Kathy,

I did see that it was a couple of dollars more than your local store, but, even if you were to take the 15% discount as a new customer:

55/bag x 0.85 = 46.75/bag and free shipping

Agreed that we don't get the 25% off discount that often, but I alsways seem to be able to get the 15% off discount when I need to order.

So sorry you have to deal with this. It is never fun. I remember when the housing market took a nose dive and my DH was unemployed for nearly 2 years (not too long ago). Boy did we have to make the cuts.

Some things that I don't see others mentioning;

Look for a generic to Heartguard. We use a generic heart worm medication which is cheaper called Iverhart Plus and have successfully for years. It has the exact same ingredients. I know there are a few different generics so ask your vet if he/she offers one or get them to write a prescription so you can order it online.

I didn't mess with my dog's diet much. I did supplement with some table scraps or leftovers from our meals. If you're interested you could try a home cooked diet (I think Lisa & Jamie could give you some ideas or check our forum). I have a friend who takes one day a month and cooks up her dog's food for the month and packages it then freezes it. She says it cheaper than buying a high-quality kibble with all the ingredients her dogs need and tolerate.

When grocery shopping buy in bulk or only buy items on sale. Do you have a Costco or something similar? Shop for 1 month at a time. Save the eating out for special occasions.

We also cut the cable TV and dropped our house phone as we both had cell phones.

Sorry you are having to deal with this

With four dogs, I shop online a lot and buy things in bulk when I can.
I shop online for flea and heartworm medicine, but I purchase it at my vet. They will price match for me. It doesn't hurt to ask if your vet will do the same. I use the iverhart brand for my heartworm medicine. I costs me $55 per dog/per year. I also use frontline plus for flea/tick. I find cheaper prices online and then purchase at my vet.

When Bailey was still here, I would buy the Glycoflex III for her. I would buy two or three bottles at a time and always found entirely pets to have some of the best prices for that. Dr. Foster and Smith always had good prices for the adequan, but it has been years since I shopped for either of those.

Doggiefood.com has good prices on food. They have good prices and sales and will give another 5% off for buying in volume.

I use my dehydrator to make treats and also bake treats for my dogs. Also petfooddirect.com has good treat sales.

Good luck!

My husband will also be affected by the federal employee furlough. We have not really looked at cost saving options just yet, but all this info gives me some great ideas.

I do order all my HeartGuard from Australia, much cheaper then I could ever get in the US, especially for 4 dogs.

Also, in general $$ savings, make your own household items. We make our own laundry detergent (CHEAP and much better for you!!) and use white vinegar as our fabric softner (waaaay better for you). If it can clean up after Mike and the Boy then it's golden! This site has a lot of DIY stuff, I'm going to try the dish soap next. Once you get a basic stock of Borax, castile soap and vinegar you got almost everything covered. http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-laundry-detergent-soap/

We also use vinegar for everything from counter cleaner to dishwashing stuff (where the Jetdry is supposed to go).

Also, we buy peppermint castile soap for cheap (that vitacost place again) and use the big containers for hand soap, bath soap, laundry if we wanta scent, dog shampoo, etc.

Something I'm going to try for ticks (dogs only) is this: During flea/tick season, the simplest solution that I have read about is to apply one drop of rose-geranium essential oil to your dog’s collar once a week (for ticks).

OK I'm having problems staying logged in right now so I hope this works!

Having read this a bit closer - fortunately my agency has had a hiring freeze in effect for some time, we've also cut our budget in anticipation so they are saying no furloughs but who knows?

However, Kathy, whatever you do if you can help it do not cut your retirement contribution. Right now you need to be maxing that out if you can.

If you are not already piggy-backing on your Tulsa trips, start trying to do that when you can go. When it is cold you can do that - that is you can go to training & go shopping in the same trip so far as dog safety with being left in a car for a while. What I'm saying is maybe do not give up your training until the weather gets real sucky?

While it doesn't help with dog supplies for the most part, I get most of my clothes at Goodwill - Their clearance center sells them for $1.39 a pound. It takes time but I love the search. (Unfortunately, they moved it to the far end of the met. area from me). The regular thrift stores sell most clothes for $5 and under and many of them are in very good shape. Another thing to try is FreeCycle. Although I've used it mainly to re-home stuff, it has pulled through on a couple of my "wanted"s too. Here I have a neighbor that throws out dog beds every so often. I pick them up and wash them. I have a great supply of dog beds!

