Creative Financing With Less

Many of us have been impacted by the pandemic. Either we have become ill ourselves or been temporarily laid off due to limited capacity or outright closures in the hospitality industry. Even essential workers may have to deal with healthcare expenses and time off required if someone in the household has a milder illness. I understand that many states, including Florida, are still having problems with their unemployment system. I personally saw the website when a friend was trying to get her benefits straightened out, and it reminded me of the old Windows Update screen… the bar goes halfway and just stops… forever. Phone contact is not any easier, and some of us have been forced to do without. The system is overwhelmed, and we have work around it.

If you have pet insurance, great! Congratulations on planning for contingencies! I do not have pet insurance for my little zoo, mainly because I have had the good fortune of a stable income and emergency savings. Plus insuring seven animals is not cheap, especially the older ones. So not only do we have this pandemic, but we have financial issues PLUS our fur babies to take care of. It can get overwhelming fast especially if we have our human problems to deal with on top of this weird new world of face masks and social distancing. So what do we do about our treasured fur babies?

The first thing to do if you have a physical or well visit for Kitty is to call your vet ahead of time. If you have been laid off or are having financial issues, a vet that you have an established relationship with might be able to cut you a break via lower office fees or discounted immunizations. If Kitty just needs their yearly shots, you can always check into your local Humane Society or ASPCA to see if these services are available. Many times these services are very inexpensive or even free in some cases. There is nothing wrong with getting the required immunizations from somewhere other than your established vet if you need to. I have done this throughout my life when I have needed to, and it has been just fine.

For big stuff, such as Kitty gets sick enough to require major care such as with an infection, diabetic complication like pancreatitis, or suddenly uncontrolled blood glucose, you want your established vet to handle this if at all possible. They are going to be the best for Kitty as they have Kitty’s records of their illness, previous complications, medication reactions, etc. A vet familiar with Kitty’s history is going to be much more likely to be able to treat Kitty properly the first time. What do we do if there is an expensive medication involved or inpatient care for Kitty? Well, again, I would always start with the veterinarian office. Some have set up funds for low or no income (even if temporary). At my vet office they ask for other fur parents to donate to this fund to help with these types of situations. If you are in a good financial position, donate! It doesn’t have to be thousands of dollars. If we all pitch in even $20, that can add up and help a lot of fur babies.

So what happens if we have used our veterinarian office funds (or they have run out), and even with a discount, we do not have the funds? For regular well visits and immunizations, I would put it off if Kitty is stable. Their immunity to rabies does not stop at exactly one year or three (depending on your election) on that exact day. I am not advocating not vaccinating or putting of care for a long amount of time! This is a temporary solution while dealing with the economic complications of a pandemic. Admittedly, I have had to put off their well visits because I cannot go to the vet when I, myself, am still symptomatic. As long as the kitties are being their normal crazy selves, this is okay.

What about emergencies? We cannot put off treatment for spiking blood sugar or an obviously ill Kitty. If you do not have pet insurance and the rainy day savings went out the window long ago, my next option would be to use the emergency credit card. We have one for medical emergencies via Care Credit and another regular card in case the car dies or some other big problem comes up. Most credit cards carry a mega high adjustable interest rate, so use with caution. I have found that using Care Credit has the advantage of deferred-interest payments for different amounts from 6 to 18 months. That can be a huge help if Kitty needs surgery, other inpatient care, or expensive testing. Here is the trick: DO NOT SIGN UP FOR E-BILL! The paper bill clearly shows how much time you have to pay off your deferred interest transaction, and I like to have proof on paper. The advantage to this type of medical credit card is that it can cover medications, exams, and a lot of other things for both fur parents and fur babies. I have been able to do a half-and-half financing between the provider’s office payment plan plus a deposit made with the card. I end up having two smaller payments instead of a large one, and that has worked out really well. This is not a solution for everyone, but it is an option.

If you cannot get out due to quarantine or self-isolation, you might be able to get standard pet medication refills over the phone. My veterinarian office has been VERY understanding as I have been sick for so long. Take a look around at the different online pet medication sources. If there is a new customer discount or a great coupon code, having this information on hand when calling your vet will give you leverage for them to either price match or send the prescription to your vendor of choice. Not all vets can afford to price match, so having a solid alternative or two is worthwhile.

For home testing supplies, you can always get things like meters, test strips, syringes, glucose aids for hypoglycemia, ketone strips and more  right here at PetTest. Feel free to use promo code LOVETHEUSA for 30% off most products.

In conclusion, always start with your regular vet. If they cannot help, they can tell you if you can delay Kitty’s well visit and for how long or refer you to local resources for help. Use online websites to compare medication prices. Also, if you are healthy and have a stable income, please consider talking to your vet about donating to their fund or donate to your local shelter.

The Feline Diabetes Support Group on FB is always available for support for questions, venting, and all things sugar Kitty.