Clients often spend $200, $300 and even $400 every year on “routine” pet health services such as vaccinations and heartworm prevention; only to compromise on the optimum treatments available when their pet becomes sick or injured. Far too often clients even resort to euthanasia due to costs.
We urge all clients to have their pets insured before anything else. Although it is of course still important to have an annual health check and ideally, prevent diseases that we can vaccinate against and administer heartworm prevention; in actual fact these diseases occur far less than serious accidents and illnesses.
Consider the following:
- Your month old pup is starting to scratch excessively and is diagnosed with atopy. In order to control this severe allergy; costs range from between $500 to $2,000 per year – for life!
- Your month old pup is limping one night. The diagnosis is elbow dysplasia which requires a $1,500 surgery, per side! Plus ongoing medical treatment for life amounting to possibly hundreds of dollars
- Your month old pup has swallowed an object resulting in severe intestinal damage. Treatment could range from $1,200 to $3,000, with no guarantee of a successful outcome
- A lump has appeared for the first time. Cancer treatments commonly cost well over $3,000 to $4,000 for the best options
At Melbourne Bulldog Clinic we advise all our clients:
Get your pets insured first, and do this before you spend any other money on them at all. If after you have your pets insured the budget allows for routine health treatments such as vaccinations or heartworm, then make them a secondary priority.
Pet Insurance Policies:
There are many different pet insurance policies available and these often contain different excesses and conditions. It can be confusing to know which company to choose and what options should be selected and we urge clients to choose carefully. We have no association with any pet insurance companies and don’t recommend any in particular; but are happy to go through some examples which to our understanding; can cost as little as $35 per month (if you opt for a higher excess option).
In order to know exactly what the policy covers and if there are any exemptions (per the insurers terms and conditions); clients will ultimately need to check with the company directly. We have included a few links to insurance companies at the end of this section. The examples that follow are at different ends of the cost spectrum.
Medibank Pet Insurance: www.medibank.com.au/Pet-Insurance
Petplan: www.petplan.com.au
RSPCA Pet Insurance: www.rspcapetinsurance.org.au
Vets Choice Pet Insurance: www.vetschoice.guildinsurance.com.au
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding pet insurance.