Veterinary bills can be quite high, not unlike healthcare for humans. One option is to buy pet health insurance, which can help you manage unexpected expenses.
Domestic pets have gone through changes over the years from being a part of the family to actually being family.
Now, ads on television and in print highlight dogs saying "Mom, I like this food best!"
In a world in turmoil, especially dogs and cats, become our children who don't talk back or beg for expensive toys, and do provide companionship, love and exercise.
Like human health insurance, pets now need insurance for routine visits and specialized treatment as they age-just like us.
Common claims and quick payment
One company, Trupanion, has helped more than 3.9 million cats and dogs receive care, which represents over 14.5 million veterinarian bills paid.
The most common dog conditions seen include: allergies and ear infections for $277.3 million; diarrhea, $114.8 million; limping, $143 million; mass lesions, $260.4 million; and, vomiting $136.3 million.
For cats, it's vomiting, $33.8 million; renal failure, $17.3 million; diarrhea, $11.2 million; diabetes, $11.2 million; and, hyperthyroidism, $7.5 million.
The company says there are no limits on annual payouts, per-condition lifetime payouts. Trupanion offers a payment system called VetDirect Pay enabling vets to be paid directly at checkout.
If you have pets like reptiles, ferrets, or fish, Trupanion does not provide insurance for them.
Pedigree animals present a singular challenge
If you have breeds that are bred for certain characteristics like herding or pulling sleds, you are often confronted with inbred medical problems.
For instance, the Alaskan Malamute is at risk for some genetic diseases, including hip dysplasia, a genetic deformity of the hip socket that may require costly surgery to correct and can lead to arthritis later on in life.
My brother Jim and his wife Ruth have Manx cats named Tazz and Poppy.
These cats are bred for their tailless or partially tailed appearance, round heads, full cheeks, and large expressive eyes that are appealing.
Both Manxes have developed illnesses-Poppy has irritable bowel syndrome, and Tazz has kidney issues and a heart murmur.
They had Nationwide insurance, which they said was great until the company dropped pet insurance about three years ago, they then moved to Embrace.
"It costs about $90 a month for both of them, and it includes accidents and illness with a $250 deductible and $5,000 max reimbursement," Jim said. "An added expense is specialized prescription diets both have for their problems."
And Tazz has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, passed down from his mother, that requires a visit to a veterinarian cardiologist.
"But if your pet has preexisting conditions no insurance company will cover it," he said.
"We wonder sometimes if it makes more sense to save the insurance money and put it into a bank account," said Ruth. But they have come to no conclusion yet.
"I would encourage people to talk to the person at the front desk in charge of billing and ask which companies are the most prompt in paying and have the best deals," Ruth said.
