As all pet owners know, veterinary expenses are very high, and it can cost big bucks to take care of your animal if they get sick. Other than something like PetSmart's Wellness clinics and pet insurance, does anyone know how to save money on vet care? My cat needs to go, and I am dreading the expense.
This is a difficult one - as without pet insurance or at least a pet health plan - trying to save on vet expenses without putting a pet's health at risk is not an easy task - especially when you consider that should a pet become unexpectedly ill and require ongoing treatment - as the treatment would most likely be way more than a years premium - it makes either option extremely worthwhile - as not only does having insurance or a health plan save a considerable amount of money in the long term - but gives peace of mind too - as you know your pet will get everything it needs to make sure that it doesn't suffer unnecessarily. Particularly as - the only other ways that spring to mind at present - are not likely to make that much difference to the overall cost - but that said - if the condition is not too urgent - doing any of the following might help shop around vets practices for more favorable fees if there are any veterinary schools or colleges in your area - they are always worth a try - as they sometimes offer discounted services for minor aliments discussing the prognosis and what the cost of different treatment methods may be - if there are any - can often help too As does getting your pet to the vet as soon as you suspect something is wrong - particularly as - apart from being kinder to the animal - treating an illness in its early stages is generally way, way cheaper than the thousands it would cost - once the illness has progressed to the point that it requires specialist care and treatment.
Have you consider getting pet insurance? A lot of people think it's ridiculous but pet insurance pretty much pays for itself in one or two visits (especially if your pet needs a huge surgery or whatever). There's this podcast of a vet that I listen to and he said in his podcast that a good way to save up money is for every paycheck you get, you put $50 in a separate account PER PET. So if you have 2 cats, you would put away $100 into a separate account per paycheck. This is a "pet fund" and it can be used for anything such as food, toys, vet visits, etc. And while it may not sound like much, it adds up (especially if your pet is usually relatively healthy). Also, while it seems unnecessary you should definitely take your pet to the yearly/2x a year check-up. At these check-ups the vets will usually spot something that may be wrong with your pet (if there are anything), so it's a good way for early detection which will save you money in the long run.
About 2 weeks ago, Barbie got sick. She is my 3-year old pekingese. We brought her to the hospital and was confined for 2 nights. The bill amounted to more than $100 because of the air conditioning. She looked well but after 3 days, the diarrhea came back with some vomiting. We brought her to another vet and this time she was given a shot for amoebiasis. That did it. Now Barbie is okay and that hospitalization seemed a waste of money.
The one thing that has helped me reduce the cost of veterinarian visits is when I started giving my pets better quality food.I don't have to take my cats to the vet except for annual checkups majority of the time. The vet I take my cats to was amazed when he saw how their health improved after giving them a higher quality of food.. My one cat has to take insulin and is over 17 yrs. old. I heard about a certain brand of cat food that might help pets be healthier. I believe pets that are given an high quality of food may have a better chance of fewer vet visits in my opinion. I have heard pet insurance can be very expensive and decided to try a high quality of food for my cats. My cats are older now but just as healthy as they were years ago. I contribute that to what type of cat foods I have decided to give them. Can I put brand and pet food companies here?
I'm not too sure but from what I remember I read a post where someone mentioned you could just get pet insurance. It's costly to look at upfront but you get some ease of mind knowing that you don't have to panic the next time your pet gets sick. I don't think it was that expensive either and if I remember it correctly the price was just around $100, which I think is worth it considering that's probably only half of what you'd have to pay for any major complication.
Vet bills are outrageous. We have 4 dogs, and they need to go. In fact they are overdue. But it cost $800.00 to take them for their yearly visits. I need to find a new vet!
