Are you considering purchasing a dog or cat wellness plan but you want to know if it is worth it, and what it covers? Our Statesboro vets will discuss wellness plans and why they are beneficial for your pet.
What Is A Pet Wellness Plan?
Now that you have a pet you want to care for it the best that you can, but pet care can be very expensive especially if your pet becomes sick or injured. A wellness plan can help with those costs.
A wellness plan is inexpensive each month, but it "groups" all of the preventive services you need to keep your pet healthy throughout the year into a monthly payment plan, allowing you to save money and manage your budget.
What Does It Cover?
The primary distinction between pet wellness plans and pet insurance is that the latter pays for injury or illness treatments after they occur. Pet wellness plans, on the other hand, cover routine and preventive care procedures and screenings to avoid potential health issues.
Vaccines
Core vaccines must be given to every pet to ensure that they will not catch infections or diseases that could harm them, your other pets, and sometimes even humans.
For dogs, core vaccines are canine parvovirus, distemper, canine hepatitis, and rabies. For cats, core vaccines are panleukopenia, feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus type I, and rabies. These diseases are the leading causes of death in puppies and kittens, and some within days of contagion. So, vaccines are essential.
If you don’t have a pet wellness care plan you’d need to pay out of pocket for each vaccine.
Blood test
Complete blood tests will inform the vet about any abnormalities in the pet’s blood that might indicate a necessary intervention. If there is an issue, your standard pet insurance policy should be able to cover it. But the screening itself is only included in additional wellness and preventive care packages.
Heartworm Tests & Prevention
While heartworm treatment is covered by pet insurance, only pet wellness insurance covers prevention and testing.
If you don’t have such a policy, you will have to pay out of pocket.
Fecal Tests, Deworming & Urinalysis
A Fecal test is performed once per year to determine if any gastrointestinal parasites are present. Similarly to this are the heartworm and tapeworm tests to determine if these parasites are present. This may require several treatments over some time.
Urinalysis is a routine test that scans for chemicals in the urine. This is done because we want early detection of diseases like kidney failure and urinary infections. While pet health care plans will cover the treatment, preventive measures are typically excluded.
Flea & Tick Prevention
Some veterinary clinics may offer flea and tick prevention as part of their wellness plans. Often this is not included as monthly prevention medication is typically recommended. Speak with your vet to learn more about what may be included in a wellness plan for your pet.
What Is The Difference Between Pet Insurance And A Wellness Plan?
Both wellness plans and pet insurance policies provide benefits, but they are not the same. When it comes to your pet's veterinary care, it's critical to understand what services are and aren't covered. That way, you won't be caught off guard when you go to the vet or need to budget for your pet's care and treatment.
What Is Pet Insurance?
Pet insurance takes care of any veterinary bills if your pet requires emergency veterinary care.
Treatment for illnesses such as cancer or diabetes and emergency care can be prohibitively expensive. Pet insurance helps you pay the bills for accidents and conditions covered by your pet's insurance policy.
What Does Pet Insurance Cover?
Policies vary, but in general, pet insurance covers illness treatment as well as any emergency treatment required after an accident. Some pet insurance policies may also cover prescription medications, hereditary and congenital conditions, and orthopedic conditions.
How Do I Choose Which Option To Buy?
Some pet owners purchase both pet insurance and wellness plans to ensure their pet's complete protection, while others choose only one. Understanding how each of these options works can help you and your pet decide which is the best option for you and your pet.
Ask your vet if you would like help deciding what is best for your pet based on their particular needs and concerns.
