Most pet owners should be aware that pets cause costs every month. After all, the four-legged friend (regardless of whether it is a cat, dog or rodent) wants to be provided with food. And accessories such as toys, leashes, litter and cages also cost money. However, there is another cost factor that should not be underestimated and that many prospective pet owners are not even aware of when purchasing their pet.
Visits to the vet are expensive
What many pet owners don’t consider at first is the cost that visits to the vet can cause. Because even if you hope that your pet will have a long and healthy life, there is no guarantee.
Your pet may become ill and require expensive treatment. They may have an accident and be seriously injured, requiring costly surgery. In both cases, sums in the four-digit range can certainly add up, which the veterinarian will bill you for.
But even if there are no illnesses or injuries, you cannot avoid a visit to the vet. After all, regular vaccinations and other preventive measures such as deworming or treating an infestation with fleas are part of the standard program, at least for dogs and cats.
These factors play a role in the costs
The costs you have to calculate with the vet for the lifelong treatment of your pet depends on various things.
The following factors in particular influence the treatment costs:
- animal species and breed
- Location and facility of the practice
- time of treatment
- Prescribed medication
- health of the animal
animal species and breed
The type of animal has a decisive influence on how high the treatment costs at the veterinarian are. For example, a dog is significantly more expensive than, for example, a guinea pig or rabbit. Especially with dogs, the breed also plays a not insignificant role when it comes to the amount of veterinary bills. Treatments are often more expensive for large dogs.
Location and facility of the practice
Depending on where a veterinarian is based and what equipment his practice is equipped with, the bill for treating your pet can vary. The veterinary fee schedule (GOT) specifies the framework within which the billing must take place.
time of treatment
If you bring your sick pet to the doctor’s office during normal office hours, the bill will usually be significantly lower than if you had to visit the vet as a result of an emergency, for example at the weekend.
Prescribed medication
Not all veterinarians prescribe the same medications. As with medicines for us humans, there are also various preparations with comparable effects for pets. Medicines from brand manufacturers are often significantly more expensive than so-called generics.
health of the animal
Last but not least, the state of health of your four-legged friend decides what treatment costs you can face in the course of his life. If the animal stays largely healthy, you’re in luck. In this context, however, you should also be aware that some dog breeds, for example, have a hereditary predisposition to certain diseases, which makes them particularly likely to fall ill.
Examples of treatment costs
As you can see, veterinary expenses can vary greatly over the course of your pet’s life. Of course, an exact sum cannot be given. Nevertheless, we would like to give you a few examples of possible costs below.
Dogs are particularly expensive
In the case of dogs, the costs for the veterinarian are particularly high. And the larger the four-legged friend is, the higher the bill will generally be.
All in all, the treatment of your dog over the years can cost you a 5-digit amount. Even if the diseases and complaints mentioned are only examples, they are quite realistic.
Cats are only slightly cheaper
Treating a cat usually costs less than treating a dog. However, you should not underestimate the costs that you as the owner can expect over the course of their lives.
Again, these are just a few examples of treatments that may occur. But even with cats, the costs can add up over the years and can be in the 5-digit range.
It can also go well
Of course, it is not certain that your dog will actually suffer from an allergy or a hernia. Nor does your cat necessarily have to have a traffic accident or develop heart problems.
Just like you, we also hope that your four-legged friend has a long life ahead of him without any major health problems. But unfortunately there is no guarantee for that. Be it an accident or a serious illness that your pet has contracted, for example as a result of a tick bite – something can always happen.
In such a case, you should not be faced with the question of whether you can afford the necessary treatment. Because there is hardly anything worse than having to put your beloved pet to sleep due to excessive veterinary costs.
Routine examinations also incur costs
Apart from that, it does not necessarily have to be a serious illness or operation. Even the normal routine treatments and preventive measures such as deworming or vaccinations, which should be part of the standard for dogs and cats, add up to a proud sum over the lifespan of the four-legged friend.
With annual costs between 100 and 200 euros, you can count on an amount of 1,200 to 3,000 euros for this alone – and that without any costs for the treatment of diseases or surgical interventions.
Our recommendation: health insurance for your pet
As you can see, treating your pet for life can be very expensive. Under certain circumstances, you can get them into financial difficulties. In the worst case, you may even have to forgo a treatment that is actually necessary for your four-legged friend because you cannot afford the vet bill. However, you can prevent this by taking out animal health insurance.
In addition to pure surgical cost protection, offer you an all-round carefree package for full animal health protection – the animal health insurance. An insurance package that includes everything you need to provide your pet with the best possible care!
pet insurance costs less than you might think. So there is no reason why you should not take out health insurance for your four-legged friend. It is best to submit your application today and protect yourself and your pet from the financial consequences of illness or accidents.