Axle + Clover at the vet
Recently, I have had a lot of people asking about the Pet Insurance that we have on Axle and Clover. I know some people think that pet insurance is a complete waste of money, and why in the world would anyone insure their pets? But honestly, over the past year and a half we have saved well over $5,000 on vet bills on Axle alone.
I will couch this by saying that we probably take our dogs to the vet more than the average pet owner, but our dogs are basically just furry children to us. And since our insurance includes unlimited FREE vet visits, why wouldn't we take them in if we thought there was a problem. I've always felt its better to take them in and have the vet tell us its nothing, than not take them in and have a serious problem later. Especially since we don't ever get a bill for the office visit.
Back in May we took Axle and Clover in for their yearly exams. These exams are basically like a full physical for dogs. They check them from nose to tail, inside and out. And since we have two dogs, everything we do is doubled. The full work up includes...
Office Visit: $38.95 (X2)......................................100% Covered by insurance
Blood Work: $42.96 (X2).....................................100% Covered by insurance
Comprehensive Exam: $45.00 (X2)......................100% Covered by insurance
Boarding during exam: $33.21 (X2).....................100% Covered by insurance
Neurological Exam: $24.95 (X2)..........................100% Covered by insurance
Fecal Sample: $9.20 (X2)......................................100% Covered by insurance
Heartworm Test: $27.95 (X2)................................100% Covered by insurance
Organ Function Screen: $59.10 (X2).....................100% Covered by insurance
Parasite Fecal Exam: $25.62 (X2).........................100% Covered by insurance
State Rabies Tag: $4.00 (X2)
ProHeart Monthly Fee: $14.26 (X2)......................100% Covered by insurance
Tonometry: $22.95 (X2).........................................100% Covered by insurance
Bordetella Vaccine: $20.95 (X2)............................100% Covered by insurance
Distemper Parvo DAPP Vaccine: $29.95 (X2).......100% Covered by insurance
Leptospirosis Vaccine: $14.95 (X2).......................100% Covered by insurance
Rabies Vaccine: $15.95 (X2)..................................100% Covered by insurance
Medical Waste Disposal Fee: $3.10 (X2)...............100% Covered by insurance
Total: $856.10
After Insurance: $8.00
On a $856 vet bill we paid a grand total of $8.00 out of pocket. And this was just on their yearly physicals. I can't even tell you how many times we have walked into the vet's office thinking something was wrong, and walked out owing absolutely nothing. Its wonderful not having to think twice about taking the dogs in. I know that the immense cost of veterinary care can deter a lot of people from taking their animals in. And, like with people, sometimes waiting means waiting until its too late...
We pay a small monthly fee of about $50 for Axle and a little bit less for Clover. And while that does add up to almost $1200 a year, we still save hundreds and hundreds of dollars on vet bills. Plus we get the piece of mind knowing that when we do take them in for a visit, its not going to cost an arm and a leg just to get seen by our vet. Especial since Axle is a 'special needs' dog and requires more care than the average dog.
We use Banfield Pet Hospital as our primary veterinarian, and we LOVE them. All of the Vets and nurses are so wonderful with Axle and Clover. And they always make sure that I understand any and all procedures or medications.
If you have pets, especially special needs pets, I highly recommend at least looking into pet insurance. It it becoming more common, and most vet's do offer some kind of wellness plan for their regular patients.
Do you have pet insurance or any kind of wellness plan? What have your experience been when it comes to handling expensive bet bills? Please let us know in the comments below! We love hearing about your personal critter stories!
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Also be on the look out for At The Dog Park's very first giveaway coming soon! We have been contacted by a very awesome company to do a product review, and we will be giving one of their really unique items away to one lucky winner!
If you have pets, especially special needs pets, I highly recommend at least looking into pet insurance. It it becoming more common, and most vet's do offer some kind of wellness plan for their regular patients.
Do you have pet insurance or any kind of wellness plan? What have your experience been when it comes to handling expensive bet bills? Please let us know in the comments below! We love hearing about your personal critter stories!
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Also be on the look out for At The Dog Park's very first giveaway coming soon! We have been contacted by a very awesome company to do a product review, and we will be giving one of their really unique items away to one lucky winner!
