticket' items for these vet visits for Harley were his neuter and also his teeth clean (x 2) & X-rays to check his patella's. Dakota's only 'Big Ticket' was her spay. Most other vet stuff was vaccinations & the odd sniffle as such, here & there where I dragged them off to the vet & paid for a consult to be given peace of mind & be told they are totally fine!

Ave Per pup Per Year:
Vet Bills $1,450
Heartguard & Advantage: $200
Food: $600
Treats & Toys: $500
Grooming visits & products for home: $1000

Grand total - $3,750 Per pup Per Year.

These 2 are priceless to me & I would spend whatever was necessary to see them happy & healthy. 

I just thought I would post this so that anyone ever looking for a puppy can take all these costs into consideration. 

Also, I think we're really lucky to have had no major health issues here









Edit to add: my treats & toys are high - mine are spoilt, they get a new toy (or 2) every other week, and same with treats - even if we don't need them! Grooming products also a bit high because I am constantly trying new things, so it probably doesn't need to cost this much. Same again with food - I home cook & only buy 'premium' fresh ingredients. Vet - I've also realised I've added up ALL the vet receipts since both pups came home, so to say the ave. per year is $1,450 may be a bit high, however, 1 X-Ray for Harley last year cost just under $800 and he has his teeth cleaned annually at around $300, so I guess if I had to budget for these things, it wouldn't be unreasonable to prepare for the unexpected.


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## msmagnolia (Sep 8, 2004)

I think that you are correct is that dogs cost more than most people really realize. 

For ME, the avg vet bills that you mention are a bit high. Hope has only gone to the vet once this year - for her shots and checkup and she is due to go again in July. I'd say that my vet visits for healthy dogs are more like $400-500 per dog per year. However, one little illness can change that in a hurry. Sadie had a tummy problem in January and February that quickly cost over $1500. And we won't even talk about Sassy's terminal illness last year. I agree with your costs on heartguard and flea. I also agree on grooming. I don't buy that many toys or treats so that is a little high for me, too. I do have a big expense at least once a year on dog sitting so my bill would be about $1000 just for that. 

Avg vet charges per dog per year: $400
Heartguard and flea: $200
Food and pee pads: $300
Treats and toys: $ 50
Grooming and shampoo: $450
Dog sitting (1/3 of total) $300
Total $1700 per dog per year for HEALTHY DOG. This does not include a major
illness.

PS. Great thread BTW


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## angel's mom (Feb 14, 2007)

WOW!!! What an eye opener!


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

I've posted this before. It's pretty sobering ... and conservative if you have a dog with health issues like my Lady. 

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cl...;articleid=1543

I spend about $2,500 a year on Lady's medications and diabetic supplies alone. That doesn't include regular vet visits to monitor all her ailments or other vet bills. We usually have one big health issue a year which runs anywhere from $500-$1,000. So far this year it was the uti from the antibiotic resistant e-coli that cost $700 .... and it's only June!

But, like the Mastercard commercial says, Lady's priceless!


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## Laceys mom (Nov 12, 2004)

Lacey has to go to the vet next week for her annual yearly checkup, the bill will be around $500.00.

My cat was diagnosed with diabetes and let me tell you that is not cheap. Insulin is 83.00 per month, monthly blood curve is $85.00, food is 60.00 per month. Emergency vet on Memorial Day was a little over $700.00. Vet bill the next day was $100.00. 

We are hoping that the insulin he is taking will reverse the diabetes. 83 percent of cats that are diagnosed with diabetes and start with this insulin can be taken off after 2 or 3 months, but it is staring to look like my cat will not be one of them. My vet told me that most people put their cats to sleep when they are diagnosed with this, but this little cat saved my life so I will do what is necessary for him to have a long, healthy, happy life. The day he is no longer thrieving will be the day I do put him to sleep.

