If you have a pet, you likely consider them a part of the family. Animals bring a lot of color and joy to your life, and having them around gives you a new outlook on life. You get new responsibilities, but you are also provided with a type of fun people who don’t own pets will never experience. If you have kids, then you’re also aware of the many important life lessons a furry friend can teach. Patience, trust and compassion are just a few of them, and while children benefit from having pets around, animals, in return, experience the benefits of having someone around that’s always full of energy and ready to play.
However, a pet should always be seen as a living being in your care. They depend entirely on you, meaning that you should ensure they get only the best treatment. One of the most important aspects is proper health care that provides your pet lives a long, comfortable life. However, medical treatments can sometimes be expensive. Is pet insurance the key to avoiding these costs? Let’s analyze it in more detail.
Average care costs
Pet healthcare is expensive, with the annual costs allocated for routine care averaging between $200 and $400 for dogs and $90 to $200 for cats. However, should your pet experience any disease or injury, you’ll have to pay much more. In the case of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, the costs necessary to confirm the diagnosis amount to a few hundreds of dollars, while the price of treatment, which your pet will have to take for their entire life, can also amount to nearly $400 per year. Surgery is a common expense as well. Many dog breeds suffer from hip dysplasia, and the replacement procedure costs as much as $7000 per hip.
Insurance coverage
When choosing an adequate pet insurance, you get a wide range of coverage depending on your insurer. You should make sure to pick a dog insurance that fits your budget and needs for new, unexpected care.Â
Insurance may also cover regular care such as blood tests and orthodontic treatment. When done regularly, these procedures can help diagnose disease in your dog in its incipient stages so that it can be cured efficiently. In the case of surgery, the hospitalization costs are covered, so you don’t have to worry about extra fees if your four-legged friend has to spend a longer amount of time recovering after surgery.
The bottom line
Since you consider your pet an integral part of your family, you should want them to have the same care the rest of your family does, meaning that health insurance is necessary. When you choose to get a health plan for your pet, you’re sure to notice the payoff in time for both your pet’s well-being and your finances.