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NewsMONEY SAVING TIP – KEEPING VET BILLS DOWN
MONEY SAVING TIP – KEEPING VET BILLS DOWN

MONEY SAVING TIP – KEEPING VET BILLS DOWN

Tags: Tips and Tricks
Last updated by Kayley Harris on

One area of life that can quickly put a hole in your budget is your pets. 

6 months ago my family adopted a beautiful old Labrador called Bella. She is 14 and has significant arthritis issues.

Anyone who has ever owned a lab will agree that they will eat anything. I try to monitor what she eats but my dear old mum often takes pity on her and feeds her treats during the day whilst I’m at work.

Last week while we were at the dog park, Bella seemed to be having trouble moving. It was cold and had been raining but she was clearly struggling so we went straight to the vet.

The problem was clear, Bella is overweight and by losing some kilo’s, she will be able to move more freely and be out of pain. Here’s the cost:

  • $230 for a bag of special dry diet food
  • $38 x 4 for weekly injections to ease the pain
  • $40 for daily pain tablets.
  • $28 for a teeth cleaning kit because her breath stinks!

Then we come to the horse. Monty came to our family on the same day as Bella. My teenage daughter has been riding for 8 years and begging me to buy her a horse for 7 years and 28 days.

After resisting all these years, Monty came onto our radar. My daughter had heard about him and when he went up for sale, he ticked all the boxes…well nearly all the boxes. He is gentle, well trained and just the perfect height for her. He is also a wind-sucker.

For non-horsey people, that’s a habitual behaviour involving repeated arching of the neck and sucking in and swallowing air. It gives him a high….so it’s very difficult to get them to stop. We’ve tried collars and foul-tasting stuff on the fence but he still does it all day long.

How does this cost me money I hear you ask? Wind-sucking leads to teeth being ground down. Monty has virtually no top teeth left and 3 of his bottom teeth are worn down to the nerve and he needs to have those teeth out… now.

I’ve booked the equine dentist and by the time, dear member, you are reading this, Monty will be in the chair having them out. I’ll also be mortgaging the house to pay for it. Estimates are around $300 per tooth plus antibiotics and vet fee so I’m expecting around $1500.

Moving forward Monty will need special food as he will no longer be able to bite grass in the paddock.

Which brings me to the cats… Spooky and Toffee. Both are rescue cats. Spooky we think is around 15 and in reasonably good health apart from a bit of feline dementia…she often walks into a corner and doesn’t know how to get out.

Toffee is a ginger cat and anyone who has ever owned a “ranga” will know they are very temperamental and accident prone. Toffee has fallen out of trees and been in more fights than I can remember. He also had what the vet called a “misadventure” requiring his tail to be removed, involving a cost of $1500 about a year ago.

So how can you save money at the vet? Here’s what I’ve learnt…

Check out local rescue groups and shelters
They often offer low-cost vaccinations and procedures including desexing.

Shop around
Vet prices vary widely. It often depends on their location.

Look for cheaper prescriptions
Look at some of the online stores. Sometimes the prices will be higher if you buy directly from your vet.

Charitable Organizations
If you are still having trouble, there are several agencies that help with life-saving care including the RSPCA and the Animal Welfare League.

Pet Insurance*

Pet insurance is still a relatively new product in comparison to other insurance, it’s still in its infancy and there’s a lot of new players coming into the market. Dogs and cats can usually be insured once they are eight weeks old.

Pooch policy costs are based on the species, breed and age of the pet whereas cats are classed as all the same. The location of the pet’s home is also important and then it comes down to the type of cover and amount of excess the owner selects.

Talk To Your Vet

Let the vet know you're on a tight budget, and she/he may offer to help you with free samples, discounted services or a payment plan. But bottom line: your vet can't help you if you don't make them aware of your need. So, don't hesitate to talk about the financial side of the visit. Talking money doesn't mean you love your pet any less. It just means you're financially responsible. 

Take Advantage of Specials

People doctors may not run specials, but many vets do. If you're shopping around for a new vet, ask if they offer a new patient discount and/or a multi-pet discount. If you already have a vet that you're happy with, find out if they ever run a deal on dental cleanings or other preventative care services. My vet recently had a special on dental for a whole month!

Saving Money With Horses

Don’t bother – they are born to kill and injure themselves – just don’t buy one!

 

*FiftyUp Club Pty Ltd (ACN 166 905 175) is a Corporate Authorised Representative (AR number 465649) of One Big Switch Pty Ltd (ACN 150 963 474) who holds its own Australian Financial Services License (AFSL 455982) and can provide you with factual information and general advice only, that does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs.

Originally posted on .

