FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM APRIL 19, 2018 • PETS • THE QUEENS COURIER 45
Simple ways to save on your pet’s medical costs
Pet parents know that there’s nothing
like the love of furry family members.
Keeping your pets healthy is a priority
because you want them to live as
long as possible. However, health care
costs for pets are expensive, and if you
are dealing with additional expenses
such as prescriptions for chronic conditions,
it can become a burden to your
budget.
Fortunately, there are several things
pet owners can do proactively to keep
pets healthy and save money on health
care costs.
Invest in preventative care
“An ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure” is just as applicable to pets
as it is to their human caregivers. One of
the most important things a pet parent
can do to ensure the ongoing health of
any animal is to bring them in for annual
checkups whether they are experiencing
health issues or not.
During wellness checkups, veterinarians
can screen for a variety of health conditions.
Th ey provide insight on diseases,
age-related concerns, dental health, nutritional
considerations and so much more.
Plus you’re able to provide your pet with
important vaccinations. Regular checkups
help vets identify problems sooner
rather than later, and this can translate to
more aff ordable health care costs to pet
parents in the long run.
Get an Inside Rx Pets
prescription card
Costs for managing your pet’s health
can be a bear with pet owners spending
more than $8 billion on prescription
and over-the-counter medications annually.
Th e Inside Rx Pets program off ers
savings on commonly prescribed medications
such as insulin and antibiotics,
as well as seizure, glaucoma and anti-infl
ammatory drugs. Th e Inside Rx Pets
savings card is not insurance; it is a savings
card you can use for certain human
medications that may be prescribed for
your pet. A complete list of the medications
with which you can use the Inside
Rx Pet card, as well as pricing information
and other details, can be found at
https://InsideRx.com/Pets.
Benefi ting from these discounts is easy
for pet parents: If your pet’s veterinarian
writes a prescription for an applicable
medication, simply download the free
discount card from the Inside Rx Pets
website and present it with the prescription
at one of the 40,000 participating
pharmacies located across the U.S. that fi ll
prescriptions for animals. Th ese include
national chains such as Kroger Family of
Pharmacies, CVS and Walgreens (yes, the
same pharmacies you go to for your own
medications).
Exercise and focus on nutrition
Obesity is a growing concern for many
pets. Poor nutrition paired with limited
exercise causes pets to put on additional
weight. Th is weight can put them at
higher risk for health concerns like diabetes,
osteoarthritis and ligament injuries.
Th ese health concerns not only risk
the quality of life for Fluff y or Fido, but
also can deeply impact your pocketbook.
Pets, just like humans, require exercise
and proper nutrition to stay healthy and
feel their best. Whether that’s letting your
rabbit out of the cage to run or going on a
walk with your dog, be sure to make regular
exercise a part of your fur family’s
routine. If you’re unsure what is appropriate
for your pet, call your veterinarian
or bring it up at a wellness visit. Th ey’ll be
delighted you reached out for more information
to keep your pet healthy.
Start an emergency fund
Choosing between a pet and an unexpected
health expense is something no
one wants to experience. Being prepared
can make a big diff erence when
facing diffi cult decisions, so it’s wise to
have savings set aside in case of a rainy
day.
Some people are starting pet health
savings accounts (HSAs) that are similar
to the accounts that people hold for
themselves to pay for medical expenses.
Whether you choose that path or a traditional
savings account, when you have
an emergency fund you won’t have to
worry about any unexpected expenses,
so you can simply focus on getting your
pet well again.
Being proactive is important for keeping
your pets healthy for many years.
From scheduling annual wellness visits
to taking advantage of the Inside Rx
Pets discount card, there are many easy
actions pet parents can take today to
reduce costs so furry family members
stay well.
June is National Pet Adoption Month,
a great time to consider providing a
home to a pet from a local shelter.
Courtesy BPT
pets
/Pets
