Closed On Weekends. Click Here for Emergency Clinics.
Longmont, CO
(720) 600-2450
Mon-Fri | 8:30a - 5:30p
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.
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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).
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Pet Parents should budget $500-$1,500 annually for preventive care (Dogs & Cats).
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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.
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 all 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 enjoy working with Pumpkin Care, but there are many options available. 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.
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.
Wellness Plans
What is a Wellness Plan?
Simply put, a wellness plan is an annual package of preventive healthcare services designed to keep your pet happy and healthy. We personalize our plans to address every life stage by including the appropriate schedule of exams, diagnostics, and vaccinations.
Peace of Mind
Our wellness plans provide peace of mind. You can feel confident that your trusted companion is receiving optimal care, and at the same time, enjoy the certainty of being able to budget for that care. Our plans provide predictable automated monthly payments and easy-to-use online account features.
What is the difference between Wellness Plans and Pet Insurance?
Our wellness plans ensure that pets receive all of the preventive care services they need to stay healthy. By design, the services in our Wellness Plans are meant to proactively prevent medical issues, and catch issues early on. In contrast, pet insurance is a policy that helps when the unexpected happens suddenly or catastrophically. Insurance can reimburse you for services like emergency surgery, sparing you from making tough decisions about your pet’s health and life. Wellness plans and pet insurance go hand in hand. Choosing both means saying “yes” to the best healthcare for your pet.
Our Wellness Plans offer a 15%+ discount off the regular price of the included services and allow you to pay for the package in 12 monthly payments!
Annual preventive & routine vet care costs compared to common annual household expenses:
