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Note: This is a guest post from Apryl DeLancey, who writes the blog “Women Like Sports.”

About three years ago we were stopped at a very busy intersection in Los Angeles. It was dark out, but we had the sunroof open. There was this … screaming … coming from the corner. At first it sounded like an infant. I had to get out and see what it was. Walking over to the source, this adorable little orange kitty head pops out of a shrub and loudly meows at me. I pick the little cat up and it snuggles me right away. We brought it home and the old cat gave us a look of betrayal and disapproval immediately. That night, the tiny kitten slept on the side of my face (Yeah, not the most comfortable thing).

That’s how we got Inso. He was quite the handful and always demanded attention. Almost having a dog-like personality, he ran the house. Freako, the old cat, grew to basically dislike him since Inso bullied him a bit. At 14 pounds, Inso was able to have his way with the aging, nine-pound senior feline.

We have a fantastic vet that makes house calls and takes a keen interest in our animals. She respects that I have an advanced degree in the sciences with years of animal care experience and allows me to handle my animals for examinations rather than making me spring for a tech to come. She’s visited often in the last three years as our 16-year-old mutt was chronically ill before she passed and Freako is now 16 as well. Inso loved our vet and would jump on her when she arrived. By default, he was always weighed and examined when she came since she’s already there to care for Freako. We jokingly called her Inso’s girlfriend.

About a year ago, my husband thought he felt a lump in Inso’s belly. I felt around and thought I did also. The vet came shortly thereafter and couldn’t find anything. He was a bouncy, silly, noisy, rambunctious, loving, nutty, heartily eating cat. There was no reason to suspect otherwise. She advised us to let her know if we felt it again. We never did.

About six months ago, Inso had a bad cold. He acted like an infant child and wanted me to stay in bed all day so that he could just lie on me and feel sorry for himself. It was cute in that way. He recovered from the cold and was back to normal in a matter of days.

One Sunday, I couldn’t find him for quite a while. Finally, after calling his name and shaking treats, he came out. Looking a bit dazed, one of his pads on his hind feet was covered in blood. I looked at the foot and couldn’t see a cut or find the source. We cleaned it and treated the pad with antibacterial spray. He seemed groggy afterward and remained so the next day. He started hiding behind things and didn’t want to be touched. He still had an appetite so I wrote it off as he hurt his leg and was just feeling achy.

On the morning of Thursday, July 3, Inso no longer seemed just a little groggy. I could feel he had a fever and he looked very thin all of a sudden. I administered subcutaneous fluids that I have for the old cat … and he let me. When he had his cold I was only able to do this when he felt really awful and then was almost bitten when I tried it again. I suspected that he had some sort of infection – perhaps the blood had something to do with it. He had not vomited or had any other strange excrement at this point. I called the vet. She concurred that he likely had an infection and agreed with the fact that I gave him fluids.

By the time the vet got to the house, Inso had thrown up and was in a rapid decline. We had to rush him to an emergency facility. Our worst fears were realized when we discovered that his belly had golf-ball sized masses inside. Whether or not these were malignant was a nonissue – his blood pressure, blood sugar and temperature were dropping. There was nothing we could do. He was likely suffering from a very aggressive feline lymphoma.

Why have I shared this sad story with you? First, Lindsay was kind enough to let me since my personal blog deals with sports and is not the forum for animal information. I really needed to pay tribute to my “cat baby” as I called him and write about how much he meant to us (a lot). It’s been very painful for us to deal with and we basically moped and cried the entire holiday weekend. Even the old cat slept on my pillow with his face next to mine the first night. We don’t have children, so Inso was all that much more special for us.

Also, I want people to remember a few things. Sometimes, there is nothing you can do. You don’t always know when an animal is really sick. What would have happened if we caught it a year ago? Probably nothing different except that our healthy-looking cat would have had to undergo a lot of very painful procedures. This probably would have yielded the same end result. I had all of the possible resources: experience, a caring vet and an emergency clinic ran by my vet’s personal friend of 20 years, and we couldn’t save Inso (I’m finally to the point where I’ve almost stopped beating myself up mentally over this with the what-ifs.).

Hug your cats/dogs/others and appreciate the time they are here. We are “somewhat prepared” for the passing of our 16-year-old cat in that we know every day he is here is a gift. We were in no way prepared for our crazy 3-year-old to go. We assumed Inso would be here when Freako left.

Although it would not have helped Inso for certain, trust your instincts when you think something is going on with your animals. You are around them all the time. If you have questions, ask. If you disagree with a diagnosis, ask more questions. Again, this was not the case with Inso, but was with our old mutt that we lost. Had I listened to the vet, she would have been gone two years earlier than she was and we would have missed some awesome quality time.

