Looking for low cost veterinarian services?
It’s no secret that pets can add tremendous joy but also some significant costs to your life — and that includes veterinarian services. Routine check-ups cost more than $50 on average, vaccinations upwards of $75, and spaying or neutering typically higher than $100. Testing, surgeries, and other specialized treatments also can cost thousands of dollars.
While it can be challenging to find affordable pet care, we have a variety of tips to help you and your furry companion find low cost veterinarian services.
In this article, we’ll discuss helpful tips to find low cost veterinarian services, some ways to find discounted services as well as some other things to consider when caring for your pet’s health.
Be sure to check out our list of 24+ Resources for Free or Low Cost Veterinary Care (and the countless state-specific resources listed in that article as well).
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Shop Around to Find Better Vet Rates
Just as you would look for the best price of some tires, you can research your area’s veterinarians for the lowest cost.
Grab a pen and paper or create a spreadsheet to jot down information on your area’s veterinarians. Many veterinarian clinics list prices on their website for common services or you can call their office to find out more specifics on costs. A little research can save you hundreds of dollars over the life of your pet.
Petfinder offers a helpful tool to find animal welfare organizations in your area or the check out the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals tool to find low-cost spay/neuter programs.
Go to a Veterinary School
Another way to find low cost veterinarian services is to visit a veterinary school. Oftentimes, veterinary schools are more affordable than traditional pet hospitals or vet clinics. Professionally-certified veterinarians supervise student-veterinarians, and their schools frequently offer all or most of the same vet services at other clinics.
The American Veterinary Medical Association offers a list of accredited veterinary colleges in every state and many other options outside the United States.
Talk to Your Vet
Your veterinarian likely has a wealth of knowledge on your area’s veterinarian services.
If you’re struggling to pay for vet services or a particular procedure, talk with your veterinarian about it and ask for recommendations. Your veterinarian may know of less expensive alternatives, other clinics with discount services, or might be willing to offer you a payment plan or discount.
Find More Affordable Pet Perscriptions
In total, Americans spend about $29.3 billion on veterinarian services and pet pharmaceuticals in 2019, according to the American Pet Products Association. While Americans spend a lot on their pet’s care, there are a variety of tools that can help pet owners find cheaper pet prescriptions.
PetCareRX offers an online dog and cat pharmacy that allows users to search a wide variety of pet medications, including allergy relief, antibiotics, thyroid, weight control, and many others. The company often offers promotions and discounts on products.
Another option is 1-800-PetMeds. 1-800-PetMeds offers medications for dogs, cats, and horses as well as offers a vast medication comparison matrix. Similar to PetCareRX, 1-800-PetMeds frequently offers discounts and promotions for customers.
If you choose to buy pet medication online, make sure that it’s a credible outlet. Many pharmacies at popular retail stores, such as Walmart, Kroger, and Sam’s Club, also offer pet medications at their in-store pharmacies. PharmacyChecker is another tool that allows you to compare the prices of various medications.
If you find a better price for the medication your veterinarian is offering, you can also ask if they’ll price match it.
Find a Pet or Animal Charity
If you’re having a difficult time finding low-cost options for veterinarian offices, there might be animal welfare charities in your area that offer some services.
Some popular nationwide options are the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, Help-a-Pet, Handicapped Pet Foundation, Pets of the Homeless, and the Waggle Foundation. These organizations and others like them offer pet owners financial assistance for their pet’s care. Each organization has its own rules, so you’ll need to further research each option to see if it’ll work for you and your pet.
Check out the Humane Society of the United States’ list of nationwide and state-specific charities to find additional options.
Breed-specific Animal Charities
There are a variety of animal charities that help specific dog breeds. If they don’t offer veterinarian services, these organizations will likely have more information on how to care for your breed of pet and where to find care services.
A few of these breed-specific options include CorgiAid, Labrador Life Line, Pyramedic Trust (for Great Pyrenees), Doberman 911, Schnauzer Love Rescue, and WestieMed (West Highland White Terriers).
Be Proactive with Pet Health
It’s been said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That is to say, it’s much easier to stop something bad from happening in the first place than to fix the damage afterward.
The same goes for pet health care. Taking steps to reduce your pet’s chances of requiring expensive medical care — as well as providing it regular exercise and a healthy diet — can save you from expensive veterinarian bills.
For example, spaying or neutering can help lower the risk of some diseases in dogs and cats, as well as reduce the number of unwanted pets in shelters. Yearly checkups can find health conditions to keep your eye on and help your pet stay up-to-date on vaccinations.
Pet-proofing your home also can help you save money on expensive veterinarian visits. Place toxic foods or substances out of reach of your curious animals and make sure your house plants are pet-friendly.
In Conclusion
With the joy that pets bring also comes the cost of caring for our four-legged friends. While pets can be expensive, there are a variety of avenues to find low cost veterinarian services and save money.
We hope through this piece you’ve learned more about how to find affordable pet care and have a variety of tips to help you and your furry companion find low cost veterinarian services.
Sonya scott
Friday 17th of November 2023
My dog needs help I can't afford high cost vet care on social security she has a big ball under her stomach allmost dragging the ground. No one wants to help her with our $. Can u please suggest or help?
Catherine Marucci
Friday 17th of November 2023
Hi. Have you already tried contacting your local Humane Society or animal shelter? Often, they will know about programs and low-cost options that no one else may be aware of.