Health care isn’t only expensive for humans — plenty of people walk out of the veterinarian’s office feeling like they just had a hand grenade lobbed at their bank account.
In fact, dog owners spent an average of $235 on routine veterinary care last year, and cat owners, $196, according to the American Pet Products Association’s latest annual survey, conducted in 2015. If there’s surgery involved, those numbers shoot up to $551 for dog owners and $398 for cat owners.
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Part of being a responsible pet owner involves taking your furry friend to the veterinarian, and you know that. Still, even the most conscientious pet owners shouldn’t beat themselves up for wanting to find a cheaper way to get good health care for Fido or Fluffy. You wouldn’t think less of yourself if you were looking for a cheaper health plan for you or your family, would you?
With that in mind, here are some guilt-free strategies for scoring savings on your pet’s health care.
Find a low-cost veterinarian. Let’s begin with the most obvious starting point. Consider calling local veterinarians to compare what they charge for office visits. You could also visit the Humane Society’s website and search for a cheaper alternative. It lists national organizations that offer financial assistance to pet owners, and some Humane Society chapters offer low-cost veterinary care.
Abbie Sheridan, a public relations executive, takes her dog, Batman, to a Humane Society clinic in New York City and is only charged $40 per visit; a little more, she says, on weekends. A typical vet visit can easily range from $50 to $100, and more if there’s medicine involved.
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Look for coupons. Last Fourth of July, Sheridan’s dog, a supposed Chihuahua-terrier mix, freaked out after a fireworks display. It was, Sheridan says, “a seizure-like reaction.”
So Sheridan rushed her dog to an emergency vet that night, and since the Humane Society was 50 blocks away, she looked for something closer. She wound up on Yelp.com, where she found a voucher for a vet who promised $100 worth of services for $75. These coupons tend to be for new customers, but if you’re seeking a new vet or need one in a jam, these special offers may be helpful to search for. (Batman, it turned out, had suffered a severe bout of anxiety.)
On the other hand, such coupons may not offer a bargain after all. Batman’s exam cost $99. For Sheridan to use that coupon, she discovered she’d need to buy something else. She opted for flea and tick medicine.
Buy your pet medicine online. Speaking of pet meds, you might be able to find better deals online than in your brick-and-mortar vet office. Explore sites like 1800PetMeds.com, PetCareRX, DrsFosterSmith.com and even Amazon, when appropriate.
You’ll need a prescription for your pet’s medication, and while it may feel awkward telling your vet that you want to get your pet’s meds through an online pharmacy, odds are, they’ve had this conversation before.
“Veterinarians are required to write prescriptions if the client asks for one,” says Judy Morgan, a Woodstown, New Jersey-based veterinarian who specializes in holistic medicine.
For added savings, buy any meds your pet takes regularly in bulk, advises Ashley Jacobs, founder and CEO of SittingForACause.com, a database of pet sitters.
Research your pet’s vaccines. Your pet needs to be vaccinated, of course, but you don’t have to blindly follow your veterinarian’s advice, Morgan says.
“Many people blindly go to a veterinarian or low-cost vaccine clinic every year and have their pets loaded up with every vaccine on the menu because it’s a package deal,” says Morgan, who also has written books on pet care and blogs about pets at DrJudyMorgan.com. “However, the core vaccines — distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and rabies — actually last for a minimum of three years, and the AVMA [American Veterinary Medical Association] and AAHA [American Animal Hospital Association] recommend giving them no more often than every three years. However, over 50 percent of veterinarians still push annual vaccinations.”
Morgan says that some veterinarians tend to recommend vaccines that some pets don’t need, since the animals almost never leave their own home.
“If your pet does not go to the dog park, day care, groomer or boarding kennel, there is no reason to give Leptospirosis, influenza and Bordetella vaccines,” she says.
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Don’t skimp on at-home wellness checks. Prevention is important for humans and pets alike.
“Do routine exams on your pet on your own. Feel for any lumps or bumps, make sure their eyes look clear, and check their teeth and gums to make sure everything looks normal,” Jacobs says.
“Doing exams like this can help identify potential issues early on, helping you save money on issues that can become more costly the longer they persist,” she says.
But don’t skip the annual exam, Morgan cautions, echoing Jacobs’ thinking.
“The veterinarian may find problems that are in the early stages and can be treated before they become big, expensive problems,” Morgan says.
And if that happens, your pet won’t be the only one who’s sick.
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How to Get Affordable — and High-Quality — Health Care for Your Pet originally appeared on usnews.com
