Our hospital pays for an emergency account with Scratch Pay Veterinary Financing. This permits our clients to apply for additional funding in unexpected situations with ease and to get an answer quickly. Scratch Pay is an excellent option for additional financial help when you need it most, with many options for easy and sometimes interest-free repayment.
Veterinary Financing
Pet Insurance Information
Did you know?
Less than 3% of pet owners have Pet Health Insurance. Let’s change that.
Importance of Pet Insurance
Like humans, our pets throughout their life will need to see a Doctor, whether it’s for their annual check-ups, or for a serious accident or injury. When this time comes you want to be able to give your pet the best care possible, without having to worry about the cost. Pet insurance allows you to be able to choose many different options for your pet. Without insurance, veterinary visits can become costly, and this cost often effects the decisions you to make for your pet with regards to their care. Pet insurance creates peace of mind and prepares you for the unexpected.
Some examples that pet insurance can cover:
Illnesses and injuries, such as:
- Foreign body ingestion
- Allergies • Kidney disease
- Upper respiratory infections
- Urinary obstructions
- Diabetes
- Thyroid Disease
- Cancer
Hereditary and congenital conditions such as:
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow Dysplasia
- Liver shunts
- Heart disease
Miscellaneous:
- Diagnostic tests
- Surgeries
- Hospital stays
- Medications
- Veterinary supplements
- Herbal therapy
- Prosthetic devices and carts
What to look for when picking a pet insurance
Before choosing a pet insurance company, it’s important to do your research and not only know what each company offers but also which policy best fits your needs.
Here are some things to look at prior to purchasing a pet insurance policy:
- Enrollment requirements: Some companies require a pet to be within a certain age group and to have a physical examination prior to or within a certain time frame after enrollment.
- What is covered: Some policies cover both accident and illness while others may only cover accidents.
- What treatments are covered: Some policies will pay for wellness checks as well as emergency visits while others are only for emergencies.
- Payout limits: Make sure you find out if there is a maximum limit of what they’ll pay for treatment and how much that limit might be, and whether there is a maximum limit per disease or accident.
- Deductible amount: Find out what deductibles they offer and decide what works best for you.
- Pre-existing conditions: Does the company pay for pre-existing conditions? If they do, find out how much they’ll pay and what types they’ll pay for.
- Exclusions: Many insurance companies will exclude certain illnesses or conditions. For instance, treatment for hip dysplasia may not be covered in breeds that are prone to developing this.
- Level of reimbursement: Find out if there is a limit on how much they’ll reimburse you for on a bill. Some reimburse you a percentage of your bill while others will only reimburse you for a percentage of what they feel is a “reasonable cost” for that expense. Find out what their limit is prior to purchasing the policy.
Getting a pet insurance policy is a great way to protect your pet from the unexpected, and a way to ensure they get the quality of care they need to stay healthy for a long time.
Companies in Canada
Just some of the many pet insurance providers in Canada are:
- Fetch by the Dodo
- Trupanion Canada
- Petsecure Canada
- Pets Plus Us
- OVMA Pet Insurance
- Furkin
- Sonnet
- BCAA
- The Personal
- Desjardins
- Peppermint
Some pet insurance providers work directly with our clinic, and claims can be processed in minutes. We are here for you and happy to help, please advise our front staff if you have pet insurance.
Our staff are aware of the importance of Pet insurance, here are some of their stories:
Winston
Meet Winston a lovable 3 yr old German Shepherd Mix, that is owned by our clinic manager Dani.
Dani has had Winston since he was 8 weeks old, and he has since then always found a way to keep Dani on her toes. Due to the combination of his breed, Dani knew pet insurance was a must. Winston has fully taken advantage of his coverage with such issues as ear infections, tummy upset, allergies, and unfortunately his most recent one hip dysplasia. However, throughout all that Dani has had peace of mind as her pet insurance has been with her every step of the way, and covered Winston through all his adventures. This has made it possible for Winston to receive the best treatment that he deserves.
River
River spent a few very scary days in the hospital after a big surgery for a life- threatening condition that came about very suddenly one afternoon. Within the span of a few hours, she went from being bright, alert, and playful, to being severely bloated and not able to move. Her colon had flipped over on itself and started to fill with air; a syndrome called colonic torsion. This will often result in the death of a pet within a few hours if it is not caught quickly enough and if stabilization and surgery are not engaged in soon enough.
Luckily enough, River had comprehensive pet insurance, so the many thousands of dollars that the surgery and hospitalization cost were not a factor in deciding whether to proceed with her care. Within 72 hours, she was back home and on the mend. She is back to her very playful and energetic self!!! She has not had to use her insurance for anything too serious since then, aside from some minor injuries from running on the trails and for a few UTIs, but it is on-hand whenever she needs it next.
Edi
Edi has used his insurance many times now. He is a very busy and active boy, and this often leads to him getting into some trouble! One day his owner noticed that he was only chewing on the left side of his mouth and that when he tried to chew on the right side, he would cry and drop his food. When she looked in his mouth, his right carnassial tooth (the big tooth on the top at the back) was broken in half!
He was urgently referred to a dental specialist to have a procedure called a Crown Restoration completed to save the tooth instead of having it extracted. Edi was back to himself within a few days and is back to causing trouble and chewing on everything he can find. Thankfully he was insured, as this was a rather sudden and unexpected big cost, and it was something that needed to be done to quickly improve his quality of life.
