The High Cost of Pet Care
Pets enrich our lives in so many ways. I know my two cats are part of the family. I’ve always considered our furry and feathered friends to be simply little people. So when I am faced with an expensive trip to the vet I border on insane when some uncaring colleague who “doesn’t get it” says something truly uncaring like “it’s JUST a cat”. Sorry Charlie, 
but for many of us our pets have earned a seat at the table (metaphorically speaking) in our families. A recent unexpected late night trip to the animal hospital reminded me once again just how expensive it can get to care for our loved ones.
Even if you acquire your furry friend for free from a rescue or friend, the cost of their regular, ongoing care is something you need to factor into your budget. According to the ASPCA, pet care costs for the first year of ownership can range from $800-$1600 for a dog (depending on size) and just over $700 for a cat. These figures include basic necessities for care and not any additional medical care your new baby might need.
Where the big bucks really show up is in the unexpected medical care or diagnostic services that tend to creep up as your pet ages. Since most people do not purchase any sort of pet insurance for their animals, an unexpected trip to the vet can be as shocking as if you headed out for medical care yourself without any medical insurance. It is best to be sitting down when you get the bill.
That being said, veterinarians are medical professionals and spend many years and reams of money to be licensed and properly educated to care for your loved ones. They have large overhead costs associated with facilities and equipment to provide you with a standard of excellent care. And, they have a business to run which needs to make a profit just like all other healthcare professionals. So, all things considered they provide a lot of service for a fraction of what it costs to do the same procedures on people.
One way you can manage your out of pocket expenditures caring for your pet is by purchasing pet insurance. Insurance is offered by private companies like VPI Pet Insurance, the ASPCA, and PetCare. As you might expect, you pay a monthly fee and then when you take your cat or dog to the vet, you pay the vet, submit a claim form and the insurance company pays the standard allowance for the services performed (to you directly). Each plan differs in its cost to you and what it reimburses so you need to be a savvy shopper and compare plans. Pet Insurance Review is one website that will allow you to do that. Some plans offer coverage for routine care, others only provide reimbursement for illness or injury. As with anything insurance related, there are exclusions and limitations on who is insurable and what is covered.
I personally haven’t chosen to go the pet insurance route (at least not yet). Luckily for me I’ve never had a bill over $1,000 and I’ve just sucked it up and considered part of life’s little unexpected expenses. I love my cats and wouldn’t trade them for the world so I don’t think twice about truly required care and ongoing preventative care. Although I’m not sure I would spend thousands on my pet if it wasn’t likely to extend their life in a quality way. Without a quality of life, what’s the point?? I believe that to be true for humans too.
So, next time you ask the question “How much is that doggy/kitty in the window/shelter/breeder/rescue?” remember to factor in the total cost of caring for your companion. With a lot of love and regular care, pets will enrich your life far in excess of any money outlays you may need to make.
Good point! People really don’t talk about this so much, but the cost of larger pets like cats or dogs can really add up. Even if you’re not buying insurance for your pet, the cost in food and accessories alone can be significant.
I got a puppy about a year and a half ago. A few months into my puppy’s life, he had a seizure. It scared the hell out of me. I got pet insurance immediately after. I feel a lot more secure knowing I have the insurance, no matter what health problems may show up in the future.
My Shi Tzu has allergies. I’m not kidding – I’m supposed to take him to a doggie dermatologist.
AND MY PEKINGNESE NEEDS A FACELIFT. Seriously. His skin sags over his nose so he can’t breathe.
I got both dogs when I lived in China for something like $40 total, and it only cost me another $100 to bring them back over here. Over the next three years, they cost me well over $3000 in emergency and normal vet bills. And there’s more to come, which makes me weep to think of it. But, darn it, they are so cute that I guess if they needed Botox, I’d get it for them.
I recently visited family in WA. They told me about a program they have there low interest loans to pay high Vet bills. I believe it was called CARE. They had all used it from my cousin whose dachsund sat up and ruptured a disk in his back and was paralized ($4,000 but he was running around the room 2 weeks after surgery). To the cat hit by a car 2 broken hind legs all internal organs pushed up into the chest and a broken front paw (6,000 on that one but she runs jumps and plays so everything appears ok on her too). Anyone ever heard of this organization? I couldn’t find anything on the internet so far.
I couldn’t agree more about the importance of pet insurance.
The advent of pet insurance has really helped to reduce “economic euthanasia”. It’s sad when pet owners have to put their pet down due to the inability to pay for high veterinary bills. Now for less than what many people pay for cable television each month, a pet can be protected from most ailments.
It’s vitally important to research policies, however, as pet insurance policies are not the same as human health insurance policies. Many customer complaints are due to being mis-informed about terms used in many policies. It’s really important to research before you purchase to make sure you have the coverage you desire. I recently found a site, http://www.thebestpetinsurance.com that has some valuable information when researching a policy and determining whom to purchase one from.
Best wishes all!