The Cost Of Care
Pet Insurance Expands Your Pet Care Dollars
The title might seem self-explanatory, yet according to the most recent article I could find about number of insured pets, from the New York Times on June 7, 2017, only about 1 to 2 percent of the 90 million-plus dogs and 94 million cats in the United States have pet insurance. That’s less than two million insured pets.
One of the most difficult parts of dealing with pets for veterinarians and for owners is the cost of care. Veterinary practices carry the cost of running a business like any other. We pay rent or mortgage, wages and their attendant expenses (taxes and more), purchase supplies that are consumed, medications to be dispensed, buy and maintain costly equipment, and so much more that has to be offset by what we charge for caring for pets. Pet owners, no matter how much they love their pets, must look at finances and there may be a real limit to what is feasible in the face of injury or illness, balanced against their very real expenses for living.
It puts us all between a rock and a hard place. We have to make decisions based on the costs of care much more directly and personally than in the human medical field, as we sit with a pet owner and review what’s going on with and what is needed for their pet. The equivalent cost for similar care on the human side for medical care is two to ten times more than what the most expensive veterinarian might charge in say, New York City or San Francisco.
Pet insurance is different than the third-party payer system of human medicine as it reimburses the owner rather than paying the veterinarian. But that reimbursement is significant, and expands your pet care dollars.
Here are some illustrations about some specific breeds from Trupanion based on their claims database and possible care costs – and these are all breeds common to Colorado. (Note that pricing is based on an average of fees from veterinary fee references and local private and corporate practices, and does not reflect a specific individual veterinary practice).
Australian Shepherds are 25 percent to 35 percent (adult vs. senior) more likely than other breeds to develop lameness, and 40 percent more likely to fracture a tooth. A torn cranial cruciate ligament in an active dog may need surgical repair, which can average $2,000 to $5,000, while dental procedures with extractions can range from $500 to $1,500 depending on the degree of disease and treatment of damaged teeth.
Bernese Mountain Dogs are 90 percent more likely to present for a mass of some kind that needs surgical removal and histopathology. More than 50 percent of those masses may be malignant cancer; the typical cost for anesthesia, mass removal, pain management and histopathology is $900-$1,200 or more depending on the size and location of mass.
French Bulldogs are 10 times as likely to have issues from Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome and 5.5 times more likely to have corneal ulcers. The cost range can be huge for airway and breathing issues while evaluation and treatment for a simple corneal ulcer can be $150 to $250.
Labradoodles are 20 percent more likely to ingest foreign material that could lead to intestinal obstruction and 30 percent more likely to have orthopedic issues from cranial cruciate ligament rupture. A surgery to remove an intestinal foreign body can start at $2,000 and go much higher.
When a pet has insurance, the cost of those procedures can be reimbursed 70 percent to 90 percent, depending on your policy and premium. Insurance is not perfect and can have its moments of frustration. But overall, it does help owners have improved options for care of their pet in many situations because it reduces some of the financial stress.
Dr. Margot Vahrenwald is the owner of Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center at 2255 Oneida St. For more information, visit parkhillvet.com