For USA made rawhides, Whole Foods is the best source at the best price. You might make your own "canned" food by stirring some up and freezing it. I also like that people down here throw out pumpkins in the fall. I get these and stick them in the pressure cooker - freeze the puree - good for dogs and humans and absolutely free. You can recover dog beds with fabric that places like JoAnnes has dirt cheap. My neighbors (different sets) threw out one heck of a fancy pet gate; one wire crate GSD size, one wire crate less than GSD size, one airline crate GSD size, two small airline crates, an almost brandnew large $30 - 40 pet food container.

If you need furniture or just want to see what's out there, check your city's trash days & cruise the night before pick up. It sounds disgusting to some people but I love finds. Any time I go to Petsmart or Petco I check their clearance areas.

For dog shampoo, I found bar castile soap (very mild recommended by WDJ) from the grocery store is really cheap and works great (dampen the dog, apply soap, scrub, rinse.)

For perscription drugs I lucked on to a vet that sells them way cheap. That's what I use him for. Some drugs you can get pretty cheap from a regular pharmacy.

So far as making your own cleansers, there are some books out that can help with that. My standbys are vinegar and baking soda 'though.

I just bought another gas hog. I try to combine trips. I may look like crap coming back from the barn but I try to have a clean shirt with me and stop in the fancier grocery that is on the way.

I also by grocery mark downs. They freeze. Just like the pumpkin. And the fancier grocery tends to mark things down more dramatically. If that's not enough, I try to buy groceries on sale. I do only shop at one chain. I try to avoid making many trips, too.

I got something like 4 hours sleep so this is a little disjointed!

You guys are great!!!

Middle I too shop a lot at goodwill and make most of my cleaners myself. I have bad eczema so I cannot use a lot of commercial cleaners.

I do dovetail my Tulsa trips for food and such. Stocked up yesterday in fact.

We cut cable yesterday and went to cell phones several years ago. No house phone in 4 years.

Retirement contribution will be the last to cut as we do need to max out for as long as we can.

Anyone have a source for HW from Australia?

It occurred to me last night that Kayos reacted to Ivermectin as a puppy, so I have not used products with Ivermectin. But I can use it on the other 2.

What is the dose when using the feed store Ivermectin?

I also figured the EH is not too bad locally when we use our buy 10 get 1 free and coupons. I get a $3 off coupon about every 6 weeks. I also purchased a bag of Nutri Source to try yesterday. I can get that in Tulsa. It is cheaper but may end up the same when I figure in my free bag of EH with a coupon here.

Kathy,
One thing to keep in mind is that your withholding will be less when your income is less. I started dumping into my catch-up recently. The net pay was reduced only 2/3 of what the contribution was -- all because of less withholding.

When open season on health plans rolls around again, take a hard look at the different plans. Last year my only regular health care expense was a mamogram because they only cover that every other year at my age (thanks a lot). My Dental isn't so good coverage but the consumer driven option has worked really well for me - pretty much what I pay is the premium. I only hope that continues to work out.

I know it is scary to face a sudden cut in wages but it might not be as awful as you expect. You might find ways to live that you will carry on with when you are back to 5 days a week. (Which we hope happens soon.)

Do you have a Big Lots around? One thing I have been doing the last couple of years in regards to buying things that do not go on sale but are needed, like paper towels, toilet paper, dish soap and the like... I make my list and hit Big Lots when they have their 20% off sale. Just went today, in fact. I stock up on the things that never go on sale but still save $$. When I went to check everything I found I still did not need laundry soap, paper towels or TP since I still have unopened packages of all from the November 20% sale. It does not cost anything to do their rewards program and I think it is about 4 times a year they have these 20% off sales.

I am not sure if we have big lots or not here, We had one in Oregon and it had great buys.

BTW for anyone using Trifexis or Comfortis, I found a rebate form online today on the Trifes website. Trfexis.com.

I will buy Kayos the Trifexis and use Ivermectin on the other two.

I purchase my HW meds, from Pets Megastore in Australia ... when I place an order I either try to find a coupon for free shipping or try to hit their monthly offer for free shipping.

They have a version of Trifexis called Panoramis made by the same company using the same formula. The Extra Large (60 to 120 lbs) is $80.59 for six tablets.
http://www.pets-megastore.com.au/panoramisforextralargedogsbrown-p-1651.html

HeartGard Plus for 50 to 100 lbs is $76.61 for 12 tablets.
http://www.pets-megastore.com.au/heartgardplus-c-165_160_177.html

Frontline Plus for Large Dogs (44 to 88 lbs) is $60.27 for the 6 pack.
http://www.pets-megastore.com.au/frontlineplus-c-165_6_404.html

Shipping takes a week or two.