Apryl DeLancey is a Los Angeles native and sports fanatic who maintains a blog called “Women Like Sports.” Just about every sport you can think of is covered, so stop by for a visit sometime! Oh – and please, to paraphrase Bob Barker, don’t forget to spay and neuter your companion animals! See Apryl’s last post on ThatMutt.com, Freako on a leash.

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When moving to a new location, I like to find a vet who meets the needs of my pets the best. When I moved to Fargo, I chose a vet but then switched to another because I was unhappy with the first. Here are some things I consider when choosing a vet.

1. How far am I willing to drive?
The vet I take Ace to is less than a mile from my apartment. We could walk there if we wanted. Distance is important to me because with a busy schedule I don’t want to waste a half-hour driving to an appointment. I’d rather spend five minutes getting there. This is also convenient when spur-of-the-moment needs come up such as swinging in to buy ear cleaner or getting Ace in that morning for an appointment before work.

2. Is it open on weekends?
Ace’s vet is open every other Saturday and closed on Sundays. This has been an inconvenience once or twice, but luckily they were nonemergencies. Most vets in our area are closed on weekends, with the exception of the ER. So for me, this didn’t rule out Ace’s current vet. However, being open on weekends would be a plus. If your vet is closed on weekends or at night, make sure you know where to take your dog during an emergency.

3. What breeds/animals does the vet specialize in?
Some vets treat all domestic animals such as horses and sheep. Others only treat dogs and cats. Although all dogs share the same basic health needs, certain breeds have unique issues. It would be ideal to have a vet who has a lot of experience with your particular breed. For example, if you have bulldogs, it would be perfect to have a vet who owns bulldogs because she would be more experienced dealing with the health issues bulldogs face such as respiratory problems or overheating.

4. How does the vet interact with my dog? How about with me?
Ace’s vet gets down on the floor to examine him, so Ace never has to sit on the steel table. She pets him, talks calmly to him and offers him treats. He loves going to the vet because he has never had a bad experience there. Of course, most vets love animals, but some interact with them better than others. I look for a calm vet who doesn’t get overly excited, therefore making my dog overly excited or nervous. The personality of my dog’s vet should be compatible with my dog. If I had an assertive otter hound, a small, timid vet would not work well. But this same vet might be perfect if I had a fearful silky terrier.

A vet should also have people skills, no matter how good she is with animals. The number one reason I have switched vets is because of their disinterest in me. The first vet I dealt with in Fargo acted as though she did not have more than five minutes of spare time, which she probably didn’t. She never paused to ask if I had questions, and when I asked them anyway, she offered short, unhelpful responses. I appreciate when a vet actually explains my dog’s problems and gives time for me to ask questions. When Ace went in this winter for reoccurring ear infections, his vet talked with me about all the possible causes such as rolling and sticking his head in the snow, food allergies or me not cleaning his ears often enough. She did not make me feel like an idiot, and she made me feel like my dog and I mattered to her.

5. How clean is the facility?
A building that holds a lot of dogs is not always going to smell pretty, but the vet and staff should make some effort to keep the building as clean as possible. A clean, comfortable waiting area shows the vet cares about first impressions and a good reputation. The exam rooms should also be clean.

6. How will the vet be at the end of my dog’s life?
The time will come when I will have to decide if it’s right to end Ace’s life. This is when having a vet I trust will be the most important. I will be crying and second guessing my choices. A good vet will calmly go over all options, ultimately letting the dog owner make the decision. When my golden retriever, Brittni, was euthanized, her vet made my family and I very comfortable with our choice. She was there to answer all our questions and offered to come to our home to care for Brittni when she was the sickest. She made herself available by phone 24 hours a day and explained the whole process of euthanizing a dog before it happened. She gave us hugs and showed my family true empathy. I remember and admire this vet more than any of the others I’ve worked with.

7. Ask for recommendations.
Kennels, breeders, humane societies and fellow dog owners will give you their honest opinions on local vets if you just ask. People are happy to promote services they like. They are also quick to let you know of a bad experience. Take advantage of this. Chatting at the dog park is a great place to start.

8. What other services does the vet offer?
It’s convenient to be able to take care of vaccinations, board your dog or have it groomed all in one facility. Plus, sometimes you can get a discount for using more than one service.

9. How large is the facility?
Part of the problem with the first vet I used was the vet’s disinterest in my pets and I. She simply had too many clients and knew nothing about us. Plus, we had to make appointments weeks ahead of time. Now, at a smaller facility, Ace’s vet remembers us (or at least reviews all our information beforehand) and knows what is unique about Ace. As a result, he gets better care.

10. Check the prices.
Certain vets in the same area will charge more. In Fargo alone, when my boyfriend was trying to find a vet to neuter his cat, prices for the procedure ranged from about $60 to $150. For me, prices are not the deciding factor, but there is no reason to pay twice as much if I don’t have to. Ace’s current vet charges less than his last, mostly because of the location. His first vet was in a busier area of town and turned new clients away daily. The business was able to charge more because people would pay more.

