What is a pet wellness plan?
Now that you have a pet you want to care for it the best that you can, but pet care can be very expensive especially if your pet becomes sick or injured. A wellness plan can help with those costs.
A wellness plan is inexpensive each month, but it "groups" all of the preventive services you need to keep your pet healthy throughout the year into a monthly payment plan, allowing you to save money and manage your budget.
What does it cover?
The primary distinction between pet wellness plans and pet insurance is that the latter pays for injury or illness treatments after they occur. Pet wellness plans, on the other hand, cover routine and preventive care procedures and screenings to avoid potential health issues. These can include:
Vaccines
Core vaccines must be given to every pet to ensure that they will not catch infections or diseases that could harm them, your other pets, and sometimes even humans.
The core vaccines for dogs are canine parvovirus, distemper, canine hepatitis, and rabies. Cats' core vaccines include panleukopenia, feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus type I, and rabies. These diseases are the leading causes of death in puppies and kittens, with some occurring within days of contagion. Vaccines, therefore, are essential.
If you don’t have a pet wellness care plan you’d need to pay out of pocket for each vaccine.
Blood test
Complete blood tests will inform the vet about any abnormalities in the pet’s blood that might indicate a necessary intervention. If there is an issue, your standard pet insurance policy should be able to cover it. But the screening itself is only included in additional wellness and preventive care packages.
Heartworm Tests & Prevention
While heartworm treatment is covered by pet insurance, only pet wellness insurance covers prevention and testing.
If you don’t have such a policy, you will have to pay out of pocket.
Fecal Tests, Deworming & Urinalysis
A fecal test is performed once per year to determine if any gastrointestinal parasites are present. Similarly to this are the heartworm and tapeworm tests to determine if these parasites are present. This may require several treatments over some time.
Urinalysis is a routine test that detects chemicals in the urine. This is done to ensure early detection of diseases such as kidney failure and urinary infections. While most pet health care plans cover treatment, preventive measures are typically excluded.
Flea & Tick Prevention
Some veterinary clinics may offer flea and tick prevention as part of their wellness plans. Often this is not included as monthly prevention medication is typically recommended. Speak with your vet to learn more about what may be included in a wellness plan for your pet.
Are cat and dog wellness plans worth it?
Wellness plans can be worth it for routine care as they often include preventive services such as vaccinations, regular check-ups, and dental cleanings at a discounted rate. However, it's important to carefully review the plan's coverage and costs to ensure it aligns with your pet's specific needs and health history.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.