I get Comfortis from Animal Coalition of Tampa (ACT). For dogs 61 to 121 lbs it's $71.00 for six tablets.
http://www.actampa.org/

Shipping takes a couple days.

Kathy -

This probably isn't a big help, but I have a $3.00 off coupon for Earthborn Holistics that has no expiration date if you want it. I'd be happy to send it to you if you're interested.

Depends on if you dilute it and if you want it to cover intestinal worms too. The dosage for just heartworms is LOW, so low you cannot measure it out without diluting it. I have found the undiluted higher dose works fine for my pets and that's what I give. Lots of info here:

http://dogaware.com/health/ivomec.html

"Directions for using ivermectin 1% solution undiluted

If you use ivermectin 1% solution undiluted, the dosage will be higher than is needed for heartworm prevention. This is safe for most dogs, as long as they do not have the MDR1 mutation that causes sensitivity to ivermectin, and as long as the ivermectin is not combined with spinosad, a flea control ingredient used in Comfortis and Trifexis. See Ivermectin Sensitivity above for more information.

Ivemectin is given orally (never use pour-on solutions for heartworm prevention).

Dosage using Ivermectin 1% solution undiluted for heartworm prevention: give 0.1 cc. This amount will provide more ivermectin than is needed for heartworm prevention, as follows:

10 pounds: 36.7 times the minimum dosage
20 pounds: 18.3 times the minimum dosage
30 pounds: 12.2 times the minimum dosage
40 pounds: 9.2 times the minimum dosage
50 pounds: 7.4 times the minimum dosage
60 pounds: 6.1 times the minimum dosage
70 pounds: 5.2 times the minimum dosage
80 pounds: 4.6 times the minimum dosage
90 pounds: 4.1 times the minimum dosage
100 pounds: 3.7 times the minimum dosage.

1 cc of ivermectin 1% undiluted contains 10,000 mcg; 0.1 cc = 1,000 mcg ivermectin.
The exact dosage is 0.00272 ml (approximately 0.003 cc) per 10 pounds of body weight."

In the link above there is also 2 instructions for diluting if you'd prefer that route. In the past I checked the math on this link and it was correct.

Oh and one thing I noticed last time I bought a bottle of ivermectin from the feed store- the generic version had a shorter expiration date, so even though the brand was more expensive it was worth it to me b/c the exp date was like almost 2 more years.

Iverhart Plus, 50-100 lbs, 12 ct, is 52.68 with free shipping from Drs Foster & Smith. Same active ingredient as Heartgard Plus. Less costly than Heartgard Plus from Australia or from the US. Iverhart Plus is what I did so far.

I'll look into the feed store option for Ivermectin, that sounds even better.

Great thread, I am learning a lot!

Great stuff here.

Pat that is so sweet of you to offer the coupon! I get $3 off coupons about every other bag so thank you - but you use it for your guys!

I need to check the active ingrediets in some of the HW meds. I have never had Kayos tested for MDR1. But Heartguard made her VIOLENTLY ill when she had her fist dose at 5 months. I never gave it again and that is why I use Trifexis.

But I can use it on the other two as fas as I know. Lydi's breeder uses the injectable adn gives 1 cc per 10 ppounds weight. I do not know if she dilutes it or not. I need to talk to her toningt about it when I go hold puppies. I think from what I am reading that is a pretty high dose.

1 cc per 10 lbs THAT'S WAY HIGH and potentially unsafe- but what I really think you meant to say is 0.1cc per 10 lbs, not 1 cc per 10lbs- BIG difference!!! 0.1cc per 10lbs is widely done. My understanding is that this dose will kill any intestinal worms but is VERY HIGH for heartworms only. That's not to say that it is not safe though. But why give more than you need to, even 0.1 total dose is 4 to 5 times what you need for heartworms only. Maybe if worried about intestinal worms do the higher dose every few-6 months? Also if cutting costs 0.1cc per month is cheaper than 0.7cc per month, although I am not sure even at higher dose if you'd run out before exp date.

She may have meant .1 cc or I misread her email.

There is a very old thread on the old GSD World (green board) that discussed this too. I read it last night and there is a lot of argument about safely using injectable Ivermectin in dogs.

I use .25CC for my 70lb dogs and even this is a HIGH dose (compared to what's in the tablets). I have the math somewhere if you need it. A lot of people say .1CC per 10lb but that's very high. I don't dilute mine but .25CC is easy enough to draw with a 1CC syringe. For smaller dogs or puppies I'd have to dilute to be accurate.