Short post/rant:

Get pet insurance, yes it sucks, I agree.  Insurance in general sucks but it saves headaches at the end of the day.  It gives you piece of mind that you’ll be able to pay for the life saving surgery or necessary medications.  It helps us as veterinarians use all the tools at our disposal to do the best job we possibly can.  There are many ways to make this happen, check at time of adoption or ask your vet at the puppy or kitten appointments.

Knowing what to expect is half the battle.  It never ceases to amaze me when someone goes out and buys a designer breed at some “high end” breeder for thousands of dollars and then battles me to run a $50 fecal test.  Check out this insurance site here, I think it is a pretty cool infographic on what to expect!

There are some clinics that offer health plans. These are also pretty nifty, the owner pays a monthly fee and has all the years services included in it usually at a discount.

I’m not sure what else to add! Again no one loves the thought of paying insurance, but if we are being honest with ourselves there is a good chance that we will be cashing in on these policies, be it a puppy that swallows a toy and needs x-rays and surgery or a dog that develops arthritis or a cat with diabetes and requires testing and lifelong medication.