Keeping your pet happy and healthy is a priority for every pet parent, but as any owner can tell you, this is not always a cheap endeavor! Smart pet owners strive to save money by planning ahead, caring for their pet’s health to avoid expensive vet visits, and budgeting for essentials like grooming and training. While some owners turn to pet insurance to help alleviate unexpected expenses, pet wellness plans are becoming more popular solutions to help owners manage the costs of owning a pet.
Pet Wellness Plans 101
Many people compare pet wellness plans to pet insurance, but while these both aim to help mitigate the costs of pet ownership, they are two different things. For one, pet wellness focuses on helping pay for routine care like check-ups, while pet insurance usually covers emergencies. Pet wellness plans can be purchased for a low monthly cost and can help pet parents better plan for annual expenses. They’re a great way to help ensure your pet lives a healthier, happier life. Often, pet wellness plans are similar in cost to routine vet care, but you can space out payments over the course of a year instead of paying one lump sum.
Are pet wellness plans worth it?
Pet wellness exams bundle key preventive services into one affordable package. Wellness plans often cover your pet’s routine care such as annual checkups and vaccines, early blood screenings, parasite testing, and more. Most wellness plans also allow you to pay for your pet’s care monthly, instead of all at once, making it a more affordable short-term option.
Not only are wellness plans cost-effective, but you may also find yourself more diligent about your pet’s preventive health if you have a pre-purchased package that covers the various preventive measures your pet could need.
What’s included in a pet wellness plan?
Usually, pet wellness plans aim to cover expected costs. Each adult pet wellness plan is different, and you should look for one that meets the needs of both you and your pet. Here are a few of the things that are usually included in a pet wellness plan:
- Routine veterinary care and annual exams. This will cover checkups and any other care your pet gets regularly.
- Recommended vaccinations
- Deworming
- Preventative screenings like heartworm testing, blood testing, and fecal testing
- Flea and tick medications and parasite prevention
More comprehensive pet wellness plans may also cover dental care, grooming, nail trimming, training, and spay and neuter services. To choose a plan that’s right for you, think about what your pet needs. Pet wellness plans are sometimes offered in tiers, so if you need more care than what you’re currently getting, you will be able to move up a tier to get more care.
What makes a great wellness plan?
Pet wellness plans should be comprehensive. At a minimum, your plan should cover annual wellness exams and vaccinations, since these are the things your pet will need every year. If you have rescue animals or animals with any special health needs, a wellness plan will be of great benefit to you since you are likely to come in more than once a year.
But let’s be honest- the minimum is rarely, if ever, good enough for our furry friends. If you find yourself needing more, wellness plans often come in tiers with different levels of coverage for a slightly higher price. Although they may seem pricier, these plans will often save you more over time. Not to mention, the peace of mind you receive from knowing that your fur baby is covered under a variety of circumstances is priceless!
Here at Penny Paws Animal Clinic, we offer three dog plans at different price points, and there is sure to be one that works for your budget and needs. Our Basic plan starts at about $25 per month and covers the annual exam for your pet, vaccinations, and heartworm testing and treatment. The next level of plan, Premier, is about $44 per month and includes a year of flea prevention as well as parasite testing. The highest tier of plan, Elite, is about $54 per month and includes all the above as well as deworming and early detection blood testing, which is crucial for stopping diseases in their tracks and extending the healthy life of your pet.
Choose the Best Wellness Plan
Regular vet checkups and annual wellness visits can help detect illness and keep your pet healthy, adding years to their life, so a wellness plan can give you the peace of mind you’re looking for. Choosing the best wellness plan for your pet doesn’t have to be a difficult decision. Penny Paws offers three different tiers of wellness plans for adult pets, including a basic, premier, and elite package. Each package offers a different level of care at a price point that’s right for you, so it’s easy to make a decision.
If you’re looking for a smarter way to plan and budget for your pet’s annual health needs, Penny Paws is here to help. You can easily enroll in one of our pet wellness plans at any of our four animal clinic locations. To learn more about which of our plans might be right for you and your pet, contact us.