Will having your four-legged best friend around end up costing you an arm and a leg? I reveal all of the secret costs involved from the moment that you become a pet parent.
Let’s be honest, you really can’t put a price on the companionship, love and affection that we get from our fur babies. However, that doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to have to pay a pretty penny to have them around.
Becoming a pet parent is a big responsibility. Besides giving your pet all the cuddles in the world, taking them for regular walks and splurging on more toys than necessary, there are a lot of responsibilities that come with pet ownership.
Now don’t let this deter you from getting a fur baby. If you are ready, you are ready. I just want to make sure that you are aware of all the costs involved … from the ones you do know to the hidden costs that no one talks about.
Taking a different perspective on pets
Let’s talk about pets and money!
From the moment we see an adorable animal, it’s easy to get caught up in all of the cuteness. I get it, but before you go picking out a name it’s important that you understand the true price of a pet.
The easiest and best way to truly look at pet ownership is to look at it from the perspective of an insurer – as strange as that may feel. As much as we love your furry friends, we can’t look at them as balls of adorableness. At the end of the day, we have to classify them as a risk.
This means that we have to look at the likelihood of them being injured and costing you thousands of Rands because that’s exactly how your insurer will look at them.
They will calculate how expensive it will be for your pet to go to the vet. The costs of routine and wellness care are also assessed. Basically, they look at all of the financial risks involved with owning a pet … and there are quite a few.
The biggest medical costs
I want your pet to have the best quality of life possible, however, I would hate to think that they will not experience this because you had to incur a number of surprise costs that you couldn’t afford. So, to keep everyone happy, let’s expose all the hidden costs that you need to know about!
Annual check-ups
Contrary to popular belief, your pet really does have to go in for an annual check-up with their vet. Even if they are seemingly happy, healthy and energetic, some illnesses don’t actually have any symptoms, so rather be safe than sorry! This is also a great form of preventative care!
Vaccinations
Did you know that healthy adult pets need to go in for a vaccination every single year? Yes, you may have thought that your fur baby was done with their vaccinations when you first got them, but they aren’t. Sorry!
Dental care
Are you taking care of your pet’s pearly whites? It’s easy to forget that your pets can also experience serious dental issues. From broken teeth to rotting, you’ll need to get regular cleanings, scaling and polishing!
Wound treatments
This is one of the most overlooked pet costs around. Your fur baby is boisterous by nature which means that they are highly likely to injury themselves. And those costs aren’t cheap. They are also usually the costs that you haven’t budgeted for!
How to budget for pet costs
Pet debt is a real thing. And I totally understand how it happens! It is difficult to anticipate pet expenses ahead of time if you don’t know what to expect. So, in the event of a medical emergency, you are forced to dig into your savings to cover the costs.
Well, that ends today.
There is a way for you to be prepared for the worst-case scenarios without breaking the bank.
The best (and most popular) solution to deal with surprise medical expenses, as well as necessary bills, is with comprehensive pet insurance.
Oneplan
This is genuinely my favourite part of this blog because this is where I get to prove to you that pet insurance will completely change the game for you and your pet.
I am not just introducing you to any pet insurer. I am telling you all about Oneplan and they’re worth all of the hype that they receive.
Oneplan definitely has a passion for providing the best available medical insurance there is for your furry family member. They understand how important your pet and their health are to you. Their pet product is unique because of the following amazing perks:
- The exclusive Onecard allows for the pre-loading of funds for vet visits so that you do not have to pay first and claim later.
- Your pet is able to go to any veterinarian clinic of your choosing! They aren’t sticklers for associated practitioners’ lists … They want you to be comfortable, meaning your pet gets to go wherever they’d like to.
- Their mobile app (Oneplan App) is there to assist you with the speedy administration of your policy – basically, all your policy information is at your fingertips anywhere you go!
- Your pet’s routine care is covered up to the cover limit specified in your Policy Schedule depending on the specific plan type that you selected.
If you plan on bringing a fur baby home, it’s important that you do so responsibly. I strongly suggest making use of all of Oneplan’s resources, contacts, and budget-friendly policies in order to help you bring your pet all the happiness and fulfilment possible. It will bring you and your family a bundle of joy as well!
Until next time,
The Pet Insurance Team