Cost of Care
Planning for veterinary costs is a vital part of pet ownership. Regular check-ups, preventive care, emergencies, age-related conditions, and chronic illnesses should be considered to meet your pet's health needs. Financial preparedness enables necessary medical attention, ensuring a longer, happier life for your companion. We want to help you budget for these expenses as well as provide various payment and financing options.
-
The lifetime cost for pet's medical care is $15,000-$20,000+ depending on the breed, size, lifestyle, and life span (AKC, CBNC, DVM360).
-
Pet Parents should budget $500-$1,500 annually for preventive care (Dogs & Cats).
-
An additional $2,000 should be set aside in an emergency fund for illnesses and injuries, or purchase pet insurance.
Payment Options
Payment is due at the time of service; however, we do accept all major credit cards, CareCredit, cash, check, and digital payments; and we also have finance options! Read on!
Finance Options
We understand that veterinary care can sometimes be costly. To assist you in managing these expenses, we are pleased to offer payment plans through CareCredit and ScratchPay that allow you to pay your bill over time from 2 months to 5 years, with 0% interest options for up to 6 months. Please don't hesitate to inquire about our payment options and discuss what works best for your situation. Our goal is to make quality veterinary care accessible and affordable for everyone.
Otto Care Memberships
Now offering Care Memberships that allow you to save over $284 annually! No other pet is exactly like yours, and the Care your pet receives should be just as unique as your furry family member. We designed our Care Memberships to work for ANY pet, and for ANY need. Each plan includes built-in discounts, exams, and an Instant Account Credit that can be used for anything from procedures to routine care to prescriptions; and everything in between. All you have to do is choose the plan that fits your budget and your pet’s individual annual needs and we'll take care of the rest.
.png)
Pet Insurance
Just like with people, illnesses and injuries can befall our beloved pets at any time. These unexpected bills can be overwhelming. While you can mitigate some costs by utilizing Clover Basin's Urgent Care during office hours, after-hours emergencies will require a visit to a local emergency clinic. Sometimes, general practices like us also need to refer cases to an emergency or specialty hospital when overnight hospitalization or specialist care is needed.
Costs for emergency care can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. One article cites a study that the average cost of an emergency vet visit can range from $800 to $1,500. And a Money article summarizing emergency/urgent care estimates some incidents costing as much as $7,000. Why do emergency clinics cost so much anyway? As in human medicine, emergency clinics are staffed 24/7 with emergency-trained personnel and provisioned with specialized equipment, and many have board-certified specialists on-staff or on-call.
We highly recommend having pet insurance for your pets. Whether you seek treatment at Clover Basin or at an emergency clinic, these policies will cover many the costs of many injuries and illnesses. Some pet insurances will also cover a portion of wellness and preventive care as well, either as part of the base policy, or as policy add-ons. And it's best to start insurance when your pet is young because a) Injury/Illness can happen at any age, and b) Most policies don't cover pre-existing conditions, so best to get them insured before they develop any chronic conditions.
Be aware that most pet insurance programs work on a reimbursement basis. You still have to pay at time of service, but then submit a claim for reimbursement from the insurance. Many clients with pet insurance keep a credit card just for their pets! Or they use their CareCredit card. Most pet insurance reimburse claims within days, so you can pay the credit card right away and avoid interest. We will work with your insurance to provide them with documentation they might need to approve your claim quickly.
We are partnered with Trupanion, one of the only pet insurance companies that will allow you to pay at time of service. There are many options available for pet insurance, use the Pet Insurance Comparison Tool from Pawlicy to see which insurance is right for you and your pet. Click the links below to be redirected to their websites.
%20(1)_edited.png)
Note on Pet Insurance regulation: Unlike human health insurance, which is regulated at both federal and state levels, pet insurance isn't there quite yet. NAIC is an association whose members are insurance commissioners from all 50 states, and the NAIC has enacted a "model law" that states can use to regulate pet insurance. While Colorado has not yet done so, states such as California have. Here is their law. Thus, many pet insurance companies are more-or-less conforming to the standards nationwide. Nevertheless, you should carefully research and understand the pet insurance you choose and be aware that it's not yet regulated like human health insurance is.
Annual preventive & routine vet care costs compared to common annual household expenses:
