February 2006
What if Fido or Fluffy gets sick?
Squeaky plastic hamburgers, doggie Omaha steaks, and pigs ears. Doggie delights like these set the average dog owner back
about $113 last year. Catnip mice, scratching posts, and sundry other kitty goodies cost the average cat owner $72, according
to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA).
But those expenses are a drop in the litter box compared with the load you'll spend if your pet falls seriously ill. For example, each year about 400 pets, mostly dogs, undergo pacemaker surgery costing $3,000. Cats with renal failure, a common ailment, can now get an $8,000 to $10,000 kidney transplant, followed by $600-a-year regimens of immunosuppressive drugs. On average, according to the APPMA, bills for vet visits and surgical procedures in 2005 cost dog owners $785 and cat owners $516.
Doggie or kitty (or bird or reptile) medical expenses are tough to avoid. Many of us consider our pets part of the family, like our children; We often decide that they deserve to be treated with the latest and greatest medical treatments. Taking the following steps will allow you to love your pets and take care of them too without draining your savings account.
PICK YOUR VET--AND YOUR PET--CAREFULLY
If you're still searching for that perfect pet, keep in mind that pedigreed pooches and kitties tend to have more genetic health problems because they may have been bred for appearance rather than good health. They therefore might ring up higher health-care costs than mutts. Toy dog breeds such as Pomeranians, for example, often develop knee problems. Persian cats are prone to genetic kidney disease. Another thing to keep in mind: Dogs tend to cost more to own than cats because they end up at the vet's office more often and require greater quantities of medications.
Also keep in mind when you're choosing animal hospitals that prices can vary widely. So it's smart to do a little comparison shopping well before you need to rush your doggie in for that emergency tick-ectomy. Start by compiling a list of vets with good reputations in your area by asking your pet-owning friends if they would recommend their vet. Or search online for local members of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), who must pass thorough accreditation inspections every three years (www.healthypet.com).
Then stop by two or three offices with the highest recommendations (or that are AAHA members). Ask what they charge for a few common procedures and products, such as annual checkups, spaying or neutering, vaccines, X-rays, tick medicine, and overnight stays. Get the same price list from your current vet, if you have one. "Some offices will readily quote prices, but others may be uncomfortable because there can be a range depending on the pet's condition," says Dr. Stephen Zawistowski, science adviser and senior vice president of national programs at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. But ballpark quotes on even just a few procedures and products will give you a feel for how much a vet charges. And those charges can be high: An article last October in Veterinary Economics magazine reported that vets mark up many drugs they sell an average of 150 to 175 percent.
PAY NOW TO SAVE LATER
Regularly spending a bit of money on your pet's health can reduce your health bills overall. Taking your pet for an annual checkup, for example, allows your vet to spot troubles before they become serious and may cut treatment costs later on.
Average annual physicals, which include an exam and vaccines, may run as high as about $146 for dogs and nearly $120 for cats, according to the AAHA. But you may not ever have to spend that much. New rabies vaccines are good for three years, and most university veterinary teaching hospitals have increased the recommended time between other booster shots to every three to five years. Cats may be able to skip rabies and feline leukemia shots altogether if they do not venture outdoors. Some communities still require yearly rabies shots, however, so ask your vet what the law dictates in your area.
It is also a good idea to get your pet spayed or neutered. Spayed females are less likely to develop mammary cancer and other conditions. Neutered males tend to stick closer to home, avoiding busy roads and fights with strays, and they have fewer prostate problems. Vets charge an average of $128 to $195 per dog for the procedure, depending mainly on the sex and size of the animal; cats cost $83 to $125. Your local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) may offer the surgery for less. Programs vary by region; visit www.aspca.org and click on Adopt for local contact information.
