[Murphys Dad]

Hi, folks! The following resources for vet bills were posted on another board that I belong to. Some have owner financial qualifications; the carecredit website is basically a interest-free credit card for six months with no payments. I can't personally endorse any of these sites but thought they would be good to add to our archives of posts for our members who might need assistance in the future:
http://www.thepetfund.com
http://help-a-pet.org
http://angels4animals.org
http://www.carecredit.com

 

[Murphys Dad]

I'm familiar with Care Credit. They also offer no interest payments on dental bills, and we've used them. They're reputable, and if you follow the terms, are very useful if the terms of the agreement are followed.

 

[Pegasus]

Thanks for posting this infomation!

My dad laughed like crazy when I told him I was thinking about insurance for Snoopy...Im like 'why' and we of course grew up on a farm where the dogs and cats run free...get the first set of shots and that is it..wow how things are different in the city!

Seriously he laughed for over a minute!! Im like 'what is the big deal, what if your dog gets really sick'...of course no understanding at all...thank god for all of you here who know how important the health of our pets mean to us, and to them!!

Manda and Snoops

 

[Murphys Dad]

Here is a list of others (and some repeats):

AAHA
http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/home/

ACTSS Animal Cancer Therapy Subsidization Society (Alberta, Canada)
http://www.actssalberta.org/

Angels4Animals
http://www.angels4animals.org/

assistance dogs (for guide dogs, etc.)
http://www.iaadp.org/VCP.html

Canine Cancer Awareness
http://www.caninecancerawareness.org/

Care Credit (loans)
http://www.carecredit.com/

Cody's Club (Radiation treatment)
http://www.dogdoggiedog.com/pwcAcodysclub.htm

DDEAF Emergency Med. Sup. Fund (deaf dogs)
http://www.deafdogs.org/canhelp/donate.php

Farley Foundation (Ontario, Canada)
http://www.fborfw.com/features/ffoundation/

GoldenMed
http://www.goldstockfund.org/TGF/GoldenMEDFund.htm

Goldstock general rescue fund
http://www.goldstockfund.org/TGF/MainGeneralFund.htm

HandicappedPets.com
http://www.handicappedpets.com/Articles/help/

Helen Redlus Memorial Fund
http://www.goldstockfund.org/TGF/HRMFund.htm

Help-A-Pet
http://www.help-a-pet.org/home.html

IMOM.org
http://www.imom.org/

Magic Bullet Fund (cancer)
http://www.themagicbulletfund.org/

NY S.A.V.E. (New York City only)
http://www.nysave.org/index_2.html

Orthodogs
http://www.oslf.org/index.htm

PDSA (British)
http://www.pdsa.org.uk/pages/index.cfm

Pet Fund (includes exotics)
http://thepetfund.com/guidelines.htm

Senior Dogs list
http://www.srdogs.com/Pages/needhomes.other.resources.html

Sierra Fund - cancer
http://www.goldstockfund.org/TGF/mainSierraFund.htm

United Animal Nations
http://www.uan.org/lifeline/index.html

 

[Murphys Dad]

Wow, what a great post! Thanks Judy and Joe for those links. We all hope our pets will remain healthy but you just never know when disaster may strike. It's good to know where to turn to for help should you need it.

 

[DAISY]

How about Pet insurance for your beagle ? Good or bad ideal ? My past dog my beloved FOX passed with a $200 out of pocket VET expense on me . At least passed at home on my lap basically at 3:45 am

 

[beaglesmom]

I think it depends on you and your beagle. Pet insurance for my pack would be astronomical - and not "cost-effective". I have several "older" dogs, 1 almost 8, 2 7 year olds, 2 6 year olds, premiums for older dogs are very high - and you have to be knowledgeable about coverage - they usually have high deductibles, and often don't cover things that are common - like vaccinations, puppy checks, etc.
When I was in Sacramento many years ago, my vet there had what he called a "prepaid puppy pack" - which included check ups, all shots, etc. for the first year. That was in 1985 and it was $50 for the year - I now pay $35 for an office visit and $30 for shots for puppies (at least when they need a rabies shot)! Multiply this by the ten dogs - and it's pretty expensive.
If you have one dog and can afford the premiums, then I suppose it's a good deal for those "emergency" types of things. There's no way I could afford it.

 

[My2Beagles]

/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grr.gif Thanks for this great info. I only have 2 Beagles - rite now - altho I wouldn't be surprised at all if at least 1 more is added in a couple of years (I already have something in mind).

I also have the Care Credit - I signed up for it mainly for the Beaglebratz - I got it when I had Shasta spayed. Granted, that bill was not much - $211 - but being able to break it into a couple of payments (or more if needed) fit this one income family of mine better. Also, just having that little piece of mind - knowing that IF some big vet expense does come up - it gives you a chance to work it into your budget /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/hapfac01.gif

 

[jft]

Our vet has a plan where all office visits, regular shots and 2 well checks per year are free. Also neutering is free as long as you remain in the plan for a year. You also get a discount on any bloodwork, and the vets charges. They are a national chain.

 

[Smeagle]

Quote:

Our vet has a plan where all office visits, regular shots and 2 well checks per year are free. Also neutering is free as long as you remain in the plan for a year. You also get a discount on any bloodwork, and the vets charges. They are a national chain.

Wow!

