23/09/2022
With the cost of living rising, we are receiving more requests than ever to rehome pets for families who are struggling financially. One of the biggest factors when making this painful decision is often ongoing veterinary treatment that people simply cannot afford.
One of the best ways to keep medical bills as low as possible is to take out insurance for your pet so that if they become ill or get injured the bills are covered.
It is also important to make sure your pet sees a vet regularly. Six-monthly health checks are recommended by most vets, and some offer a health care plan which can be paid for monthly and includes two health checks per year in the price.
Regular health checks will make sure any conditions are detected early increasing the chances of successful treatment and keeping costs down.
Health checks include:
🐾Flea and worm prevention
🐾Keeping an eye on weight and body condition score
🐾Checking teeth and gum health
🐾Checking ears are healthy
🐾Going over the body for lumps and bumps (even more important in older dogs)
🐾Checking their joints are pain-free
🐾Making sure their eyes are healthy
🐾Checking the heart to detect heart murmurs etc
🐾Vaccinations
You can search online for local vets who offer a monthly health care plan and shop around for the best pet insurance quote.
When shopping for insurance, you should consider that pre-existing conditions (which is anything that has been noted by your vet whether or not treatment was necessary) are not usually covered by the policy unless agreed at the time. There are some insurers who will cover pre-existing conditions so it is worth seeking one out if there is anything of concern. Paying monthly for insurance will mean that you are not facing a large one-off outlay.
You should also carefully consider whether to buy an annual or lifetime policy. Although you have the option to renew both policies on a yearly basis, annual policies effectively reset each year so any medical conditions diagnosed during the cover period may not be covered on renewal. Lifetime policies will cover these conditions year after year, but you are tied to the same insurer in order to benefit.
Other considerations are the amount of cover and excess amounts. The cheapest quote may not provide enough cover or may come with a hefty excess. Excess amounts can vary for different conditions so make sure you check the small print.
A heart scan can cost £600-£1000, a dental could set you back up to £600 and a broken bone can cost thousands with treatment, medication, and x-rays so it is worth getting the highest level of cover you can afford.
We have some hints and tips on healthcare for cats, dogs and small animals on our website 👉 www.gawa.org.uk/animal-advice 👈 which can help you monitor your pet’s wellbeing at home, but this should not be in place of regular visits to the vet.
