The cost associated with veterinary care is a contentious issue for pet owners and veterinary professionals alike. It is common to hear a pet owner say that vet bills are too expensive, although we almost never hear why. Veterinarians, on the other hand, are grateful for the recent advancements in treatment options and spend many years training to provide them, but spend much of their career being told their services are too expensive. So why is it that many pet owners feel as if their ???vet bills are too expensive???, and what can Petplan do to help.
The long and short of it is that, over the last ten years there have been advancements in veterinary science that have enabled more testing and procedure options. Those testing and procedure options are expensive and so is the time that it takes to perform them. The quality of the treatments available is comparative to that a human receives and veterinary clinics provide it at a margin of the cost. There is no government subsidy for your pet???s health care ??? so the person responsible for the animal is required to fund that care.
The advanced testing and treatment options have also increased the complexity of what used to be a simple procedure as they can now involve:
- X-rays, blood tests, biopsy and organ function tests
- A variety of anaesthesia and pain killers
- A stay in an animal hospital (which may include nursing and observation)
- Vital organ monitoring
- Medications and the Intravenous Drip installation
- Surgery, performed by your veterinarian or a specialist who is especially called upon for their particular skills like orthopaedic and ophthalmic etc.
- Chemotherapy to treat all forms of cancers.
- MRI scanning
- The use of surgical equipment
- The surgery site, staff, overheads and lighting
- Post operation care, including heating pads, more testing and hospitalisation
- Then finally a post-operative veterinary check up and take home medication.
Really when a pet owner is faced with a larger veterinary bill than they??expected and cannot afford there are very little options available. This is one of the main reasons why Petplan Australia recommends activating your pet insurance policy when you first take your pet home. Petplan is the only pet insurance company in Australia that offers genuine ???*Covered for Life??? pet insurance. If your pet develops a chronic, re-occurring or life long illness that will require expensive treatment and medication for the rest of their life, you know that Petplan???s ???Covered for Life??? policy will be there for the long haul. This means that the costs of expensive veterinary procedures will be covered to the extent of your policy.
*(Covered for Life provided the policy is renewed without a gap in cover).
This Blog was written by the furry family at??Petplan Pet Insurance??&??Petplan Equine??Australia. We love pets and ??people who love pets!??We offer pet Insurance for Dogs, Cats, Horses & Ponies (including third party liability; horse floats, saddlery & tack). We specialise in ???covered for life??? dog insurance, cat insurance and equine insurance. Please visit us on??facebook??or on our??website.
