In case you haven’t noticed, veterinary fees, like almost all other expenses, seem to increase every year. There are several reasons. The overhead of the typical veterinary hospital increases approximately 10-15% annually. Also, veterinary medicine becomes more sophisticated all the time and the necessary equipment is expensive. A CO2 laser costs around $30,000. Xray machines run from $10,000 - $20,000 (and up to five times that for digital equipment). In-house lab equipment for blood counts and chemistry panels costs around $25,000. Surgical monitors range from $2,500 – $6,000. The list goes on and on.

We can help your pet live a longer, happier life but it does come with a cost. A major illness or surgery can cost several thousand dollars. Many pet owners find that pet health insurance is a good way to help alleviate some of the financial confinements associated with pet ownership.

The largest, and one of the oldest, veterinary insurance companies is VPI. You can obtain information at 800-USA-PETS or petinsurance.com. Trailridge Pet Hospital has no relationship with VPI and is not promoting them but we have many clients who use them.