With the cost of things rising, something on all our minds is the worry of affording any unexpected or recurrent vet fees. We all want the best for our pets so how can we ensure they get the best treatment without breaking the bank?
In this quick read blog post we will take a look at my top 3 tips for managing vet fees and reducing costs without compromising our pets care.
Let's dive straight in and take a look at my 3 top tips for being prepared for any vet bills.
Insurance
Fixed price specialists and non-for-profit vets
Regular check ups and vet pet club memberships
Insurance is a huge help for vet fees but it can be a minefield finding the right policy especially if you have an exempt dog. There are 3 main types of insurance policy: Lifetime (covers conditions for your pets whole life as long as you stay with the insurer), time limited and max benefit (generally cover conditions for a certain amount or length of time) and accident only policies (only cover accidents). For reducing vets' cost a lifetime policy is your best option as it will cover most conditions (be sure to check any exclusions), accidents and illnesses for your pet’s whole life up to the amount you choose.
You can find out more about insurance policies in this blog: https://www.fitpetphysio.com/post/top-3-features-you-need-in-your-dogs-insurance-policy
Taking a look at your local vets, specialists and there prices can help you to choose the correct level of cover for your insurance policy. There are a number of specialist vets in the area (Yorkshire) that offer fixed price surgery for common conditions. These are a great option to help you budget but be aware that they often limit the type of surgeries offered. For example there are a number of different surgeries for cruciate rupture that have differing levels of success based on the dog but fixed price vets will often only offer fixed price on 1 type of surgery per condition.
It’s also worth seeing if you could use a non-for-profit vets such as the Animal trust or PDSA for example. Some require you to receive certain benefits and others are open to all pet owners. They can often have longer wait times and not as many emergency services so you may have to travel further in an emergency but their fees are lower and consults can be free.
If you have a good relationship with your vets and they know your pets well this can help reduce costs for you too as any changes in health can be quickly noted and diagnosed or preventatives given if appropriate. A great way to ensure your pet’s in tip top condition is to ensure you have regular vet checks and keep up to date with any vaccinations and other preventative measures. So vets offer pet clubs which you can pay for monthly and you get all these services included plus a discount on any consultations or further diagnostic tests and treatments that may be needed. Monthly payments help you stay on top of regular vets visits and preventative measures without a larger bill each year.
Do you have any other helpful tips you would like to share? Or any topics you’d like me to cover? Comment below