If you have a pet then you will know that the cost of routine care can equate to a fair-sized bill each visit, but what if you could spread that cost out over the year making it easier on the budget? This is what our wellness plans can help with. Our vets share some information and benefits about veterinary wellness plans in the Perry area and how they make routine pet care more affordable.
What Are Pet Wellness Plans?
Now that you have a pet you want to care for it the best that you can, but pet care can be very expensive especially if your pet becomes sick or injured. A wellness plan can help with those costs.
A wellness plan costs a small amount of money each month but the wellness Plans "group" all the preventive services you need to keep your pet healthy throughout the year into a monthly payment plan, helping you save money and manage your budget.
What It Covered Under A Pet Wellness Plan?
The main difference between pet wellness plans vs pet insurance is that the latter covers the cost of injury or illness treatments after they happen. On the other hand, pet wellness plans for cats and dogs cover routine and preventive care procedures and screenings to avoid potential health issues.
Routine Vaccinations
Core vaccines must be given to every pet to ensure that they will not catch infections or diseases that could harm them, your other pets, and sometimes even humans.
For dogs, core vaccines are canine parvovirus, distemper, canine hepatitis, and rabies. For cats, core vaccines are panleukopenia, feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus type I, and rabies. These diseases are the leading causes of death in puppies and kittens, and some within days of contagion. So, vaccines are essential.
If you don’t have a pet wellness care plan you’d need to pay out of pocket for each vaccine.
Diagnostic Blood tests
Complete blood tests will inform the vet about any abnormalities in the pet’s blood that might indicate a necessary intervention. If there is an issue, your standard pet insurance policy should be able to cover it. But the screening itself is only included in additional wellness and preventive care packages.
Testing & Preventive Care For Heartworms
While heartworm treatment is covered by pet insurance, prevention and test are covered only by pet wellness plans.
If you don’t have such a policy, you will have to pay out of pocket.
Fecal Tests, Deworming & Urinalysis
A Fecal test is performed once per year to determine if any gastrointestinal parasites are present. Similarly to this are the heartworm and tapeworm tests to determine if these parasites are present. This may require several treatments over some time.
Urinalysis is a routine test that scans for chemicals in the urine. This is done because we want early detection of diseases like kidney failure and urinary infections. While pet health care plans will cover the treatment, preventive measures are typically excluded.
Preventive Care For Fleas & Ticks
There are a few options for preventing ticks and fleas. But most pets are given monthly medicine to avoid this.
What Are The Benefits Of Pet Wellness Plans?
Ideally, every pet owner would have insurance for their pets, but there are a number of things to take into account. Factors such as cost, type of coverage, and your pet's health when starting a policy can all greatly affect your monthly payments.
Additionally, many pet insurance plans don't include preventive and wellness care services like vet checkups and routine vaccinations, which are especially important for maintaining your pet's health and avoiding costly procedures and treatments in the first place.
Convenience & Budgeting For Routine Care With Veterinary Wellness Plans
Since Wellness Plans are 'bundles' of veterinary services, that means less financial pressure when taking your pet in for their vet-recommended preventive care services. This payment option enables more pet parents to afford comprehensive vet care and avoid potentially expensive treatment costs from preventable conditions going undiagnosed.
- Can be paid monthly or annually
- Usually includes discounts on certain products and services
- Makes budgeting for pet care easier
Customization & Flexibility Of Your Pet Wellness Plan
At Perry Animal Hospital, our pet wellness plans are catered to canine companions and feline friends of all sizes, shapes, and ages in the Perry area. Most veterinary wellness plans have options for small, medium, large, XL, and giant dogs, as well as cats. These packages offer a range of preventive annual and biannual wellness procedures (e.g. wellness exams, bloodwork, parasite testing). As your vet team gets to know your unique pet, they will be able to recommend wellness plans to keep them happy and healthy - and potentially spare your wallet in the long run.
Animals with special needs like senior cats and dogs, young puppies and kittens, and pets with chronic or recurring issues benefit from routine vet care including early detection screenings, necessary preventive vaccinations, and physical examinations.
What Are Some Potential Downsides Of Pet Wellness Plans?
As with just about any decision, there are some things to keep in mind when it comes to choosing whether a veterinary wellness plan is right for you.
How Often Will Your Pet Need Routine Care?
It may seem counter-intuitive to sign up for a pet wellness plan if your pet is young, healthy, or otherwise seems fine. Most of the time, it is better to have coverage and not need it than vice versa, but your vet team understands healthcare decisions - whether for humans or their companion animals - are personal and should be made with the patient's best care in mind.
What If You Need Additional Coverage?
Just as it is important to know what pet insurance does and does not cover, you should be aware of what your vet clinic's wellness plans cover. Wellness plans are for ongoing preventive and wellness care from your veterinary team and do not cover illness, surgeries, or other emergency or chronic healthcare needs. Ultimately, discussing your pet's needs and your budget openly and honestly with your veterinarian can be a good opportunity to find out more about what could suit you and your pet best.What Is The Difference Between Pet Insurance And A Veterinary Wellness Plan?
Both wellness plans and pet insurance policies offer benefits, but they are very different. When it comes to your pet's veterinary care, it’s important to understand which services your pet is and isn't covered for. That way you won't be left unexpectedly out of pocket when you visit your vet or need to plan the payment for your pet's care and treatment.
What Is Typically Covered Under Pet Wellness Plans in Perry?
Routine vet care such as microchipping, vaccinations, and dental care is generally covered by wellness plans. The primary purpose of these plans is to help you to spread out the cost of improving and maintaining the standard of your pet’s overall health.
What Is Pet Insurance Used For?
Pet insurance takes care of any veterinary bills if your pet requires emergency veterinary care.
Treating an illness such as cancer or diabetes, or emergency treatment, can become very expensive. Pet insurance provides you with financial help to pay the bills for accidents and conditions covered by your pet's insurance policy.
What Situations Does Pet Insurance Cover?
Policies differ, but generally, pet insurance covers treatment for illnesses as well as any emergency treatment required after accidents. Some pet insurance policies may also include prescription medications, the treatment of hereditary and congenital conditions as well as orthopedic conditions.
Which Option Will Be Right For My Pet?
Some pet owners subscribe to both pet insurance and veterinary wellness plans to ensure their pet has complete protection, while other pet owners opt for one or the other. Understanding how each option works can benefit you and your pet and help you decide on the best option for you and your pet.
Ask your vet if you would like help deciding what is best for your pet based on their particular needs and concerns.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.