Lacey has to have surgery on her back, left leg. She jumped off of something that was to high and hurt herself. My vet charges 600.00 for the surgery but he only does 2 or at most 3 of the kind of surgery that Lacey needs a year. My breeder's vet found me a surgeon outside of Pittsburgh that specializes in this surgery, but it will cost me almost 2000.00 for the surgery. That is not taking into account my travel cost to get there and back, hotel room for at least one night. I live outside of Cleveland so it is about a 3.5 hour drive one way for me. The price of gas and tolls it will be cheaper if I stay in Pittsburgh for a night or two instead of driving Lacey there, return home and go back and get her.

Most people think I am crazy. Some of my coworkers think I am just crazy for spending the money that I do on both of my babies. I should just put them down and start with new ones I have been told. There will be no vacation or new car for me this year. My husband and I have to plan our days around the cats feeding schedule. Every 3 hours he has to be fed. If not, his blood sugar just plummets. If my husband cannot do the 1 o'clock feeding I take lunch at work and go home and make sure he eats.

I hope that anyone reading this takes into account the expenses that can come with ownership. It has gotten to the point that I have a certain amount of my paycheck deposited into a special savings account that I call the babies account.


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

> I've posted this before. It's pretty sobering ... and conservative if you have a dog with health issues like my Lady.
> 
> http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cl...;articleid=1543
> 
> ...


Ah, excuse me Marj, I counted toys & treats .... it seems you forgot all about the lovely Lady's EXTENSIVE wardrobe!! LOL







Despite the fact Lady would look adorable in a paper bag, it aint cheap to look that good!







LOL!



> Most people think I am crazy. Some of my coworkers think I am just crazy for spending the money that I do on both of my babies. I should just put them down and start with new ones I have been told.
> 
> How horrible to be told to "put them down & start with new ones"!!!
> 
> ...


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Lacey's Mom, a Petmate automatic feeder works really well for our diabetic pets when we can't be home during the day. I have used one for Lady before when I was working during the day.

http://www.pet-mate.com/Cat_Mate/Feeders/Petfeeders_UK.htm

This forum was an amazing source of information for me for years after Lady was first dx with diabetes. They have one specifically for cats.

http://p092.ezboard.com/bpetswithdiabetes.html?

I get Lady's insulin and syringes at Walmart. They have a contract with Novolin and sell it under their ReliOn brand name for a lot less. I only pay $18 for a bottle of NPH insulin for Lady. A box of 30 gauge insulin needles is only $13 for 100.

Hopefully, you cat will be one of the ones who goes into remission. Unfortunately, that never happens with dogs. Once the pancreas stops producing insulin, that's it.

I can't tell you how any people told me just to have Lady put to sleep when she was dx with diabetes. She's been a diabetic for almost six years now and it seems normal to have a diabetic dog and live on her schedule. I learned how to check her blood sugar myself by pricking the inside of her lip to get a little drop of blood. That saves having to take her in for curves and I am also able to keep her under good control. The test strips are pricey, though. $45 for a box of 50.

Is this your special black kitty you've mentioned?


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## casa verde maltese (Apr 7, 2007)

OKay, I think that the first year is PRICEY! Because you have to factor in the price of the pup. pup supplies, pup toys, puppy items you can't pass buy. ... vet bill notwithstanding.

Pets are pricey - and if you are lucky you see your vet the most at the beginning of your pets life and unfortunately at the end .

Things I've spent money on in 2007
Bows
Shots
City Tags
APAS donation for feeling guilty you can't bring every dog w/out a family home w/you.
Boarding
Treats
Toys
Beds
Crates
Airline fees
Acupuncture
Blood work (3x so far - for cockerspaniel)
dental
dental x-rays
Complete Chemistry
Heartguard
Water bottles
Dog bowls
Doggie Shampoo and other grooming aids (those CC brushes and combs aren't cheap - but they are nice)
Microchip fee
Price of Puppy (2x)
Food
antibiotics 
Vet visits
I could just pull out my visa bills for the past 3 months...

would i do anything differently - well maybe i didn't need 5 new dog beds...since Atticus only likes 4 of them.







; But 1 for my office..1 for under my desk at home; 1 is in the living room and 1 is in the bedroom..and 1 is neglected behind the love seat. Poor Rugby puppy will have to share his brothers beds...