DON'T BUY MEDS FROM VETS
There are lots of ways to save money on pet medications. First ask your vet about a drug's cost and find out if it's available through pharmacies. Your local drug store may offer it at a much cheaper price. Also ask your vet about lower-priced generic medications that would be appropriate. In addition to your local pharmacy, check veterinary-medication prices at places like KV Vet Supply, Eckerd.com, and Costco. Also troll sites such as DrsFosterSmith.com, 1800PetMeds.com, and PetCareRx.com. You have the right to ask your veterinarian for prescriptions that you can fill elsewhere, as well as medical records for your pet, which can be a big help if you decide to consult another vet for a second opinion.
SKIP PET INSURANCE
Unless you can't resist a breed with chronic problems, pet insurance will probably cost you more money than it will save you. As with human health insurance, you'll pay deductibles, co-pays, and premiums, and you may bump up against lifetime payment ceilings if you own a chronically ill pet. In addition, you might find some needed treatments are excluded from coverage. Some policies also limit the amount they will pay per incident and may make you pay higher co-pays as your pet ages. For example, with PetCare's QuickCare Gold policy for dogs, you could pay $36 monthly premiums for coverage for a 3-month-old bearded collie. If that pooch needs $3,000 pacemaker surgery next year, you'll have to pay a $50 deductible, after which the plan pays 100 percent (up to a limit of $3,000) of your costs. Not a bad deal, because you will have paid just more than $430 in premiums. But if the surgery occurs after that dog turns 8 years old, the plan will only pay 80 percent of your costs and you'll be out about $3,500 in premiums. If you want to set aside money for future medical bills, you might do better by putting the amount you'd pay in premiums into a savings account.
SHOP FOR SPECIALISTS
If your pet becomes seriously ill, you may need a specialist. Ask your vet to recommend at least two specialists so you can compare treatment quotes and options. Or contact the nearest veterinary medical school teaching hospital for a specialist or a referral to one in your area. For links to these schools, check out the Web site of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges at www.aavmc.org.
An initial consultation will likely cost $50 to $75. Get an estimate of all costs including surgery, treatments, and any lifelong medications that will be required. You'll also want to know about the prognosis for survival and the pet's expected quality of life. Then you'll have to make the difficult decision about whether or not to proceed. If your pet is terminally ill or in a lot of pain and you decide on euthanasia, expect to pay about $41 for a cat and $44 for a dog.
But those expenses are a drop in the litter box compared with the load you'll spend if your pet falls seriously ill. For example, each year about 400 pets, mostly dogs, undergo pacemaker surgery costing $3,000. Cats with renal failure, a common ailment, can now get an $8,000 to $10,000 kidney transplant, followed by $600-a-year regimens of immunosuppressive drugs. On average, according to the APPMA, bills for vet visits and surgical procedures in 2005 cost dog owners $785 and cat owners $516.
Doggie or kitty (or bird or reptile) medical expenses are tough to avoid. Many of us consider our pets part of the family, like our children; We often decide that they deserve to be treated with the latest and greatest medical treatments. Taking the following steps will allow you to love your pets and take care of them too without draining your savings account.
PICK YOUR VET--AND YOUR PET--CAREFULLY
If you're still searching for that perfect pet, keep in mind that pedigreed pooches and kitties tend to have more genetic health problems because they may have been bred for appearance rather than good health. They therefore might ring up higher health-care costs than mutts. Toy dog breeds such as Pomeranians, for example, often develop knee problems. Persian cats are prone to genetic kidney disease. Another thing to keep in mind: Dogs tend to cost more to own than cats because they end up at the vet's office more often and require greater quantities of medications.
Also keep in mind when you're choosing animal hospitals that prices can vary widely. So it's smart to do a little comparison shopping well before you need to rush your doggie in for that emergency tick-ectomy. Start by compiling a list of vets with good reputations in your area by asking your pet-owning friends if they would recommend their vet. Or search online for local members of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), who must pass thorough accreditation inspections every three years (www.healthypet.com).
