We have a strong emotional association with our pets, who are family, could you imagine how horrible it would be when you have to cut back on your pet’s health care because of limited financial resources? With current economic conditions, you want to save money and the vet is one of many places where pet owners can save money. You should realize that veterinary care should be a part of your household budget. It's an important part of pet ownership that you provide them with proper medical care, but before you flinch at the high cost of a treatment, you can do the following things to save money while doing a great job taking care of your pet.

Here's How to Save Money on Vet Bills

1. Provide healthy food and maintain an ideal weight
   Americans spend over 13 billion dollars on their pet meds. Pets that are obese have a high risk for many medical issues. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, in the U.S. 44% of dogs and 57% of cats are obese and are suffering from diabetes, arthritis and various forms of cancer. Treatment of these diseases will add thousands of dollars to your budget.
   
   The best solution to this problem is to ask your vet for sincere advice about your dog’s waistline. If you're overfeeding, then put the recommended amount of food in the bowl. You'll save on the cost of food and it will get your pet back to healthy, and a healthier pet will translate into fewer veterinary bills. Regular walking is also good for weight loss. Remember that poor quality food can cause messy and unpleasant conditions like vomiting and diarrhea, always consult your vet for a balanced and healthy diet.
   
2. Give nutritional supplements
   Nutritional supplements for your pets? In addition to a healthy lifestyle, vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids improve the immune systems of dogs, which in turn will help to stop infections and keep your pet healthy. Before you could consider supplements, but don't buy them on your own before asking your vet which ones they recommend.
   
3. Always go for an annual examination
   You might think this suggestion is an unnecessary expenditure, but believe me, prevention is the best medicine and it will save you money in the long run. When a disease or medical is recognized in the early stages, it's easy to treat and could save thousands of dollars in medical bills. Pets that are one to six years old should undergo an annual physical examination and pets older that seven should undergo an annual examination plus urine and blood tests. Pets with ongoing issues should have a medical checkup after every 6 months.
   
4. Vaccination
   Vaccination is a beneficial preventive measure used to help reduce the risk of adverse events and save money. In 2005, the USDA approved a new vaccine for dogs called Continuum DAP which means your dog needs shots for distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus every three years. They later approved the vaccine for cats in 2006. These vaccines will remain effective for three years and you should not go for yearly vaccination. Administering heartworm preventive is less expensive than treatment required for heartworm infection. Keeping your dog’s up-to-date on vaccination and sterilized it is both effective preventive measures.
   
5. Get Pet Insurance
   You should go for some medical plans with low premium that are cost effective. It will help you in unexpected and expensive conditions and can end up saving you thousands of dollars in vet/surgical bills. Before getting a pet health insurance plan you should confirm what it includes and excludes. There are some discounts available for multiple pets. If you're feeling that no plan is suitable for your pet’s medical needs, then you can create your own account by depositing a small amount of money in a savings account on a monthly basis. This will help you in your hour of need when your pet experiences and unexpected emergency like a snake bite.
   
6. Consult students
   Students in college who need training and want to get experience offer some basic treatments and services at discounted rates for those who are in financial need. Basic services include vaccination, checkups and spaying.
   
7. Get a second opinion
   If your pet needs an expensive treatment, don't go with the first quote you get. Treatment costs for the same disease may differ greatly, so always consult another vet and go for the least costly treatment. For example, an abdominal ultrasound could be quoted anywhere from $350 to $2,000.
   
8. Create a plan with your vet
   Payment plans offered by some veterinarians allow you to pay slowly over time and will help you cover high cost of treatments. Some vets offer a plan which covers vaccination, diagnostic tests, dental cleaning and office visits and also discounts on other treatments. You can also apply for CareCredit.
   
9. Contact humane society
   The Humane Society can help you with the process of getting funds for pet treatment.
   
10. Access to pet welfare charities
    There are many pet welfare organizations that can help with vet bills and pay for emergency veterinary treatments. They can also fund treatment for specific diseases.
    
11. Ask for a written estimate of cost
    You should ask for a written estimate of treatment cost, so that you can avoid any surprises. Before the procedure or treatment you should know whether your bill is of $300 or $3,000, right?
    
12. Brush teeth
    Most of the common diseases in dogs started with poor dental hygiene, so it's a good suggestion to brush your pet’s teeth to avoid heavy bills at the vet. CASH 1 knows that pets are family and if you find yourself needing an easy personal loan, feel free to check out our payday loan requirements and see if our loans are right for you. We hope you consider these tips and if you have any other pet vet savings tips - Drop some science below.