Who wants a family wellness checklist… That covers all the family members… Including furry ones?
Every family has some sort of wellness plan. Visits to the doctor, annual checkups. For the pets? Not so much.
The problem is…
Veterinary costs are skyrocketing. In fact vet care costs have risen almost 25% since 2021 alone. While you may skimp on double-checking your kid’s vaccinations, an unplanned trip to animal hospital will empty out any bank account in seconds.
Fortunately creating a pet wellness checklist isn’t difficult. With just a little planning your pets will be covered too. Including avoiding pesky pet insurance pre-existing conditions.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Why Taking Care of Your Pets Should be on the Family Calendar
- A Quick Look At Pet Insurance Pre-existing Conditions
- How To Build A Pet Wellness Checklist
- Tips for Finding The Right Coverage Plan
Taking Care of Your Pets Should be on the Family Calendar
Hey… Pets are family too.
Lazy pet parent jokes heard one million times. But hear this out. It’s true…and there’s numbers to prove it.
According to the APPMA roughly 94 million Americans own at least one pet. But aside from trips to the groomers, most pets lack a dedicated wellness plan.
Consider…
You have doctor appointments on the family calendar. Shots, annual physicals, eye exams. But do you set reminders to take Fido or Fluffy to the vet?
Don’t wait for there to be a problem.
Ignoring preventative pet care only increases the risk of costly problems down the road. In fact 52% of pet owners went without needed care over the last year because of costs. This would be unthinkable if they were a person in your house.
Cover your pets like they cover your kids…literally.
Pets rely on you to keep them healthy too. Add veterinary visits to the family calendar. Plan for the unexpected instead of bolting when it happens.
Stay covered, for every member of your family.
A Quick Look At Pet Insurance Pre-existing Conditions
Wait, what’s a pre-existing condition again?
Time for a tiny lesson on pet insurance.
If you don’t enroll in pet insurance immediately, you open your pets up to be denied coverage by what’s known as ‘pre-existing conditions’.
What does that mean?
Any illness your pet has prior to enrolling in a plan can be denied by your insurance provider. Say Fido had an ear infection just days before enrolling. That ear infection…and any future conditions related to the ear could be denied coverage.
Pet insurance providers love excluding pre-existing conditions. Most providers offer a grace period for conditions deemed “curable”. But chronic illnesses like allergies, arthritis or cancer are permanently excluded in most cases.
This is why getting pets signed up early is so critical. You want as clean of a bill of health as possible when you sign up.
If you’re shopping around, reading the best pet insurance reviews can help you compare how different providers define pre-existing conditions. Not all plans are cut and dry on exclusions.
The moral of the story: Don’t wait. Get pets insured while they’re young.
How To Build A Pet Wellness Checklist
It’s time to build out that pet wellness checklist.
Below you’ll find the ultimate family pet wellness checklist. Keep reading to learn what every pet owner should be doing.
Veterinary Care
Just like the family needs doctor visits, pets need them too. Annual appointments should be booked to verify vaccinations are up-to-date, check teeth and look for parasites.
Puppies/kittens require more frequent visits during their first year. After that age, plan on taking your pets in at least once per year. If they’re over 7 years old, make that twice per year.
Pet Insurance
You know the deal by now. Get pets insured. It’s one of, if not the most important part of your pet wellness checklist.
When researching providers don’t just go off of price. See if they cover accidents and illnesses (some providers only cover accidents). Do they offer a decent deductible/reimbursement rate? How do they word their pre-existing condition clause?
Enroll pets as soon as possible.
The younger they are when you get them insured, the better off you’ll be if they end up needing to file a claim.
Nutrition
Obesity isn’t just an issue with humans. Overweight pets can suffer from joint disease, diabetes and heart problems.
A healthy diet and exercise plan are musts. Pet parents should look into what breed specific nutrition looks like for each of their animals. Not sure where to start? Ask the vet.
Consistent, proper portioned meals will go a long way.
Exercise
Walk the dog. Play with your cat. These seem like no-brainers but sitting at home all day is bad for your pets health too.
Exercise should be treated as you would with people in your home. Morning walks? Sure. Tuck that into the routine.
Emergency Plan
You know how you have a human first aid kit in your home? Should probably consider getting a pet first aid kit too.
Pet first aid kits should include basics. Bandages, antibiotic ointment, digital thermometer. Print out the vets number and toss it in there too.
Bonus Points: Figure out where the closest emergency vet clinic is near you. When seconds count, you don’t want to be searching on Google.
Dental Care
This one might surprise you but dental care is huge for pets. Just like humans, pets should be brushing teeth regularly.
Pet dental issues are far more common than you would think. Bring it up with the vet next time you’re in. They’ll let you know what brands of toothpaste they prefer.
Pick the Right Coverage For Your Pets
Still not sure where to start? Don’t worry, it’s not as hard as it sounds.
Let’s walk through how to actually pick an insurance provider.
Rule number one:
Compare plans that cover accidents and illnesses. You’re not going to get complete coverage with just an accident plan.
See what their annual limits are. What are their deductible amounts? What percentage of costs will they pay for?
Pet insurance providers all deal with pre-existing conditions differently. See how long their waiting period is for conditions that are curable. See if any conditions are exempt from the pre-existing waiting period.
Like with anything insurance related, take advantage of free quotes. Call around and gather as much information as possible.
A pro tip: Visit Reddit and read reviews from current pet owners. Some of the best information you’ll find when it comes to vetting providers will come from other pet parents.
Wrap Up
A family pet wellness checklist should be just as common as ones without fur.
Here’s what was covered:
- Veterinary visits should be scheduled periodically
- Get pet insurance while they’re young
- Learn about what proper nutrition looks like for your pets
- Create an emergency game plan
- Dental care is important too
And there you have it. A pet wellness checklist that every pet family should be following.
After all…you love your pets like family. Don’t forget about them when planning for your family’s health.
