Are you considering purchasing a wellness plan for your pet, but you want to know if it is worth it and what it covers? Our Grenada vets will discuss wellness plans and their benefits to your pet.
What Is A Pet Wellness Plan?
If you've recently adopted a pet, you want to ensure you take good care of it. However, caring for a pet can be quite expensive especially if they become sick or injured. A wellness plan can help you cover those costs.
A wellness plan is an affordable monthly payment plan that covers all the preventive services required to keep your pet healthy throughout the year. By bundling all these services, it helps you save money and keep your budget in check.
What Does It Cover?
Pet wellness plans and pet insurance are two different types of coverage for pets. Pet insurance is designed to cover the cost of treatments for injuries and illnesses after they happen. On the other hand, pet wellness plans are designed to cover routine and preventative care procedures and screenings to help prevent potential health issues.
Vaccines
It is important to make sure that every pet receives core vaccines to protect them from infections or diseases that could harm them, other pets, and even humans. For dogs, the core vaccines are canine parvovirus, distemper, canine hepatitis, and rabies.
For cats, the core vaccines are panleukopenia, feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus type I, and rabies. These diseases are the top causes of death among puppies and kittens, with some succumbing within days of contagion.
Therefore, vaccines are crucial for your pet's health.
If you do not have a pet wellness care plan, you will have to pay for each vaccine out of pocket.
Blood test
When you take your pet to the vet for a check-up, it's important to get a complete blood test done. This test can detect any abnormalities in your pet's blood that might require medical attention.
If an issue is found, your standard pet insurance policy should be able to cover the necessary treatment.
However, it's important to note that the blood test itself is not always included in a standard policy. You may need to purchase additional wellness and preventive care packages to ensure your pet receives the necessary screening.
Heartworm Tests & Prevention
While heartworm treatment is covered by pet insurance, prevention, and tests are covered only by pet wellness insurance.
You must pay out of pocket if you don't have such a policy.
Fecal Tests, Deworming & Urinalysis
It is recommended to perform a Fecal test once a year to check for the presence of gastrointestinal parasites. Similarly, heartworm and tapeworm tests are also conducted to determine their presence. Treatment for these parasites may require multiple sessions over a certain period of time.
Urinalysis is a regular test that examines the chemical composition of the urine. This test is important as it helps detect diseases like kidney failure and urinary infections at an early stage. While pet healthcare plans may cover treatment costs, preventive measures are usually not included.
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 crucial to comprehend which services your pet is and isn't covered for. This way, you won't be caught off guard and left with unexpected out-of-pocket expenses when you visit your vet or need to plan the payment for your pet's care and treatment.
What Does A Wellness Plan Cover?
Routine vet care, such as microchipping, vaccinations, and dental care, is generally covered by wellness plans. These plans aim to help you spread out the cost of improving and maintaining your pet's overall health.
What Is Pet Insurance?
Pet insurance takes care of any veterinary bills if your pet requires emergency veterinary care.
Treating an illness such as cancer or diabetes, or emergency treatment, can become very expensive. Pet insurance provides you with financial help to pay the bills for accidents and conditions covered by your pet's insurance policy.
What Does Pet Insurance Cover?
Pet insurance policies usually cover treatment for illnesses and emergency care after accidents. Some policies may also include prescription medications, treatment for hereditary and congenital conditions, and orthopedic care. However, policies may vary, so it's important to read and understand the terms of your particular policy carefully.
How Do I Choose Which Option To Buy?
Some pet owners choose to have both pet insurance and wellness plans for their pets, while others prefer one or the other. Understanding the differences between these two options and their benefits is important to make an informed decision that best suits your pet's needs.
If you are unsure which option is right for your pet, consulting with your veterinarian is always a good idea. They can provide guidance based on your pet's specific needs and concerns.