5 ways to help pay for veterinary care

In the past month I’ve had 2 visitors write me with concerns about high veterinary bills for emergency care. At the same time, I also had a friend with 2 dogs needing expensive surgeries at the same time. As a result, I’ve learned about some ways to help mitigate the high cost of unplanned vet bills that I thought I’d share with you.

Most of us are aware of the ongoing costs of taking care of our pets when we take them into our lifelong care. But there are times when an unexpected illness or accident can be devastating both emotionally and financially. Sometimes dipping into savings or borrowing from friends or relatives just isn't possible. I hope you never find yourself in this vulnerable predicament, but if you do need help, I hope this information provides relief.

1. Research low cost clinics in your area. If your dog needs expensive surgery or medical care your town may have low cost veterinary services available. These services found at low cost clinics are not luxury facilities and you may have to wait longer for appointments, but it can save hundreds of dollars. You forgo frills; but not veterinary skills.
   
   

2. Low cost spay and neuter clinics: Large super pet stores like Petco often have free or low cost options certain times of the year. Many local Humane Societies also provide low cost spay/neuter programs as well.
   
   

3. Care Credit (carecredit.com): Apply for this zero interest, no fee credit card to pay for routine or emergency pet care. This allows you to pay off your card within a set period of time (anywhere from 6 to 60 months) without fees or interest. This can also be used for human medical care as well.
   
   

4. Drug rebates: If your dog has to be on any long term or expensive medicine, you might be eligible for a rebate from the pharmaceutical company. Just Google the drug name along with the word 'rebate' to find out if there’s a rebate offer. For instance type 'Atopica rebate' and you will see several rebate offers available. You just need to provide a receipt.
   
   

5. crowdfunding: There are a number of crowd funding sites online that are very popular. It’s a way to raise funds for a particular event such as surgery for your dog. Sites like Gofundme.com and crowdwise.com have provided relief for many pet owners struggling to pay for high cost vet bills.
   
   

The friend I mentioned with the 2 dogs needing surgery found a low cost surgical clinic several towns away and she also used Care Credit. This allowed her to focus on her dogs without the added financial stress.

We're fortunate to live in a time where information is so readily available. Use Google to research organizations that provide financial assistance for pet care and you will be amazed how much help is available.

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