Health:

A pet’s well-being is of paramount importance to its owner. But sometimes owners are unsure whether everything is in order with their pets and end up having to consult a vet.

Incident:

An illness or accident can make the matter urgent. The owner has to locate the nearest vet, contact them and hope to get an appointment as soon as possible. Otherwise, a trip to the nearest emergency veterinary centre is unavoidable.

Preparation :

Whether it’s a routine check-up or a real emergency, pets don’t usually allow themselves to be taken to the vet voluntarily. In some cases, they put up a real fight as soon as they catch sight of the pet carrier.

Transport:

The journey by car or public transport is not always easy.

At the vet:

Finally, you arrive at the vet’s. First, there’s all the registration and paperwork to take care of and, in cases of emergency, a fee is often payable up-front. Then you cool your heels in the waiting room until you’re ushered in to the vet.

Diagnosis and treatment:

The diagnosis may result in high costs for treatment or an operation, which the owner may have to bear in full. Should the animal be put down? Your pet is like a family member, so it’s a distressing decision to have to make. Owners with no pet insurance have to raise the money themselves.

Costs:

But pet insurance helps only if you have taken out the appropriate cover – and that’s something pet owners are often unaware of because they may have taken out only basic insurance and forgotten to check the exclusions. If the pet insurance does cover the costs, the owner has to submit the vet’s bill along with any invoices for medicines.

Follow-up:

After initial treatment, the vet often performs a follow-up check. Once the pet is back home, it may need more intensive care and incur the owner additional costs – to administer medicine or dress wounds, for example.