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## Laceys mom (Nov 12, 2004)

Yes Marj he is the special little black kitty. The insulin he is on is a newer one for humans. I will check out the automatic feeders but cats should not eat dry cat food when they have diabetes. He has to be fed Fancy Feast and only certain ones at that. Believe it or not Fancy Feast is one of the best foods to feed to diabetic cats. From all the reading I have done cats should not be feed dry food at all. Of course do vets tell you this? No! Something to do with the dry food not having no where the amount of moisture that cats need. I thought I was doing what was good for my cat by feeding him a dry, high quality cat food and I find out that because of my feeding him dry food everyday for 12 years caused him to be diabetic. I have both of my sons cat now eating moist food, no more dry food for them. Below is a link to a website that my vet gave to me dealing with cats and diabetes for anyone who has a cat. 

http://felinediabetes.com/

Home testing with a blood glucose meter - my vet told me I could do it and if I decide to go that route to bring my cat and the monitor to the vets office and we will compare the readings from the home monitor to a machine that he uses to see how close the findings are. Of course I will have to do the test at the vets and they will draw blood at the same time and run at the vets office.

Cats are horrible when it comes to regulating. All they have to do is throw a hairball up, not finish their food because they are being fusy eaters and that will affect them in a negative way. Memorial Day he wasn't finishing all of his food and that was enough for his blood sugar to just fall. He was walking around the house with his legs shaking, hissing at everything, being just nasty to everyone, and his head was shaking up and down like a bobblehead. He would go to jump and miss and land on the floor and he was trying to climb the wall in the dining room. It was very scary since this was the first time I witnessed this type of behavior and it just came out of no where.


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Yep, we spend a lot on our "fur kids". But isn't it worth it? I know I spend way more than I really have to - only the best for my kids....









My husband tells everyone that Abbey has more clothes than I do -







she does have a lot.

And when my daughter visits she comments on not having that much stuff when she was a kid.








That's not really true - is it?









Luckily mine are all healthy and happy critters, and life is good.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

> OKay, I think that the first year is PRICEY! Because you have to factor in the price of the pup. pup supplies, pup toys, puppy items you can't pass buy. ... vet bill notwithstanding.
> 
> Pets are pricey - and if you are lucky you see your vet the most at the beginning of your pets life and unfortunately at the end .
> 
> ...


Yup, I think this list for the first year is very accurate. But then I anticipate things will go down quite a bit the 2nd year--all I plan on is vet bills, grooming, food. I wouldn't necessarily include toys or clothes or home grooming supplies in MY budget because those are bought so infrequently. Also, if you don't homecook I can't see how food & treats would cost more than $250ish per year for us--You figure a 6 lb bag of dog food costs $10 and 6 cans of wet food is $10 and a bag of treats that lasts us 2-3 months is close to $10...

So I think my perspective is slightly different than you guys. I think when you have an "only" like I do w/ no chronic health problems AND a small breed that it is quite inexpensive, actually. Although I won't argue that routine and unexpected vet bills are high and so is grooming. But if you do "maintenance" grooming at home like I do--nails, ears, paw pads, etc. etc. then I only have to bring him to the groomer every 10 weeks or so....maybe I am just blindly optimistic?

This is one reason why Ollie is an "only" is because although his month to month expenses are quite low, having more than one would be too much for us right now expense-wise, among other things. And I have two small skin-kids who don't have jobs yet







Maybe when they are grown up I can think about expanding the fur family









This is an interesting topic.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

I think after the first year the vet bills are probably pretty reasonable for a few years unless you have to deal with something like surgery for luxating patellas. IMO, that's the time to take advantage of the low vet bills and start putting money away into a savings account for those inevitable vet bills as your dog ages. I think most of us here who have or have had older Malts have experienced health issues as they age that can really run the vet bills up there. I also think it's important to be prepared as even the healthiest Malt can get a tummy bug that causes dehydration requiring fluids or have an attack of pancreatitis. Knee injuries, torn ligaments, etc. seem to be common, too.

