At our house, and with all the pups in our big pack, seems someone is always goin’ to see the lady in the white coat. I don’t mind goin’ so much cause she’s purdy nice except for them there sharp things she has.
For some reason, she’s always a wantin’ our blood and pokin’ us with needles. Kinda makes me wonder ’bout her!
But, when we get sick or hurt, she helps us feel better so I guess I let her have a bit of blood if’n that’s what she wants WOOF!
After she’s looked us all over real good and poked us with them needles, I see my Lady givin’ her some of that green paper stuff she calls money.
I’m really a thinkin’ that vet Lady’s a bit on the strange side! Blood and green paper and somehow we feel better…hum.
My Lady says the green stuff is money and it’s payment for takin’ care of us.
She also says that planning for pet health care is an important part of keepin’ us healthy. Since, I obviously don’t know nothin’ ’bout it, I’m gonna let my Lady s’plain why it’s so important.
Planning for Pet Health Care
Being able to afford inevitable pet health care costs is all about planning for them and preparing your finances to be able to afford them.
Like our own health care cost, there are the expected and unexpected medical costs that come along with pet ownership.
Being prepared for those costs makes it so much easier to make decisions for your pet that aren’t going to be motivated or changed because of money.
Rather than cutting care in order to save money, plan for care well ahead of time and it might end up in you saving money on health care.
Use these tips to help in planning for pet health care costs.
Understand Pet Health Care Costs
Every pet is different, and so are the health care costs that are usually associated with each type of animal.
However, there are similar services and treatments that each type of pet is going to need, and the general costs for these can easily be added up.
Understand what the health care costs are for the type of pet you are considering and determine whether your income can support that.
Additionally, look at the top five ailments that the pet you are considering is most likely to suffer from.
Are the costs from those treatments way out of your comfort zone?
If you said yes, it does not mean that you should abandon the idea of pet ownership, but better planning is needed.
Consider Health Care Insurance
The costs of pet health care are much lower than they are for humans, but they can still be a shock for anyone that is faced with the sudden illness of their beloved pet.
Insurance coverage works in much the same way human insurance coverage works.
Regularly scheduled vet appointments, shots and treatments are necessary for your dog, and the cost of annual health care insurance is comparable to the amount you would pay for normal medical expenses.
When you consider the costs that insurance were to cover if your pet was injured or became ill, insurance just makes financial sense.
Weigh Insurance Options and Begin Saving
Weigh out the many different insurance options and plans that are available to you, much like you did for your own health insurance.
In addition to purchasing a plan, begin a small savings account for unexpected health care costs that can arise.
In most cases, setting aside twenty to fifty dollars per month is an easy and painless way to prepare yourself for any serious illness, boarding and treatments that can come up.
Take Preventative Measures
A lot of common health care issues in pets is related to their diet and health, so eliminate as many costs as you can through smart ownership.
Regularly exercise your pet, meet their dietary needs, avoid overfeeding and provide them with the companionship that they deserve because all of that plays a huge role in their health.
Healthier pets can reduce the chance of illness and help keep future medical costs to a minimum.
Laura A.
Friday 15th of October 2021
Unfortunately, we did not have pet insurance before three of our cats were diagnosed with diabetes. They have only responded to human insulin that costs us $300/month. There are costly vet visits for monitoring them. We have spent thousands on emergency care. With pet insurance, pre-existing conditions will not be covered. In the past, I had two cats that did not have any health issues until they were 13 and 14. You just never know, so it's best to plan ahead.
Linda Szymoniak
Monday 1st of May 2017
We have three dogs and three cats, and while we've had quite a few vet bills over the past couple of years (we HAD five dogs, but two years ago my deaf hound girl, Ran, was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder and we lost her a few months later, despite treatment, and then my old girl, Suki, passed). The thing is, my husband and I have looked over a number of different pet insurance plans and realized that the amount we'd have to pay for all our furbabies would actually be more than we'd have saved on vet bills if we had insurance. I think if I only had one or two, it might be worth looking further into, but just looking at what would have been covered in the past two years, the insurance really wouldn't have saved us anything. Now, if we had just ONE pet with all those bills - it would be different, but since the bills were spread out among so many pets, the bills for each wasn't that much. My previous vet actually gave us a multi-pet discount, too, but not the one we're currently at. However, we get other perks, like free nail trims when we come in for an exam and if we need follow-up bloodwork or shots, we can have a vet tech do it and don't have to pay for the visit.
Mia
Wednesday 28th of December 2016
Their are definitely financial obligations that come with pet ownership and these are all great suggestions so that one doesn't get caught in a bind.
Brandi Dawn
Wednesday 28th of December 2016
Love these tips. I got the Wellness package through Banfield for my doggers. He is my first dog so I am a bit inexperienced in this particular subject. I think it is a good plan but I am also thinking that I should supplement it with an insurance plan because we go to the dog park often. Its a very nice park with a creek that runs through it and when he runs around the rocks with his wet paws I get really nervous. Even though we have been going for months and have not seen an accident, I want to be well prepared just in case.
Sarah L
Tuesday 27th of December 2016
Good ideas for all who have pets.