Let me start off by saying to please check with your pets vet before giving them any pills not prescribed specifically to them! We all love our pets dearly and will hopefully do whatever it takes to keep them happy and healthy (I hope!). Luckily our Camden communities are very pet friendly and offer many amenities to help with the happy part of your pet’s life. As far as healthy, caring for your pet doesn’t always have to be expensive either. Here are a few over the counter cheaper alternatives I choose (after consulting with a vet) for my pets.

1. Flaxseed Oil for humans – I get this from Costco give one to my dog every morning with his food and he gobbles it right up. It’s high in omega-3s and helps heart health, mobility, blood pressure, and kidney function.

Taking my best bud for a walk at dog beach!

1. Human grade glucosamine – A lot of the time when you choose a specialized product, as in one for a pet, it increases the price. Sometimes a more widely distributed non-specialized option is the way to go. In this case, glucosamine is available for humans in many stores and is pretty much the same product. Check with your vet for the appropriate for your pet’s size/breed.

Must be doing something right with this 15 year old kitty (lots of glucosamine)!

1. Buffered aspirin – Do not use for cats! This can be used for pain relief and as an anti-inflammatory for dogs. Typically you would give 5mg per pound of body weight every 12 hours, but beware that this can interfere with other meds and may lead to ulcers, so again, check with your vet first!

We do our best to keep our pets free of this 'cone of shame'!

1. Benadryl – For allergies and itching for dogs and cast. Dogs ½-1mg per pound and cats ½ mg per pound.

There are several websites and Google searches that recommend several other alternatives as well. These are all great for ideas to take to your vet and put together an individual plan that works for your pet.