Pets are an expense. It's important to prepare for that expense and as Camfan said, not to get anymore than you can afford _worst case scenario_. As Lacey's Mom said, Lacey's surgery for her knee injury will be $2,000. If affording that type of care for one dog would be financially difficult, you should consider that when making a decision to get another dog. Too many dogs end up in rescue because their owners simply can't afford their vet bills because they didn't prepare for future health issues or unexpected emergencies.


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## bbry (Feb 17, 2007)

To my totals you can add some other expenses, we are going to Europe for two weeks, therefore the pups are going to the puppy spa for two weeks. They will have to be groomed frequently while there to keep up their long hair dos. Also I have had them on a maintenance plan at the groomers which runs $100 month. I doubt that I will keep that up as diligent brushing & bathing at home makes that frequency unnecessary. It seems they require lots of time, money or frequently both.


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## casa verde maltese (Apr 7, 2007)

> To my totals you can add some other expenses, we are going to Europe for two weeks, therefore the pups are going to the puppy spa for two weeks. They will have to be groomed frequently while there to keep up their long hair dos. Also I have had them on a maintenance plan at the groomers which runs $100 month. I doubt that I will keep that up as diligent brushing & bathing at home makes that frequency unnecessary. It seems they require lots of time, money or frequently both.[/B]



Oh, I want to go back to Europe - I hope you have a great time!


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

Another expense that most people don't think about is the cost of training. Puppy Class and the basic "Level I" Obedience adds another $200. 



Joy


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

Gee I would hate to add up what we have spent this year alone on vet fees just for Scooby, but it was all worth it to see him so happy and back to his normal sassy little self. Before all this happened Scooby was so healthy and we hardly had to go to the vet with him at all, only for his regular checks etc.
His regular blood panels alone are adding up substantially.
From the time he became so very sick we must have spent at least $4,500 in vet fees for tests, visits and meds.
Koko has been less expensive so far, one surgery for his eye, his neuter and shots probably around $500 so far if not a little more.
As for toys, well we are not buying any more but I could estimate at least $1000 over the last 3½ years







These boys have enough toys to fill a child nursery








Plus gates, e-pens, beds, potties for Koko, shampoos, conditioners I think if we all sat down and worked it out the list could go on and on.
Then there are the heartworm and flee protection meds around $250 a year.
Grooming is around $720 per year for two.
Food and treats, well due to the recall situation this year we have spent more trying to find a healthy safe food, plus the fresh meat, vitamins and vegetables I cook for both, I am not that sure of the cost but it's around $550 per year.
I wouldn't trade any of it though, we love the boys and nothing is to expensive when it comes to keeping them happy and healthy and well fed and amused


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## beckybc03 (Jul 6, 2006)

I do agree that owning a dog can be very expensive and that you never know what could happen so vet bills could be out of control....but, so many of those expenses discusses and listed are not NECESSARY dog expenses. I bought Lilly a ton of toys on Petedge about a year ago and I still have well over half of them in a bag that I won't give to her until other toys get worn out. Well she doesn't ruin toys so I think these are going to last a long time!! I have only bought shampoo/conditioner once and she is 1.5 years old. I don't buy Lilly clothes. She has two harnesses and two leashes. I don't really see a need to buy anymore. She has one flexi leash and one "dressy" vera bradley leash. Again, bought during her first six months. She has one bed which was given to me as a Xmas present before Lilly was even born, lol. She eats Merrick, a 5lb back is 10.99 and lasts us two months or a little more meaning I spend $60/year on food. Heartguard and flea medication runs me about 125/year. Her treats are another $60/year. I have been very lucky with Lilly and she has only had to go to the vet for her first round of shots/checkup, her spay and then her annual visit this year. Annual visit and shots this year were under $100. She won't need rabies again for 3 years. As far as boarding, I'm lucky and have several friends and my boyfriend's family that watch her when we go somewhere for free. 

So to sum it up for me:

Food/Treats - $120
Heartworm/Flea medication - $125
Regular Vet visits - $100
Grooming - $360 (i live in Boston and grooming is pricey here so this is for 6 times/year)
Misc. - $50

Total - $735

Obviously that is if nothing bad happened to Lilly healthwise.

