So we should set up that emergency credit card as a "just in case"?

The best is to have insurance and money set aside.
But as a part of an ahead plan , it is an option to have a Care Credit card account set up already, before hand you will know for sure how much will be your approved limit and it can help your planning.
Last minute measures are always... last minute !

As far as i know most vets offer some sort of play plan or credit applications on the spot, but we saw several posts here already of vets that do not offer that .

XOXO

I agree. I have my 3 insured through VPI and it helped a lot with Cali's major expenses and the peace of mind knowing all 3 are covered. I also took out a Care Credit when Dixie the yorkie puppy I had for 5 weeks and found out she had congenital kidney failure and was diagnosed before her insurance became effective. She has 1900.00 in bills in 1 week and then had to be put to sleep. I took out the Care credit then and when a friend's yorkie needed dental care and she couldn't afford it I pulled out my Care credit and used it. It has 5,000.00 limit so between that and the insurance I should be ok for emergencies. One reason I am not keeping the pom I am fostering is the cost of vet bills and insurance premiums. My husband and I are now both retired and living on a fixed income and I owe it to my 3 to know my limit. If any one is thinking of getting insurance do it sooner than later as there is a waiting period and most exclude any preexisting conditions.

You scared me when I saw the post was from you! I didn't know you had TWO now!!! This is a great post! I have insurance for Bailey (which I got when he was a puppy) right after I almost lost him and a huge vet bill. AND I have a separate credit card JUST for Bailey for emergencies. I won't let anything come in the way of my little baby!!! :)

I've done the research as well and find it quite expensive considering it only covers things that are seldom needed. I think sitting money aside each month is the smart thing to do, especially after the pet has lived it's life out and you have quite a bit of savings to do as you need or want.

That is an excellent idea.

Many people don't realize until they are in the situation that if your dog or cat gets sick on a weekend or holiday, ER vets demand payment upfront. They don't care if you have insurance or not. It's not like an emergency room at your local hospital. You have to pay them in full, then submit your receipts to your insurance company for reimbursement.

Lady got HGE on Labor Day. I was taken to a room where a vet tech took her history and gave me a proposed treatment plan and estimate of $700. I was given a clipboard with statement of financial responsibility to sign and sent back to the waiting room to pay the $700. If I had not had it, we would have been turned away and Lady would have died.

If ER vets started treating pets they don't even know for free, they could not stay in business. They have overhead and staff to pay. Usually illnesses serious enough to require emergency treatment are costly.

It is our responsibility as pet owners to be prepared for an after hours emergency, not the vet's responsibility to treat our pet for free. If your pet has a life threatening emergency, there is not time to apply for Care Credit and wait for approval. You have to have an emergency bank account, a credit card or a pre-approved Care Credit account or you will be turned away.

Great post! When I first got Bailey I opened a savings account especially for him. I have a certqin amount taken out of our income monthly and deposited to his acouunt. It's amazing how just a small amount plus interest adds up over time.

us to doing pet insurance
 

just picked up the papers from the vet they had several different flyers in the vet office. So I have to check it all out....cause we live paycheck to paycheck most of the time. So I want to be prepared....I can't imagine though them not taking some form of payment, but who know I don't know if mine would either.

We do the same. :thumbup:

This is what we've done too. We have a savings account with money put aside for "emergencies".

Just remember that ER vets don't take insurance the way our hospitals do. They will require you to pay upfront. You will have to submit your receipts and wait for reimbursement from your insurance company.

As impossible as it may sound in this economy, everyone needs to be able to get their hands on about $1,000 asap in case of emergency. That's why having an account set up that you add to monthly or a pre-approved Care Credit account is essential. Some illnesses and injuries just can't wait until your regular vet gets back in on Monday.

We live five minutes from our vet, but we've had to use the ER vet on two separate occasions in three years. It does happen. I also believe that we were asked for money up front...cash or credit card. I don't know if they would have waited for payment at all. Is CareCredit a credit card? Could you have immediate access to it?

I agree wholeheartdly. We use Savings Bonds to help protect us from medical expenses. We looked into (in Canada) the many pet insurance plans and what they didn't cover would astound you. We have 4 fur babies and we save $1500 per year just in case fund. We pay out of pocket for their normal vet expenses. One of the things that opened my eyes last summer was almost as $400 bill for heartworm meds. I t is costly to own multiple pets