Are you prepared for the unexpected?
“But doctor, how much will it cost to treat ‘Lucy’ and get her well again?” And then, “We just do not have the money to pay for the treatment and surgery ‘Lucy’ needs today.” I cannot count the times I watched good people with good intentions painfully utter those words. Sure, there were occasions when an attempt at bargaining was the motivation. But, many times it was the plain truth. I know what you are probably thinking, “Couldn’t you (the vet) perform the treatment on credit?” The answer, of course, is yes, and I did that quite often through the years. However I would never be able to provide this for every client because it would put my practice under too much financial strain. So, it was time to find alternative ways to provide for my patients’ needs.
Enter pet health insurance
The New Oxford American Dictionary defines insurance this way; “a thing providing protection against a possible eventuality.” In this case, the “eventuality” would be unexpected costs for providing pet healthcare. Besides accidents, obviously there are numerous disease conditions with the potential to catch any pet owner financially off-guard.
And, don’t overlook preventive health care…
The true desire of every good veterinarian is to keep pets healthy in the first place. Needless to say, pet owners have the same goal. The problem often comes with poor client compliance. In other words, it’s easy for owners to miss or delay timely visits for routine preventive veterinary care. Having the advantage of pet health insurance coverage for those important preventive measures is a great incentive for making preventive care visits a priority. Now there is a win, win, win proposition. The pet stays healthier. The owner feels good about taking proper care of their pet. And the veterinarian is able to fulfill his commitment to enhance the likelihood of a longer, healthier life of another pet.
Preventive Care Benefits
Yes, vaccines are a part of preventive care, but there is so much more to consider… Most people are required by their employer to have annual physical exams. The average life span of North American human beings born this year is around 78 years. The life expectancy of dogs and cats is only a fraction of that time. This more rapid aging process demands more frequent visits in order to detect and alleviate health problems before it’s too late.
Heart disease, kidney disease, arthritis, and liver disease are examples of conditions that pass through phases. Early detection during an early phase can have a profound effect on long-term outcomes. One of the most under-appreciated preventive measures is dental care for dogs and cats. It’s important to know that annual dental cleanings along with good home dental hygiene has the potential to prevent or lessen the severity of each of the aforementioned conditions often caused by bacterial infections arriving through the bloodstream. In fact, numerous studies have shown a clear link between gum disease and a serious heart condition affecting the heart valves called endocarditis. You can learn about other conditions in dogs and cats here.
Questions to ask before getting pet insurance
A good pet health insurance plan reduces the financial strain of protecting your pet with frequent exams, dental cleanings, and all the preventive measures recommended by your veterinarian.
So, to answer the question in the title, ask yourself these questions…
- Am I likely to have enough cash set aside for my pet to pay for an unexpected accident or illness that could cost $1,000’s to treat?
- Could I benefit from saving each year on the cost of preventive care for my pet?
- Would I be more diligent to keep appointments for my pet’s preventive healthcare if I had pet insurance ?
- Could I pay for treatment of a condition that required long-term treatments and medications for my pet?
- Will it give me peace of mind knowing that I am prepared to provide my pet the best healthcare available?
- Would having pet insurance keep me from ever having to say to my veterinarian, “We just cannot afford to give ‘Lucy’ the treatments she needs to get well?”
Personally, I always recommend looking into pet insurance once you get your beloved pet, even at a young age. I have had clients who did make the choice to take pet health insurance early on in their pets’ lives and they were glad they had it when they needed it most.
So act today and join millions of loving pet parents who protect the health of their pets through quality pet insurance coverage, get your Free Pet Insurance Quote. You’ll be glad you did the very next time you visit your veterinarian whether it be for an illness or for preventive care. Remember win, win, win…
- You’ll enhance the likelihood of a healthier, longer life for your pet.
- You’ll enjoy the satisfaction of providing wellness for your pet, with less stress.
- Veterinarians like me, can better fulfill their desire to provide the best health care for your pet.
Dr. Steve Pearson, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Steve Pearson previously held the position of chief of staff at a corporate veterinary practice for over 5 years and is certified in Veterinary Practice Administration from American Animal Hospital Association. The statements made in this article are the personal opinions of Dr. Pearson and based on independent experiences and could be different from the opinions of PetPremium Pet health Insurance or any other pet health insurance provider.