Then stop by two or three offices with the highest recommendations (or that are AAHA members). Ask what they charge for a few common procedures and products, such as annual checkups, spaying or neutering, vaccines, X-rays, tick medicine, and overnight stays. Get the same price list from your current vet, if you have one. "Some offices will readily quote prices, but others may be uncomfortable because there can be a range depending on the pet's condition," says Dr. Stephen Zawistowski, science adviser and senior vice president of national programs at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. But ballpark quotes on even just a few procedures and products will give you a feel for how much a vet charges. And those charges can be high: An article last October in Veterinary Economics magazine reported that vets mark up many drugs they sell an average of 150 to 175 percent.
PAY NOW TO SAVE LATER
Regularly spending a bit of money on your pet's health can reduce your health bills overall. Taking your pet for an annual checkup, for example, allows your vet to spot troubles before they become serious and may cut treatment costs later on.
Average annual physicals, which include an exam and vaccines, may run as high as about $146 for dogs and nearly $120 for cats, according to the AAHA. But you may not ever have to spend that much. New rabies vaccines are good for three years, and most university veterinary teaching hospitals have increased the recommended time between other booster shots to every three to five years. Cats may be able to skip rabies and feline leukemia shots altogether if they do not venture outdoors. Some communities still require yearly rabies shots, however, so ask your vet what the law dictates in your area.
It is also a good idea to get your pet spayed or neutered. Spayed females are less likely to develop mammary cancer and other conditions. Neutered males tend to stick closer to home, avoiding busy roads and fights with strays, and they have fewer prostate problems. Vets charge an average of $128 to $195 per dog for the procedure, depending mainly on the sex and size of the animal; cats cost $83 to $125. Your local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) may offer the surgery for less. Programs vary by region; visit www.aspca.org and click on Adopt for local contact information.
DON'T BUY MEDS FROM VETS
There are lots of ways to save money on pet medications. First ask your vet about a drug's cost and find out if it's available through pharmacies. Your local drug store may offer it at a much cheaper price. Also ask your vet about lower-priced generic medications that would be appropriate. In addition to your local pharmacy, check veterinary-medication prices at places like KV Vet Supply, Eckerd.com, and Costco. Also troll sites such as DrsFosterSmith.com, 1800PetMeds.com, and PetCareRx.com. You have the right to ask your veterinarian for prescriptions that you can fill elsewhere, as well as medical records for your pet, which can be a big help if you decide to consult another vet for a second opinion.
SKIP PET INSURANCE
Unless you can't resist a breed with chronic problems, pet insurance will probably cost you more money than it will save you. As with human health insurance, you'll pay deductibles, co-pays, and premiums, and you may bump up against lifetime payment ceilings if you own a chronically ill pet. In addition, you might find some needed treatments are excluded from coverage. Some policies also limit the amount they will pay per incident and may make you pay higher co-pays as your pet ages. For example, with PetCare's QuickCare Gold policy for dogs, you could pay $36 monthly premiums for coverage for a 3-month-old bearded collie. If that pooch needs $3,000 pacemaker surgery next year, you'll have to pay a $50 deductible, after which the plan pays 100 percent (up to a limit of $3,000) of your costs. Not a bad deal, because you will have paid just more than $430 in premiums. But if the surgery occurs after that dog turns 8 years old, the plan will only pay 80 percent of your costs and you'll be out about $3,500 in premiums. If you want to set aside money for future medical bills, you might do better by putting the amount you'd pay in premiums into a savings account.
SHOP FOR SPECIALISTS
If your pet becomes seriously ill, you may need a specialist. Ask your vet to recommend at least two specialists so you can compare treatment quotes and options. Or contact the nearest veterinary medical school teaching hospital for a specialist or a referral to one in your area. For links to these schools, check out the Web site of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges at www.aavmc.org.
An initial consultation will likely cost $50 to $75. Get an estimate of all costs including surgery, treatments, and any lifelong medications that will be required. You'll also want to know about the prognosis for survival and the pet's expected quality of life. Then you'll have to make the difficult decision about whether or not to proceed. If your pet is terminally ill or in a lot of pain and you decide on euthanasia, expect to pay about $41 for a cat and $44 for a dog.
This article was also published in Consumer Reports Money Adviser.
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