Cost efficient is fine, but too many people are penny wise and pound foolish.
I work at an emergency vet clinic and see the consequences of these decisions daily.
For example, there was the little black and white cat who came in a few weeks ago. The client had given her Zodiac brand OTC flea treatment and now the cat was trembling from head to toe and could barely stand.
So for a cost breakdown:
Cheapflea treatment: $10 for 2 or 3 doses
Emergency visit fee: $80
Emergency doctor exam fee: $80
Fluids, injectable medication, and a bath in the hospital: $100+
Total cost: close to $300
Or another case, a dog whose people didn't notice that his flea collar wasn't working. The fleas had made him so anemic that he was too weak to stand. The cost breakdown in this case:
Emergency visit
Emergency doctor exam
Place catheter
IV fluids
Blood work: PCV/total solids (tests for anemia and dehydration, repeated in this case to gauge success of treatment), blood chemistry and electrolytes, complete blood count, urinalysis, blood typing
Blood transfusions - two of 'em
ICU hospitalization - two nights
Total cost: about $2500
Versus doing it the right way from the start:
Regular vet office visit: $40-$50
3 month supply of safe, quality flea treatment: around $40
Total cost: $80-$90
Total savings: from $200-$2000, plus a ton of stress and potentially your cat's life.
I'm definitely not opposed to saving money where possible. The vaccines given at the local Department of Health clinics for $5 are the very same ones given at the local vet office for $25, for instance. But you have to be smart about things. Making foolish decisions to save a few bucks can easily end up costing you hundreds or thousands of dollars more in the long run, or worst of all it it could cost your cat his life.
