Pet insurance is a great way to plan ahead for the unexpected. You still have be prepared to pay for the services at the time they are rendered, but reimbursement will be provided once paperwork has been submitted. There are several different companies and plans to consider. You should always read the fine print and consider all options before committing to a certain company. This is a great resource for financial assistance for your pet's care. Some plans even assist with routine wellness care.
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For unprepared times that require financial assistance, there is financing available through Care Credit and Chase Health Advance which offers extended payments with little to no interest rates. The veterinary clinic has to be established with these institutions to accept these financing options, so always check ahead before acquiring these lines of credit. These are great options for those who qualify and can really lighten the burden in an emergency or unexpected procedure.
Some clinics have more options than others. You need to be open and up front with your veterinarian about any financial constraints so that they can assist you the best that they can, as early as they can. Some clinics may have limited funds available for those in need. You may even be able to find an organization in your area that would be willing to help financially support a treatment that has a good chance of a positive outcome. It never hurts to ask.
In the end, if the necessary treatments cannot be administered, we need to choose to relieve the suffering of the pet. A few years back, we had a dog in the clinic that broke its neck. Most would agree that without major medical intervention, euthanasia would be the best outcome to prevent undue suffering. However, this owner was able to send this dog to a specialist, and about $10,000-12,000 later, the dog walked out of the clinic with no long last effects. Not many of us would be able to provide the same treatment if presented with the same scenario. If faced with this decision, realistically, many of us would have to choose euthanasia. It’s a harsh reality that we must face sometimes, but there's not always enough money.
Some clinics have more options than others. You need to be open and up front with your veterinarian about any financial constraints so that they can assist you the best that they can, as early as they can. Some clinics may have limited funds available for those in need. You may even be able to find an organization in your area that would be willing to help financially support a treatment that has a good chance of a positive outcome. It never hurts to ask.
In the end, if the necessary treatments cannot be administered, we need to choose to relieve the suffering of the pet. A few years back, we had a dog in the clinic that broke its neck. Most would agree that without major medical intervention, euthanasia would be the best outcome to prevent undue suffering. However, this owner was able to send this dog to a specialist, and about $10,000-12,000 later, the dog walked out of the clinic with no long last effects. Not many of us would be able to provide the same treatment if presented with the same scenario. If faced with this decision, realistically, many of us would have to choose euthanasia. It’s a harsh reality that we must face sometimes, but there's not always enough money.
In Part 3, we will talk about how to know when is the best time to get a new pet when faced with euthanasia.