Although after going to a Dr Jean Dodds seminar last month I have finally made my mind up about yearly vaccinating - our dogs won't be done yearly anymore!

 

[RhodaTse]

I have Banfield insurance and been using them ever since my old friend Marlin who passed on last year. So far I am not complaining. But always wonder how I'm been charged. They cover all puppy needs 2 comprehensive check up every year. I'm not sure how it works I have to read the document again. There always a percentage of deduction due to the insurance I purchase. They cover some cost of surgury like the lab and surgury room cost. Somehow I always think Banfield might raised the cost, or even make up some charges, and I'm still paying a heck lot of money even insured. Something shouldn't be charged, you know what I mean. Like clean up the surgury room, staff pay during surgury. Why am I paying for these?

 

[WorshipTheBeagle]

I too have Banfield for our two hounds. There are several plan levels and we have the middle of the road version. 30 bucks a month for the both buys the yearly comprehensive and the six month checkups. Those are free with our plan, so if we took our dogs in once a year without the plan, it would be the same, so it's a wash. However, with our plan, we get half off of nonstandard type things, like emergencies (when Belle ate 16 of my wifes monthly feminine hygiene thingys--I'm a guy so I can't say it outloud or type it..) and we had to rush her in for the vomit shot, or when Tinker did a number on his lower back. Both of those were half price visits, so we saved some money. And you get basic visits for free too (those other than the yearly and six month exams and the emergencies) and if during those basic visits they need some work done, it's half price. Banfield has been pretty good to us but then again, it all depends on the quality of your vet, their medical equipment (in lab testing or sending out, MRI machines, x ray machines, etc), how big their staff is, etc. You pay for all that. So far, I can't complain, they have been good. Our friends and some family go to any old cheap vet and sometimes they get the service they pay for. Sometimes they get great service. Get 2nd opinions for our furry friends too! Shop around if you have too. What I find most amazing is that some of these vets are so high tech, hand-me downs from human medical technology really, that cats and dogs can get topnotch care (hip replacements, brain surgery, etc), better than what a human being would get in many other countries...

 

[beaglesmom]

My dogs have not had yearly vaccinations for quite a while. We have quite a lot of research information about it on Beagle Bay - and many of us have decided the same thing. IF my dogs were in dog shows or field trials, where they were exposed to a lot of other dogs, then I might reconsider, but not at this point in time. Every two years is ample.

 

[Murphys Dad]

Originally Posted By: SmeagleAlthough after going to a Dr Jean Dodds seminar last month I have finally made my mind up about yearly vaccinating - our dogs won't be done yearly anymore!

After my Maggie had two consecutive very bad reactions to annual vaccines (in spite of pre-treatment), I stopped annual vaccines some years ago. However, up until this year, I was getting titers done on an annual basis which is something that Dr. Dodds recommends. The titers determine if the dog has sufficient levels of the necessary antibodies for the various diseases covered by the vaccines. The titers are expensive (even more than the vaccines themselves) but carry no residual effects as they are determined by a blood draw. Here is an article on the subject written by Dr. Dodds: http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/chang_vac.htm

 

[Smeagle]

Yep, titre testing is a great option for those who are uneasy about stopping yearly vaccinating. However she did mention in the seminar that titre tests should be around $60 (and that's Australian money)... a lot less than our vaccinations costs here.

Dodds actually recommends not vaccinating at all past a certain age, but is trying to get vets to at least change to three yearly vaccs. The downside is my dogs are boarded in kennels occassionally

The law here requires dogs to have an up to date C5 vacc if they are in a boarding kennel. So I only vaccinate them when I know they are going to a kennel. We do dog sports, obedience, meet up with lots of other dogs but as they have been vaccinated as pups and young dogs that means they still have natural immunity.

 

[Erin]

Does anyone know anything about pre-existing conditions? I know that insurance companies for people have restricitons on that sort of thing. I'm just curious because we're probably going to end up having to take Daisy up to Auburn University and their vet clinic, but her problem is something we've been dealing with basically since we got her last year.

Thanks!

Erin

 

[TwoBeagleDawgs]

Does anyone know of a place that offers prescription assistance? Barney needs to start his Lysodren loading dose for Cushing's, and 30 pills cost $185.00 retail. :O Bristol Myers-Squibb has a prescription assistance program that we qualify for, but it's only valid for humans.

 

[Murphys Dad]

Originally Posted By: TwoBeagleDawgs Barney needs to start his Lysodren loading dose for Cushing's, and 30 pills cost $185.00 retail.

I belong to CanineCushings.net and someone recently posted that they found the best price for Lysodren at CostCo. If you're not a CostCo member, maybe you know someone who is. Might even be worth it in the long run to join if they have a much better price.

 

[TwoBeagleDawgs]

Originally Posted By: judymaggie
I belong to CanineCushings.net and someone recently posted that they found the best price for Lysodren at CostCo. If you're not a CostCo member, maybe you know someone who is. Might even be worth it in the long run to join if they have a much better price.

Unfortunately there's not one in Oklahoma. We are members of Sam's Club, but I don't think there's a pharmacy. I did, however, get a quote of $150 today from a compounding pharmacy nearby. That's better, at least!

 

[Quinn&Grayson]

I'm seriously considering getting my puppies insured, but I'm trying to figure out which to do. Petco offers insurance. Has anyone heard anything about that?