A pet wellness plan is essential to being a responsible pet owner. It is designed to provide routine care for your pet, ensuring that they stay healthy and happy throughout their life. Depending on the plan, it can cover various preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services.
Read on to learn more.
What pet services are included in a pet wellness plan?
To help you understand a vet wellness plan better, here are the general services included:
1. Vaccinations
Vaccines help protect pets from diseases and infections. Most pet wellness plans cover core vaccines, such as rabies, parvo, and distemper. Some may even cover the cost of non-core vaccinations, such as kennel cough or bordetella.
2. Routine Examinations
Most pet wellness plans include regular examinations for your pet, such as annual or semi-annual checkups. These examinations help ensure your pet is healthy and free from any underlying conditions. Many plans even offer discounts on additional tests and services performed during the examination.
3. Parasite Prevention and Control
Fleas, ticks, and other parasites can harm a pet’s health and well-being. With most pet wellness plans, you will likely get products like flea collars or preventatives at a discounted rate. Some plans might even cover the cost of treatments for existing parasite infections.
4. Nutrition Counseling
Pet wellness plans often include nutritional counseling to ensure that your pet gets the right balance of nutrients. This can help you pick the appropriate food for your pet’s lifestyle and age and provide guidance on portion control and treats.
5. Behavioral Training
Many pet wellness plans cover some form of behavioral training to help correct any issues your pet may have. This could include classes or one-on-one consultations with a trained professional who can advise you on addressing specific issues.
6. Diagnostics/Laboratory Tests
Pets need regular diagnostics and laboratory tests to detect any underlying health problems early on. Pet wellness plans typically cover routine lab tests like:
- Urinalysis
- Fecal testing for parasites
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Thyroid testing
- Diabetes testing
- Heartworm/Lyme disease tests
7. Spay and Neuter Services
Most pet wellness plans include the cost of spaying and neutering services for both dogs and cats. These services help ensure that your pet does not contribute to the overpopulation of pets in shelters.
8. Prescription Medication Coverage
Many plans also cover prescription medications, such as antibiotics or flea-prevention products. This could save you money on treatment costs if your pet gets sick or injured.
9. Dental Care
Many veterinary wellness plans include preventive dental care, such as routine teeth cleaning or polishing. Some may even provide discounts on additional treatments like fillings or extractions when needed.
10. Grooming Services
Grooming services are a valuable part of pet wellness plans. Regular grooming helps keep your pet’s coat and skin healthy and can help identify potential health issues before they become serious.
Most plans include discounted rates for their grooming services, such as brushing, bathing, nail clipping, ear cleaning, anal sac expression, and de-matting. Plus, these services help reduce the amount of shedding around the house.
Pet Wellness Exam Vs. Pet Health Insurance
When deciding on a pet wellness plan, you should understand the difference between a pet wellness exam and pet health insurance. A pet wellness plan typically consists of preventive care services that help maintain your pet’s overall health.
On the other hand, pet health insurance covers medical expenses related to accidents, procedures like surgery (see more info here), non-preventive treatments, and chronic illnesses. But standard pet health insurance may not cover pre-existing conditions.
When choosing between the two, consider your pet’s needs and determine which plan will provide them with the best coverage. Pet wellness plans are an excellent option for pets who need regular checkups, vaccinations, parasite prevention and control, nutritional counseling, and behavioral training. However, if you have a pet with any existing health conditions or are concerned about unexpected medical expenses in the future, pet health insurance may be a better choice.
Key Takeaways
Pet wellness plans are a great way to ensure that your pet obtains the care they need to stay healthy and happy. These plans typically include preventive care services such as vaccinations, parasite prevention, nutritional counseling, behavioral training, and dental care. In addition, some plans may even provide discounts on spay/neuter services, prescription medications, and grooming services.
While these can be a valuable resource for keeping your pet healthy, remember that they don’t cover medical expenses related to accidents or chronic illnesses like pet health insurance does.
