5 expert tips to keep your pet healthy and happy

Pets are part of the family, so they deserve the absolute best. Keep your pet happy and healthy with these money-saving tips.

• Most people buy their dog and cat food at supermarkets, department stores and discount pet food chain stores. The price generally works out to be from $1 to $2 per kilogram.
• Specialty pet stores offer high-end premium food for about $5 and up per kilogram.
• To be on the safe side, seek the advice of your vet regarding the choice and price of pet food.

• Pet food outlets are a source of cheaper canned and dry food than your local supermarket or pet store.
• Many bulk food stores and supermarkets with bulk food sections have pet food and treats that are less expensive than other sources.
• You get what you pay for, so read the ingredients list carefully to ensure that it is a high-quality product.

• High-quality protein is essential to a healthy diet for cats and dogs. Meat is a great source.
• Any fresh meat fit for human consumption can be fed raw, but any other meat must be well-cooked.

You can get a great deal on the pet food you buy only to find it goes to waste because you don't serve it properly. Here are some canny ways of making food go further:

• Cats tend to regulate their own intake. Feeding a cheaper, less-nutritious brand of cat food is not necessarily a cost saver — the cat has to eat more to derive the same benefit.
• Find out the best weight for your dog (your vet can advise you). Feed your pet a regime that suits that weight to avoid wasting food.
• If you give a rabbit a commercial rabbit mix consisting of grains, seeds and cereals, your pet will pick out the parts it likes and leave the rest. Feed your rabbit a good-quality pellet instead.
• Fish kept in tanks are usually overfed, which causes polluted water. Skip feeding your fish for at least one day a week for healthier fish.

• Dogs: Cooked or small bones may splinter and cause injury or choking. Chocolate in small quantities can kill. Grapes and onions are also dangerous to your dog's health.
• Cats: Vegetarian diets can't supply adequate nutrition. Milk can cause gastrointestinal problems.
• Rabbits: Large quantities of dandelion can act as a laxative.
• Birds: A seed-only diet can cause malnutrition and shorten your bird's life. Add pellets, fresh fruit and the occasional bit of pasta to the food bowl.