How much does it cost to keep a dog or cat? 

Animals always bring joy to homes, but also obligations and care that involves an economic cost. A dog can live for an average of 15 years and a cat can live for more than 20, so it is important to know how much it will cost us to keep them.

How much does it cost per year to keep a dog?

1. Buying the animal: is the first expense. Responsible adoption is a good choice which, in addition to saving a life, is affordable, because we only have to pay the welfare association the costs incurred by the animal, which usually include the microchip, first injections, first internal parasite treatment and sterilisation. The price of adoption depends on the welfare association, but is usually around 170 euros. For those who prefer to buy, there are professional breeders and their price will depend on the breed and pedigree of the animal. In this case, prices can reach thousands of euros.
2. Diet: good quality food can save us a lot of money on trips to the vets. There are many options: traditional food, food with natural ingredients, wet food and natural food, raw or cooked. The amount the dog needs to eat depends on their weight, daily activity and age. If in doubt, you should consult the vet. There are also natural treats and chews that help them to relieve stress through chewing. The price of food varies greatly depending on the quality and brand, but a mid-high range food can cost around 50 euros for a 12 kg bag.
3. Trips to the vet: we should go to the vet for the compulsory rabies or heptavalent vaccines, and other optional ones such as the leishmania vaccine. Internal parasite treatment usually takes place every three months. For external parasite treatment, we have different options, such as collars that last for between 6 and 8 months, monthly pipettes, or monthly or quarterly tablets. We should also see the vet for routine check-ups for things like potential diseases or accidents. Vaccines usually cost around 50 euros; pipettes around 12 euros, and internal parasite treatment around 8 euros.
4. Accessories for their wellbeing: these are one-off costs, such as their bed, blankets, collars and harnesses, leads, toys, carrier, seatbelt for the car or name tag. We should also have a first aid kit for our pets at home. Here the prices vary greatly, but we can find collars for 4 euros, beds from 10 euros and harnesses from 6 euros.
5. Hygiene: we should have an appropriate shampoo for each animal and, where necessary, take them to the groomers. The price of a bath depends on the dog’s weight, but is usually around 15 euros for a dog weighing 15 kilogrammes.