Longer lives mean more costs

An article in the Washington Post takes a look at the rising cost of taking care of pets, kept healthy and, as a result, living longer.

From the article:

Health-care expenses are rising, not only for humans but also for their pets. According to the 2007-08 National Pet Owners Survey, 63 percent of U.S. households — 71.1 million homes — include a pet. Many of the pet owners are baby boomers no longer burdened with the cost of raising children and are willing to use whatever disposable income they have to increase the quality of life of their furry — or scaly — companions. "As we become a more pet-friendly environment, people want to take care of their pets more," said Jerrold Boone, a veterinarian at Adams Morgan Animal Hospital.

The story says that the potential costs of buying or adopting a pet should be considered beforehand, especially with purebred dogs, which tend to have more health problems than mixed breeds.