Are you thinking about getting a wellness plan for your pet? Our Oakwood vets will discuss wellness plans and why they are beneficial for your pet.
What Is A Pet Wellness Plan?
If you have a pet, you want to take the best care of it, but pet care can be expensive, especially if you get gets sick or injured. A wellness plan can help with these costs.
A wellness plan requires a small amount of payment. It bundles all the preventive services your pet needs to stay healthy throughout the year into a monthly payment plan, helping you save money and manage your budget.
What Does It Cover?
The main difference between pet wellness plans vs. pet insurance is that the latter covers the cost of injury or illness treatments after they happen. On the other hand, pet wellness plans cover routine and preventive care procedures and screenings to avoid potential health issues.
Vaccines
Core vaccines are essential for every pet, as they protect against infections and diseases that can harm your pet. 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.
Without a pet wellness care plan, you'd need to pay for each vaccine out of pocket.
Blood test
Complete blood tests reveal any blood abnormalities in your pet, signaling potential need for intervention. Standard pet insurance should cover any necessary treatments, but the test itself is typically part of additional wellness and prevents care packages.
Heartworm Tests & Prevention
While heartworm treatment is covered by pet insurance, prevention, and tests are covered only by pet wellness insurance.
If you don't have such a policy, you will have to pay out of pocket.
Fecal Tests, Deworming & Urinalysis
Fecal tests are performed annually to check for gastrointestinal parasites. 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
There are a few options for preventing ticks and fleas. But most pets are given monthly medicine to avoid this.
What Is The Difference Between Pet Insurance And A Wellness Plan?
Both wellness plans and pet insurance policies offer benefits, but they are very different. When it comes to your pet's veterinary care, it's important to understand which services your pet is and isn't covered for. That way, you won't be left unexpectedly out of pocket when you visit your vet or need to plan the payment for your pet's care and treatment.
What Does A Wellness Plan Cover?
Wellness plans generally cover routine vet care such as microchipping, vaccinations, and dental care. The primary purpose of these plans is to help you spread out the cost of improving and maintaining the standard of your pet's overall health.
What Is Pet Insurance?
Pet insurance helps cover your pet's veterinary expenses, including emergencies. Treating illnesses like cancer or diabetes and providing emergency care can be costly. Pet insurance offers financial support for accident and illness-related bills covered by the policy.
What Does Pet Insurance Cover?
Policies differ, but generally, pet insurance covers treatment for illnesses and any emergency treatment required after accidents. Some pet insurance policies may also include prescription medications, the treatment of hereditary and congenital conditions, and orthopedic conditions.
How Do I Choose Which Option To Buy?
Pet owners can choose either pet insurance or a wellness plan. Some pet owners opt for one or the other. Understanding these options can help you make the best choice for your pet.
Ask your vet if you would like help deciding what is best for your pet based on their particular needs and concerns.