How to ensure your pets stay healthy and stay in your life for a long time (the answer is simpler than you think)

I get it - pets are a part of the family. They bring endless amounts of unconditional love into our lives, brighten our darkest days and remind us how to have fun when the world seems to be exploding in doom and gloom, particularly because of the fact that we are all living through a global pandemic.

Our pet’s role in our lives (without them knowing it) is to shower us in love, cuddles, slobbery kisses and fun walks in the park. Which means that, as a responsible pet owner, we have to ensure our pets are able to lead healthy, happy and long lives. Which is why planning for their future is seen as one of the most beneficial things you can do for the wellbeing and overall health of your pet, giving you peace of mind and giving your pet a happy life.

In this blog, I walk you through the top tips you should implement to help your pet lead a healthy and safe life.

How to keep your pet healthy: Vet visits and routine care

One of the simplest ways to ensure your pet stays in good health is to stick to a dedicated schedule for preventative care.

Far too many pet parents wait until their pet is sick before they see the vet. But just as we humans need to regularly see our doctor or specialists for check-ups and routine care, our pets need the same medical attention.

Preventative care is an effective and simple way to make sure your cat or dog maintains their health. Wellness care helps your vet to detect and treat any underlying health concerns before they develop into something more serious and more expensive to treat.

Other routine care procedures include vaccinations to protect your pet from preventable (and life-threatening) diseases through vaccinations, tick and flea control, and a big one - dental care.

Many dogs are prone to dental health conditions such as gum disease and other oral infections which can lead to incredibly serious and scary chronic health issues later on down the line.

As pet parents, we might think we know our pets extremely well, but the truth of the matter is that only a trained expert (i.e. your vet) will be able to properly diagnose an existing health issue.

In this regard, prevention really is better than cure.

I suggest chatting with your vet to create a vaccination plan and check-up schedule that you should stick to religiously - for the sake of both your pet’s health and your bank account. 

The costs of neglecting routine care

Deciding not to vaccinate

A common vaccination for puppies is against the parvovirus. The cost of not vaccinating your puppy can cost between R 4 000 and R15 000 depending on the severity of the illness and level of treatment required. Another serious fact to take into account, is that roughly only 50% of pets survive parvovirus. All of the costs and stress associated with neglecting vaccinations can be easily avoided.

What happens when you don’t control ticks

Then there is the issue of neglecting tick and flea control. An uncomplicated case of tick bite fever can cost about R1 000 to treat, should hospitalisation be required, this could set you back as anything between R2 000 and R10 000. Adding to this stress, pets do not become immune to biliary after their first infection. Meaning that your pet might suffer from this condition in the future should you decide not to vaccinate your pet.

Pet insurance with routine care

Many pet owners tend to avoid the vet as they do not want to face the costs of pet healthcare. To help shoulder these costs, I advise you check out what pet insurance plans are available to you and purchase a comprehensive pet medical insurance plan that includes benefits for vet visits and routine care.

Oneplan Pet Insurance is a great example of an insurer who offers amazing day-to-day benefits for vet visits and wellness care. Plus, they even front their clients with cash before visiting their vet of choice using their smart and simple claims system facilitated through the Oneplan App and their unique debit card known as a Onecard.

What’s more, Oneplan gives their clients the option to boost up their routine care cover limit with their add-on product - Routine Care Plus. Included in this additional product is also an Excess Buster. With this, all in-hospital excess fees charged by the insurer will be waived.

Comprehensive pet insurance

Having a comprehensive pet insurance plan in place will help mitigate the costs of vet bills, whether for day-to-day care or for the more expensive and stressful vet visits associated with accidents.

Events associated with accidents and illnesses are typically the reason why people purchase pet insurance plans in the first place, to save themselves from surprise costs. But having a comprehensive plan that covers events such as check-ups, sterilization, scripted medication, vaccinations, tick and flea control and dental care not only promotes regular vet visits, but it also helps your pet to lead a healthy and safe life. Which, in turn, helps to prevent unexpected illnesses and underlying health conditions from manifesting and rearing their nasty heads later on in your pet’s life.

Of course, even a pet parent who follows a strict routine care plan can have their pet become unexpectedly ill, but the chances of this happening are dramatically decreased through a wellness care routine.

The final bark

It becomes rather clear as to just how important routine care and vet visits are because, without regular check-ups and methods of prevention, your pet is likely to suffer the consequences of irresponsible pet ownership. Luckily, there is a simple and affordable solution to give you peace of mind and prevent you from going into debt in an attempt to save your pet’s life - pet insurance not only promotes regular vet visits, but it also allows your pet to receive the expert care he or she deserves without you having to break the bank.

Until next time,

The Pet Insurance Team