What is a pet health plan?
Pet health plans are packages put together to make preventative healthcare more affordable, but also keep things simple.
Our health plans include include the following:
Annual health check and vaccination appointment with one of our vets.
Annual health check with our nursing team (6 months after vaccination)
A years worth of parasite control
10% discounts on routine dentistry (i.e. dental cleans under anaesthesia, not extractions)
10% discount on neutering
I have pet insurance why do I need a health plan?
Pet insurance is a very good idea for many people and is there for when things go wrong and your pet is poorly. In general however, they do not cover preventative healthcare (such as routine vaccinations, parasite prevention, routine dentistry or neutering).
Our health plans offer a cost effective way to cover the things insurance does not - i.e. the best preventative healthcare for your pets at a discounted rate.
Please note that all other appointments (not included in the plan above are payable)
How do I pay?
The adult health plan can either be taken out as one ‘upfront’ payment, whereby the client pays a one off fee and that covers them for the whole year (e.g. 12 months flea and worming, annual vaccines ect.)
It can also be taken out via direct debit - this option is slightly more expensive due to administration and direct debit fees.
How much does it cost?
Upfront Payment (Adults)
Cats = £150
5-10kg dog = £150
10-20kg dog = £160
20-40kg dog = £175
40-60kg dog = £205
Easy Direct Debits (Adults)
Cats = £13.50/month
5-10kg dog = £13.50/month
10-20kg dog = £14.50/month
20-40kg = £15.50/month
40-60kg dog = £18.50/month
How Much could I save?
As an example, everything included in the 10-20kg health plan adds up to a value of £238.30 (if you were to pay for each item separately without the health plan).
This gives you an immediate saving of £88.30 (37% saving)
If your pet was to have a routine dental assessment and "scale and polish" under general anaesthesia, the additional 10% discount could save you anywhere from £25-32.50 (depending on the size of your pet)
10% off neutering could save you anywhere from:
£24.50 (25kg male dog, castration)
£33.00 (25kg bitch, traditional spay)
£49.50 (25kg bitch, keyhole spay)
I can get cheaper products from the pet shop, what's the difference between those and the ones you provide?
Dogs
In dogs, the most important thing is to protect against "lungworm" (angiostrongylus vasorum) - unlike most of the other parasites we have to consider, this one does not live in the gastrointestinal tract, but in the blood vessels of the heart and lungs. As a result it can cause severe injury and disease in only a few weeks. It is therefore extremely important we protect against this particular parasite every month.
The parasite prevention products you can get over the counter (without a prescription) do not protect against lungworm.
Cats
Cats cannot catch the lungworm angiostrongylus vasorum, and so in cats, the most important factor when choosing a product is to pick one that kills fleas as quickly as possible. This can prevent them from getting into your home and establishing an infestation.
Many cats are incredibly sensitive to flea bites and a single one can cause a skin reaction (potentially leading to a vet visit). Ensuring we use a product with a fast "kill rate" can reduce the chances of a flea bite and hopefully prevent these allergic reactions.
The spot on products we use (Felisecto plus / Stronghold plus) - have a very fast "kill rate" especially when compared to Fipronil based products found over the counter without prescription.
What about puppies and kittens?
Kittens:
We recommend kittens stay indoors until they are neutered (usually at 5-6months old).
Being indoors greatly reduces the chances of picking up a parasite and we don't recommend starting monthly parasite control until they start going outdoors.
As such we generally wait until they are approaching their adult weight and then start them on the adult health plan.
In cases where there is a pre existing flea issue or there are already adult animals going outdoors we would recommend starting preventative measures earlier.
Puppies:
Puppies begin going outdoors from 8 weeks old (in the garden) and further afield from 11 weeks old.
We therefore recommend starting routine parasite control from 8 weeks old.
As puppies are growing we cannot just dispense a whole box of parasite control as they may be too large for it the following month.
Some puppies come fully vaccinated, others need just one, others need the whole primary course - we therefore don't include the cost of vaccinations in the puppy worming scheme, instead provide a discount on vaccinations if you sign up.
Our puppy worming scheme includes the following:
12 treatments with Simparica Trio which prevents roundworm, lungworm, fleas, mites, lice and ticks and is a treat like tablet given every 4 weeks. Initially we recommend coming into the practice for a visit and for your puppy to be weighed. This ensures they are given the correct dose as well as building a positive relationship with the vets from a young age.
2 treatments with Cazitel that prevents tapeworm and is given every six months.
A health check with one of our nurses at six months old.
10% off of vaccinations and a health check
10% off neutering.
Costs
£105 for puppies expected to weigh less than 25kg as an adult.
£125 for puppies expected to weigh over 25kg as an adult.
Video- Pet Health Plan: Dogs
Video- Pet Health Plan: Cats
Video- Puppy Worming Scheme