So, I mean I guess that the annual cost of a dog could be a ton higher if you buy them lots of things that are not truly necessary. I think that Lilly is very spoiled but I don't buy "things" for her simply because I don't like to dress her and I don't think that she needs more than one or two of the necessities like leashes/coats/harnesses/etc. When the one she has wears out I'll buy another.

I do understand that a dog CAN be very expensive but I don't think it is fair to say that you HAVE to or WILL NEED to spend thousands per year on a dog. 

And trust me, I'm not in any way saying they aren't worth it! I love Lilly with my whole heart and would spend whatever was necessary for her but I don't spend nearly as much as some of these estimates!


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## bluesyinpa (Dec 9, 2006)

Most people don't realize how expense it is until something goes wrong health wise. My older Shih, Jasmine, has very bad environmental allergies. She has to get allergy shots every 2 weeks, every week during pollen season. Her monthly cost for the serum is about $60, that's just for an itty, bitty vial. Add to that the cost of the testing, the trip to the opthomalagist over an hour away to make sure ingrown lashes weren't part of the problem. $50 every 2 or 3 months for medicated eye drops during pollen season and the $900 e-vet and regular vet bills when she had bloody diarhea last fall. That's not including the normal vet visits, food etc. But she is sooo worth it. She's my little princess.

Rita


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## bbry (Feb 17, 2007)

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Thank you. I'm really looking forward to it. We take the pups with us on trips in our RV & some times if we are staying in hotels but this time they just can't go


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## dogloverx3 (Apr 14, 2006)

Well being engaged to a vet has it's advantages - my dogs are FREE . However if you add on all the costs of my foursomes Barbie inspired accessories - the thought is sobering . Sarah


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## MelanieJ (Mar 20, 2007)

I haven't even had Bailey for a year yet so I really can't say what his expenses wil be,but for the almost two months that I have had him... 

Vet- (including Heartworm) $87
Groomer- $56
Food-$24
Toys-$30
Treats-$12
Bed- $35
Harness,and Lead-$25
Frontline-$35
Puppy Pads-$16
Shampoo-$10
Spray for the carpet when he doesn't hit his pad- $8.99
Food,and water dishes-$10

So grand total for the almost two months is........ $348.99 and he is worth every penny!


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## carrie (Aug 24, 2004)

wha?? you're asking what a maltese really costs?? are you kidding me?









they're priceless!


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

> wha?? you're asking what a maltese really costs?? are you kidding me?
> 
> 
> 
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Ha ha ha! Did you see I said the exact same thing about Lady in my reply ...priceless!


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## luvmyfurbaby (Feb 11, 2007)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=385668
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I spent $500.00 on Mia's vet bill the 2nd day I got her......(low blood sugar.....who knew).....I went to the grocery store to get chicken and veggies for the furkids. My bill was $65.00 mind you it last for 3 weeks but still. This doesn't include the Raw which I switch around so they don't get bored at $36.00 a bag for 1.5 weeks. Spaying and baby teeth pulling and Microchipping next week who knows $$$$....again....Mia....3lbs priceless!!!


PS..this doesn't include: clothing, toys, grooming & Cody!!!!


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## bellasmommy (May 8, 2005)

I'll be so glad when I graduate if I can find a more suitable job. I'm ok, I mean I don't lie awake at night thinking about where to get my money for ramen noodles or anything, I would just feel better if I could set up some kind of savings account for Bella. I made it through her patella surgery ok, but it would have been nice to have paid cash for that. I think that caring for a pet is fairly expensive, but worth it completely. Every cuddle or good morning nose lick (wake up call) is like a little love deposit. At my poorest moments I've felt rich because of Bella.


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

> I think that caring for a pet is fairly expensive, but worth it completely. Every cuddle or good morning nose lick (wake up call) is like a little love deposit. At my poorest moments I've felt rich because of Bella.[/B]


Oh that is sooooo sweet!







You've summed it up perfectly!


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