Ultimately, my dog’s vet should not be someone I settle for. It should be someone I can have a relationship with over my dog’s life. If you are not entirely happy with your dog’s vet, look into other options. A vet’s job is to provide us with great service. There are a lot of excellent vets out there, and your dog deserves the best.

What do you think makes a good vet?

The money I spend on my pets can really add up. Because of this, I keep track of what I spend on them each month and make sure to buy only what they need. Trust me, they do not know the difference, and they are still spoiled. Here are some tips for saving money on dog care.

1. Make a list of everything you spend on your dog.
I keep a monthly budget for all my expenses, including what I spend on my pets. Doing so makes it clear what I’m spending, and when it is a little out of control. It doesn’t have to be a very complex budget, even just a list of everything you spend on your dog is fine. It’s just good to be aware of where your money is going. Think about everything you spend on your dog, such as food, training, toys, vet bills, grooming, health-care products, treats, daycare, boarding, beds, kennels, cleaning supplies and replacing things he destroys. Once you have a list, you can decide where you can cut back.

2. Shop for toys at thrift stores.
My mutt’s favorite toys are tennis balls, which cost less than a dollar, and stuffed animals. At a pet store, stuffed dog toys might cost anywhere from $10 to $50. Instead, I buy Ace’s stuffed toys at thrift stores and garage sales for about 50 cents per toy. Usually they appear to be brand new. The cheaper they are, the more I buy.

3. Use less expensive brands for flea and tick prevention.
Your vet can recommend a flea and tick prevention formula that works just as well as the leading brand, but for less money. For example, I used Frontline on my dogs for years. For a 60-pound dog, Frontline costs about $45 for a three-month dose. Now I use cheaper brands that work just as well, such as BioSpot. You can find most brands online for a reduced rate, as well. Just make sure you do research and ask questions before you use any chemicals on your dog. Some dogs have allergic reactions to Frontline or BioSpot.

4. Groom your dog yourself.
In order to save $40 a month on a professional grooming bill, I bathe Ace in the bathtub at home. I use an $8 bottle of shampoo that will probably last a year, a sponge and a bucket to pour water over his back. Ace is 60 pounds and I have no problem washing him in the tub, so if you have a smaller dog, it should be even easier. Ace does have very short hair, however, which makes my job pretty easy. Maybe you could bathe your dog yourself every other time, or only bring him to the grooming shop  when he needs a haircut. Otherwise, you could buy an electric trimmer and cut your dog’s coat yourself. If my mom can do it, you can do it. When I worked at a grooming shop, I couldn’t believe how many people paid over $125 to have their long-haired dogs groomed every month. If I don’t spend that kind of money on a haircut for myself, I am not going to spend it on my dog!

5. Clip your dog’s nails yourself. 
Vets and groomers charge $10 or so for a nail trim. To me, this seems ridiculous, but people pay it. Ten dollars per trim adds up over the dog’s life. Just buy a $10 nail clipper, and learn to trim your dog’s nails yourself. It’s not that bad!

6. Buy treats and chew toys that will last the longest.
I use pieces of dry cat food to train my dog. This lasts much, much longer than a bag of dog biscuits or jerky, and he likes them more anyway. As far as chew toys, Ace chews on hollow bones or Kongs filled with peanut butter. That way he can reuse them. I buy him rawhides now and then, but not too often because he eats them in minutes. Hollow bones can last Ace weeks and Kongs last for years.                

7. Walk to the park instead of driving.
It’s easier for me to just drive a few miles to the park with Ace rather than walk. But this wastes gas. Plus, I find it hard to justify driving somewhere, when the whole point of getting there is for exercise. Why not exercise on the way to the park? In my case, it’s a ten-minute walk or a five-minute drive, so I might as well just walk.

8. Walk to the store.
Since you are going to walk your dog anyway, why not get something done in the process? I don’t do this, but it’s about time I start. I could walk to the post office, walk to PetSmart or walk through the bank drive-thru. It would be great exercise and I’d save gas money. Plus, it would make a routine walk a lot more fun.

9. Read about obedience training rather than taking a class.
Each dog obedience class costs around $50. If you are disciplined, you could train your dog on your own. There are dozens of books, online videos and blogs on dog training to help you out.

10. Hire a dog walker or go home on your lunch break.
To save money on dog daycare, which can cost more than $20 per day, I go home from work during my lunch break to spend time with Ace. As another option, you could hire a dog walker to let your dog out. This will cost a lot less than daycare. When I was a dog walker, I charged $5 for a half-hour walk. This makes a big difference over a year.

What are some ways you save money on dog care?