A pet consuming a foreign object can lead to serious vet bills. When a foreign object reaches the intestinal tract, pets are likely to experience pain, bloating, vomiting, and lethargy. Emergency surgery is recommended whenever this happens; the object may cause blockage in the intestine and lead to death.
Why would pet insurance help? Pet owners may be covered for partial or full treatment costs, but just how bad does it have to be to require pet insurance? Here are six common health issues that could surprise you with a high price tag. They may just warrant the need for pet insurance.
The diagnosis and treatment for laryngeal paralysis depend heavily on the severity of the condition. For more serious cases, surgery is required to tie back the collapsed muscles and cartilage. Pets may also require medication for the remainder of their lives. These expenses can range from $1,000 up to $3,500.
Laryngeal paralysis takes place when the muscles surrounding a pet’s larynx or voice box are weakened. The nerves break down and cartilage collapses, either due to aging or a genetic predisposition. Pets will experience minimal pain, but often deal with shortage of breath or a persistent cough.
Surgery may not be necessary to fix disc disease in a pet because some minor disc injuries or slips will self-correct over time. However, when the condition progresses, veterinarians suggest surgery to take place as soon as possible to avoid paralysis. Depending on the treatment, pet owners could pay between $1,500 and $4,000.
Paying for dog surgery: 6 options
One of the most popular ways to cover your dog against major vet bills is to purchase a pet insurance policy. These health insurance policies for pets cover many of the medical costs associated with wellness visits, illnesses, and injuries in exchange for your monthly premium. Some policies are charged directly by the vet, whereas others require you to pay the veterinary bills upfront then request reimbursement.
The coverages, deductibles, and premiums vary for pet insurance companies, so it makes sense to compare pricing before making your purchase. Some of the best pet insurance companies include Healthy Paws, Embrace, and ASPCA.
Pet parents who need a little time paying for their dogs health care might want to consider a credit card with a 0% APR promotion on purchases. This allows you to charge the medical care on your card today, and then pay it off over time without incurring interest charges.
Purchase promotions can be a better choice than balance transfers because you can earn rewards on the transaction. Credit cards with longer-than-average purchase promotions include the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card and the Chase Freedom Flex℠. The Diamond Preferred offers a 0% intro APR on new purchases for 12 months (then 17.24% – 27.99% (variable)), and the Chase Freedom Flex offers a 0% intro APR on new purchases for 15 months (then 18.74% to 27.49% (variable)). You can also check out our picks for the best 0% APR credit cards if you’re interested in comparing options.
Having an emergency fund large enough to cover three to six months of expenses is a popular financial strategy. These funds are there when you need them to handle unexpected expenses such as home and auto repairs or veterinary care. When something bad happens, you could opt to use your savings to pay for emergency vet bills rather than go into debt to cover the expense. Emergency funds should be in an account that is easily accessible and earns an above-average interest rate, like from an online savings account.
Many veterinary offices partner with financial services companies to offer financial assistance to pet owners having trouble paying the bill. Dog owners often use these companies to cover larger expenses like emergency surgery and hospitalization, the deductible on pet insurance, or treatments not covered by insurance.
Although you do need to qualify for veterinary financing as with any other loan, the approval rates could potentially be higher. CareCredit is a popular choice for vets and pet owners. It offers no-interest financing on charges of $200 or more for terms of six to 24 months. Longer terms from 24 to 60 months with interest rates in the mid-teens are available for larger purchases
Personal loans can be used to cover any expenses, including the care of your pet. These tend to be unsecured, which means theyre not attached to any assets, such as your home or vehicle. With a personal loan, you have a fixed payment for a set period of time. At the end of your loan term, your debt will be paid off. Using a personal loan could help you spread out the repayment of the cost of your dog surgery over several years. This makes the cost of any procedure much easier on your budget. If you’re interested in going this route, check out our picks for the best personal loans.
When youve been a good customer with your vet, it may be possible for it to extend a payment plan. These payment plans tend to be relatively informal agreements, in which youll pay a set amount each month until the bill is covered. Because the vet is fronting the money for the procedure, payment plan terms might be shorter than what you’d get with a loan or 0% APR promotion.
Not all vets offer this arrangement, and not all clients would be eligible. However, before signing up for a loan that may charge interest, ask your vet whether it offers a payment plan.
Why is dog surgery so expensive?
Vet care costs have increased because of the rising prices for drug and pharmaceutical products, while new technologies and the latest medical equipment are more expensive, explained Mark Rosati, assistant director of media relations for the American Veterinary Medical Association,over email.
THE Most EXPENSIVE DOG BREEDS In The World
Unfortunately, there’s no NHS for dogs. If your dog has an accident or gets sick, you’ll need to pay for diagnosis and treatment at the vet
Vets can be very expensive. For unscheduled trips to the vet, you’ll usually need to pay a consultation fee, plus the cost of any required treatment, medication or surgery.
Vets’ fees aren’t regulated or standardised in the UK, so they can charge what they like. Each vets’ practice’s price list will be different and determined by factors such as location, staff costs and overheads. Prices will also be influenced by the breed and size of dog you have (bigger dogs cost more to treat), and the treatment he or she needs.
Many pet owners have pet insurance. The right insurance policy for your dog will cover some, or all, of the cost of any vet treatment your dog needs. However, most policies will have limits per claim, per condition, or per year. In most cases you’ll be required to pay part of the claim – this is called the ‘excess’.
Tesco Bank, which sells pet insurance, looked at its claims data to determine average prices for common conditions that affect dogs.
Its research included looking at the most expensive claims for some ongoing conditions. For a large dog (over 20kg) these included:Swipe to scroll horizontally
However, the Scratch and Patch pet insurance survey 2020 cited two claims much higher than these figures – reaching more than £15,000. One was for a Cavachon with a fluxating patella and the other for a Rataneiro de Bodega requiring surgery on collapsed disks in its neck.
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) also has examples of the following insurance claims that would make your eyes water if you had to foot the vet’s bill yourself:
According to Direct Line, neurology and nervous system disorders are typically the most expensive vet fee claims. These include epileptic seizures and spinal conditions such as disc prolapse. These typically cost £1,125 to treat.
You should expect to pay more at the vet if your dog needs surgery rather than just medication. If you have a large dog, or ‘giant’ breed, surgery can cost up to twice as much due to the higher doses of anaesthetic and medication needed.
Not all vets display their price list online but one that does is Abington Park Referrals in Northampton which specialises in orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery, internal medicine, oncology and diagnostic imaging.
These fees are estimates for uncomplicated surgical procedures and include initial consultation, x-rays, surgery, hospitalisation for one night, initial courses of pain relief and antibiotics. Any complications could mean additional surgery hospitalisation or medication, incurring extra costs.
Emma Lunn is an award-winning freelance financial journalist who specialises in money and consumer affairs. She has more than 17 years’ experience writing for national newspapers, trade and consumer magazines, and specialist websites. She has a particular interest in writing about property and mortgages, and enjoys explaining complex issues in an easy-to-understand way.