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MONEY SAVING TIP – KEEPING VET BILLS DOWN

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Diana
Diana from NSW commented:

If Toffee had been kept indoors with an indoor toilet it would have prevented any fights and accidents. Some councils insist that all cats be kept indoors and have hefty fines if they find one roaming about. The other thing is that when a cat defecates outside any children playing in that area can become very ill indeed. I have an 11 yr old cat who has never gone outside and she is very happy - has a tunnel full of toys and a heated pet pad for snoozing upon and two indoor loos which I clean every day. Diana nsw. 

Vicki
Vicki from QLD commented:

I like others in this list of comments, also had Petsure top coverage for my Poodle. When she was rushed to emergency operation for her rupshured anal gland, (yes not pleasant for her on both cheeks too!) Petsure insurance didn't cover as it wasn't an emergency. I cancelled and now auto transfer $50 a week into a dog insurance bank account that gains interest. So there is money there if I ever need it for her. Should of started this years ago, the money I waisted on pet insurance! 

margaret
margaret from NSW replied to Vicki:

Yep, much earlier. I suggest that as a cat or dog is very much part of the family and indeed many treat them as another child (Oh dear) one should start paying them a small amount of pocket money each week (fortnight) and give them their own bank account. This money should increase by a small amount each year and and is there to help out with medical expenses which usually come at the least convenient time. You may not withdraw the full amount of the vet bill however there are times when being able to access an extra $50 or $100 really helps. The money will never be enough for huge bills however the majority of pet owners do not have bills of many thousands and anyway, the money is always yours no matter what. 

Noraini
Noraini from QLD commented:

I have 2 horses, and have to disagree with your horse comment. If they are purchased in good health and trained properly, as a rule, they generally won't injure themselves. It's all in the training and how they react to the things that happen in the human world... again. its in their training. :) 

Diana
Diana from NSW commented:

Did you know that most councils have a law which does not allow for cats to be outside and if they catch them it costs $300. For their safety's sake, they should be kept indoors with indoor toilets. The other thing is that when cats defecate outdoors children who play in the area can pick up a nasty disease. If kept indoors your ginger moggy would not get into fights or fall out of trees. 

Someone
Someone from TAS commented:

Claim some costs back via Medicare from your vet thats if there are any vets about that would or could do this!!! 

Annette
Annette from QLD commented:

I had Medibank Pet Insurance (accident only) for 6 years and had never made a claim. My dog at age 6 accidentally took a very small amount of rat poison and so I took him to an emergency vet - cost $450. Medibank wouldn't pay as they said it was considered a disease not an accident! They told me that if it was a snake bite, that would be considered an accident, but not cane toads or rat poison! I immediately cancelled my pet insurance and now just put the money aside. 

Casey
Casey from VIC commented:

Don't even THINK of getting pet insurance for any dental treatment! I took "premium"pet insurance out for the dog but not the two cats (the cats live at home, the dog goes out into the wild, wonderful world). When the dog needed dental treatments that topped $1200, imagine my shock when the pet insurance company rejected my claim. Well yeah, I guess I SHOULD have read - and memorized - all 32 pages of the book, which was mostly exclusions. Yes, there it was: "... exclusion, exclusion, exclusion, exclusion, exclusion, exclusion, dental, exclusion, exclusion, etc". Silly me. Now, I self-insure. 

Casey
Casey from VIC commented:

Don't even THINK of getting pet insurance for any dental treatment! I took "premium"pet insurance out for the dog but not the two cats (the cats live at home, the dog goes out into the wild, wonderful world). When the dog needed dental treatments that topped $1200, imagine my shock when the pet insurance company rejected my claim. Well yeah, I guess I SHOULD have read - and memorized - all 32 pages of the book, which was mostly exclusions. Yes, there it was: "... exclusion, exclusion, exclusion, exclusion, exclusion, exclusion, dental, exclusion, exclusion, etc". Silly me. Now, I self-insure. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

A local vet out here also calls himself a "Horse Dentist" and carries a huge portable crush on a trailer for the job (shudder). Gary Purcell did mine with no crush, no gag, no drugs, no fuss. I asked how does he do it? His answer "They KNOW!" Windsucking is an evil vice, fills their gut with air and they do without food, believing they are full. Never owned one. Caused by being held up in stables and yards for too long. Boredom. When buying a horse, you need a trial period. Their place or yours, you need to spend time to find out what any pitfalls may be. I used to sell my 4 year olds at a local auction, and always topped the sale. I'd give a one week guarantee, saying if it didn't suit for any reason, I wanted it back, not moved on. And the bridle goes with it. Figured it couldn't be ruined in a week. Never had one back. I've been luckier than most with vets, the horse god always looked after my horses, as he looked after me. Oh yes, there is a horse god with a wicked sense of humour. Louise. 

Angie
Angie from QLD commented:

I've had the same vet for over 23 years (small town) who has taken care of the numerous pets we have adopted. My maremma needed the doctor, I took him in and they would not treat him unless I paid upfront. So if that is their THANKS TO ME for 23 years of loyalty, I went to another Vet. 

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