Choosing the Right Pet Insurance

Pet insurance is still relatively new in Australia but there are many different providers and plans available. The cost of emergency veterinary treatments can be expensive, especially when surgeries or overnight stays are necessary. Read on to find out more about insurance and why we recommend that you arrange cover for your pet.

Why Should I Get Pet Insurance?

Insuring your pet is a great way to protect your finances and provide peace of mind. Unfortunately, accidents and illnesses are common emergencies and treating your pet can incur a significant cost. Whilst preventative care protects your pet from many diseases, you can’t predict what might happen when they are outside and unsupervised. When your pet is unwell, the last thing you want to worry about is how to pay for their treatment.

How Do I Choose an Insurer?

There are now many different companies offering pet insurance in Australia so the choice can seem overwhelming. Speak to your friends, family and vets to find out if they have any recommendations. The ease of making claims and customer service provision are both key factors in picking an insurer.

The pricing of available policies will likely play a big part in your decision, but make sure you find out how easy it is to submit a claim and how long the process will take before you sign up. This will ensure you avoid falling into the trap of a plan that offers false economy.

What Kind of Cover Do I Need?

The most basic type of pet insurance is accident cover, an insurance that looks after your bills in an emergency. The next level of cover is illness insurance, where your pet is covered for unexpected illnesses. This type of cover becomes more expensive and more complicated with age, so it’s a good idea to start it as soon as possible. It can seem more expensive when your pet is young and healthy but it offers big benefits over time as your pet ages.

The top level of insurance includes wellness cover, which provides routine examinations and preventative care for your pet. Some people prefer to save up and pay for these on the spot, while others would rather know that everything their pet might need is covered by their insurance premium.

When Should I Insure?

There’s a simple answer to this question – as soon as possible! Young pets are just as vulnerable to accidents as older pets, and the earlier you can start, the cheaper it is likely to be as you won’t have to pay extra for existing conditions that your pet may develop as it grows. As a part of our wellness packages, we offer 4 weeks of free PetPlan Insurance for our patients to help you save even more.

For more information on arranging pet insurance, call Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital now on 08 9524 6644 or visit our contact page for more ways to get in touch.

Why Pet Insurance is Important

All pet owners know that footing a veterinary bill can be quite expensive and ongoing medical care for your pet can quickly put financial pressure. Cats and dogs may need medical attention for a variety of reasons such as old age, injuries, illness or even accidents. In such cases, the wisest thing to do is to ensure you are always covered with pet insurance. In this infographic we discuss the many benefits of insurance for cats and dogs as well as the myths behind it. Read more to find out.

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How to Save Money on Your Vet Bills

Vet bills can be extremely costly and they come as a shock to many. Your animals don’t communicate with you that they aren’t feeling well. Sometimes we don’t even notice their illness before there are obvious signs such as yelping in pain or not eating and drinking. By the time you visit your vet, serious surgery or other treatments might be needed.

It’s important to know how to save money on your vet bills while your pets are young and also into the future, not only for your sake financially but also for the sake of your pet’s health and longevity.

Here’s how you can look after your pay packet and also your beloved pet

Watch Your Pet’s Weight

It’s not abnormal for pets to be overweight. Many pet owners tend to over feed their pets with food scraps and leftovers. Most people lead busy lives with smaller yards, too. This means your pet might not be getting the exercise they need through regular walks or playing with a ball in your own backyard. Like humans, pet obesity can lead to serious health problems which can be expensive or difficult to treat. Watch your pet’s weight and make sure you’re feeding and exercising them appropriately for their breed.

 Ask about a Wellness Package

These days, some veterinarians offer wellness packages to minimise any costly bills in the long run and make sure your beautiful pet is well looked after.

At Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital, we have wellness packages to cater perfectly to your pet’s health and wellbeing needs. This is one of the best ways to ensure preventative health measures are up to date and any minor issues are picked up by your vet before they become a major one.

Find Out All Your Options

If you do encounter a problem and it looks as if it will be a costly one to treat, make sure you ask your vet to lay out all the options. More often than not, there are many ways to treat an illness and each one will vary in cost. Find out which one will suit your budget and your pet’s needs before launching into an expensive and potentially risky surgery for your pet.

Consider Pet Insurance

Wellness packages are fantastic for maintaining your pet’s health but as your pet ages, it’s natural that they may run into health problems that would require treatment or surgery. Pet insurance will leave you at ease, knowing that if something happens to your pet, whether by accident or due to old age, the costs will be looked after.

At Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital we recognize that regular preventive care is essential for your pet’s continued health. With this in mind, we have developed a range of Wellness Packages for your pet that focus on providing high-level preventative vet care for your cat, dog, puppy or kitten. Contact us today to organise a wellness package that suits you and your pet.

Ways to save on Pet Expenses

Save on Pet Expenses with Preventative Healthcare

Being a pet owner is a truly wonderful thing, with our little animal friends bringing companionship, love and joy into our lives. As well as this, caring for a dog or cat is a significant investment, both in terms of time and money.

Before you go ahead and adopt a new puppy or kitten, you need to make sure that you’ve carefully considered whether you have the financial capacity to responsibly care for them. The expense of keeping a pet can be considerable for some owners, particularly if their cat or dog becomes ill or needs emergency vet care.

Fortunately, there are also ways to save on pet expenses. Today we’ll look at how wellness packages for your dog or cat can allow you to look after their health and wellbeing while saving money in the process.

Properly Caring for Your Cat or Dog

Owning a pet is a long-term responsibility. You have to be committed to caring for them for their entire life, providing them with a safe and comfortable home.

Annual health checks by a professional veterinarian are recommended for all cats and dogs, even if your pet appears to be completely healthy. If your pet has an ongoing condition or is older, they may need to visit the vet more frequently – generally twice a year, or as advised by your veterinarian.

Save Money with Preventative Healthcare

By practising preventative healthcare, your cat or dog will receive regular health checks by a qualified vet. This will help you to keep track of their wellbeing and detect any signs or symptoms of ill health.

This proactive approach to your pet’s wellbeing will keep them healthy, reducing the need for emergency treatments or operations. This will also reduce the likelihood of more expensive vet bills further down the track.

Things You Can Do At Home

You can also save on expenses by making sure that your cat or dog is taken care of properly at home. Coupled with professional preventative care, the following strategies will help to protect your pet and keep your costs down:

  • Nutritional foods – feed your pet a vet-approved diet to maintain their health and wellbeing
  • Regular cleaning – clean your pet’s beds, bowls and other living areas to prevent infection and other sicknesses
  • Pet grooming – have your pet groomed regularly to create a healthy coat and reduce possible complications
  • Entertainment – playing games and engaging your pet will improve their emotional wellbeing while nurturing their physical health

Wellbeing Packages – for Easy, Affordable Monthly Payments

Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital offers a range of affordable wellness packages that provide regular preventative care. Working with you, we can ensure optimum health for your cat, dog, kitten or puppy. With a wellness package, you’ll also know you have somewhere to turn to in case of emergency. Our professional and qualified vets are always on hand to offer you guidance and support at any stage of your pet’s life.

At Port Kennedy, we understand the monetary aspect of looking after an animal, and we offer services to make life a bit easier for pet owners. Monthly payment plans provide you with much-needed peace of mind about the health of your cat or dog while taking the emotional and financial stresses out of being a pet owner.

Talk to your trusted Port Kennedy vets about how wellness packages can benefit you and your best mate.