Are you thinking about getting a wellness plan for your dog? You're probably wondering if it's worth it and what it includes. Our vets, available throughout Douglasville, will talk about the benefits of wellness plans for your furry friend.
What Is A Wellness Plan for Dogs??
Owning a dog means you want to take the best possible care of it. However, pet care can be quite costly, especially when your dog falls ill or gets injured. A wellness plan can come to your rescue to ease these financial burdens.
A wellness plan requires a modest monthly fee, but it combines all the essential preventive services your dog needs to stay healthy throughout the year.
Grouping these services into a convenient monthly payment plan, it helps you save money and efficiently manage your budget.
What Does a Dog Wellness Plan Cover?
Pet wellness plans and pet insurance have distinct purposes. While pet insurance provides coverage for injury or illness treatments that occur in the future, pet wellness plans focus on routine and preventive care procedures as well as screenings to proactively prevent potential health issues.
Vaccines
Every dog needs core vaccines to protect them from infections and diseases that can harm them, your other pets, and sometimes even humans.
Core vaccines for dogs include canine parvovirus, distemper, canine hepatitis, and rabies, which are the main causes of puppy deaths and can be fatal within days of contracting the diseases. Therefore, getting vaccinated is crucial.
Without a pet wellness care plan, you must pay for each vaccine out of your pocket.
Blood test
Complete blood tests provide valuable information to the vet regarding any irregularities in the dog's blood, which may indicate the need for intervention. If there is a problem, your standard pet insurance policy should cover it. However, the screening itself is only included in extra wellness and preventive care packages.
Heartworm Tests & Prevention
Pet insurance covers the cost of treating heartworm, but you'll need pet wellness insurance for prevention and testing. If you don't have either policy, you'll need to pay for these expenses yourself.
Urinalysis is a regular test that examines urine for chemical abnormalities. It helps in detecting early signs of conditions such as kidney failure and urinary infections. While pet health care plans cover treatment, preventive measures are usually not included.
Fecal Tests, Deworming & Urinalysis
Every year, a fecal test is performed to check for gastrointestinal parasites. In addition, tests for heartworm and tapeworm are conducted to detect these parasites. Treatment might require multiple sessions.
Flea & Tick Prevention
Preventing ticks and fleas offers several options, yet the most common approach is to administer monthly medication to pets to keep them protected.
What Is The Difference Between Pet Insurance And A Wellness Plan?
Wellness plans and pet insurance policies provide advantages, but they have distinct differences. It's crucial to grasp the services covered by each option for your pet's veterinary care. This knowledge ensures you won't face unexpected expenses when visiting the vet or arranging payment for your pet's treatment
What Does A Wellness Plan Cover?
Routine vet care, including microchipping, vaccinations, and dental care, is usually included in wellness plans. These plans aim to assist you in managing the expenses of enhancing and upholding your pet's overall health over time.
What Is Pet Insurance?
Pet insurance covers veterinary expenses for emergencies or illnesses.
Treating illnesses or emergencies for your pet can be costly. Pet insurance assists you financially by covering bills for accidents and covered conditions.
What Does Pet Insurance Cover?
Pet insurance policies vary, but typically they cover medical treatment for illnesses and emergency care needed after accidents. Some policies may additionally provide coverage for prescription medications, the treatment of hereditary and congenital conditions, and orthopedic conditions.
How Do I Choose Which Option To Buy?
Many dog owners choose to have both pet insurance and wellness plans for their dogs to ensure comprehensive protection. However, some prefer to have either one of them. It's important to understand how each option works in order to make the best decision for you and your pet.
If you need assistance in determining the most suitable choice based on your pet's specific needs and concerns, don't hesitate to consult your veterinarian.