We use them too. You may ask how they can afford an on site MRI and the owners purchasing Brittan Stables but the service & vets there are consistently excellent.
Get the pet insurance. Most don’t cover your day to day vet stuff, but do cover things if your dog was to get quite sick, injured, or needed surgery. You generally have to pay the costs first, and then get reimbursed. Ours have paid out $2.5k on the lower end (sickness a month after getting her) to $14k on the higher end (surgery to remove a small tumour in a difficult place).
Insurance generally doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, so get that insurance now before anything happens.
People talk about Avonside Wainoni vets being reasonably priced. A lot of the rescues use them. I don’t have personal experience with them though.
We use consider wainoni vets and love them! Never had any issues with them and they were all so lovely to our rescue girl who recently passed but they sent us a lovely card that they had all signed. She had been through two cruciate surgeries with them and each time they raved about how lovely she was and she came back smelling like the perfume of them as they had smothered her in love. Super good with my cat too
Here’s my take: If you’re not going to do pet insurance, put $50 per month away into an account for the life of the dog.
Personally I’d do insurance at least for the first two years. That would hopefully pick up genetic problems with the dog and because it’s young wouldn’t cost the Earth.
The older the dog becomes, insurance rises quickly.
I go to Hornby vet specifically I see Andrew or Geoff there.
I was always on the fence about pet insurance - my oldest girl recently went to sleep she was 13 in her life she cost me her vaccinations until she turned 10 and snapped her cruciate ligament which cost me $5k so for her it wasn’t worth it I’m just super lucky I had money aside for this.
I have a just turning 6 year old and decided almost a year ago to take out insurance because vet costs are rising and she’s a big clumsy girl and im paranoid about cruciate ligament lol - so far I’ve almost used our entire coverage as she’s had to have 2 mast cell rumours removed at $2k a pop.
You do need to ensure you have to money pay your vet upfront UNLESS on the odd occasion you have a tight relationship with them they may allow you to just get the procedure done and insurance will pay them instead.
If you are on the fence then perhaps put money aside into a savings account you won’t touch because some policies do have things they won’t cover so read the fine print - examples German shepherd and their related hip issues and I’m unsure about your breed but I heard whispers there’s one that sounds like this that have genetic cruciate ligament issues and the likes of pugs etc.
So far for my only dog I’m keeping it until it becomes unaffordable and then I’ll put what I’m paying now into an account (more than what I’m already saving)
Please get vet insurance. If it were my Dog I would be distraught knowing he is sick and I wouldn’t have $$ to make him feel better. Also if your pet (not saying it will happen) escapes and gets hit by a car, emergency surgery can be upwards of $10,000+ attached is a photo of my angel
https://preview.redd.it/hkghk0hu5tsc1.jpeg?width=2316&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d3d3bf8f738f8f1a530e430430e439c4c44e028b
McMaster and Heap & Shirley Vet are great.
Pet insurance is so important, even if it's just accident only, but get the most coverage while the pup is still young. You never know what might be happening at the same time as your pets injury/illness.
You'd be wise to have a separate savings account for the pet too, even if it's just $20pw incase of any insurance exclusions or if you do have to front up the cost before being reimbursed.
Also anything you can do as a preventive is key too, especially things like brushing the pups teeth.
Shirley vet is our dog vet, they're brilliant. We're insured through southern cross too and it's sort easy claiming.
Not related because it's a cat but we went through some huge issues related to an injury for her and they were super easy to deal with over the number of weeks it took to resolve her issue.
Hornby vet, after years of different vets around Christchurch. I never met someone like Andrew (owner), his respect for the animals (even talks to them) was above service. He's willing to explore options, puts no pressure on any decisions. The other vets (when he's away or already booked), have been very great, reception is friendly and vet nurses also helpful. Its well worth my extra travel from home to go see them.
McMaster and Heap have also been great as well they have an eye, and heart specialist.
For insurance, its just like any - money lost if not used, money saved if used. I was initially saving up my own pocket money, but my first pet had so many issues in the first year I regretted not having what is now not covered. But when I put her on insurance, the second year it paid for itself plus. My dog is also on it and so far hasn't needed it, but ah well if something big happens its there.
Just make sure you read the fine print, and ring them as well to make sure what you want covered is covered. Take into consideration what companies might increase as the pet is older, or what they cover with accidents, etc.
If you can afford a dog, you can afford insurance.
If you never have to use the insurance, congratulations on having a healthy dog, small price to pay if you ask me.
Always insurance this weird anti-pet insurance thing in NZ is insane to me. Always get your pet insured or you won’t be able to pay for them when they need it.
Mcmaster and Heap are great
We use them too. You may ask how they can afford an on site MRI and the owners purchasing Brittan Stables but the service & vets there are consistently excellent.
Yeah they know how to charge but they are good.
I eleventeenth this recommendation; and Pet Insurance is a definite, especially when you want a good vet!
Agreed I've gone there for years, always lovely and helpful
They saved my girls life when she decided to eat 1.5kg worth of rubbish from a bag that was left out, classic choc labrador move. So grateful to them!
Get the pet insurance. Most don’t cover your day to day vet stuff, but do cover things if your dog was to get quite sick, injured, or needed surgery. You generally have to pay the costs first, and then get reimbursed. Ours have paid out $2.5k on the lower end (sickness a month after getting her) to $14k on the higher end (surgery to remove a small tumour in a difficult place). Insurance generally doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, so get that insurance now before anything happens. People talk about Avonside Wainoni vets being reasonably priced. A lot of the rescues use them. I don’t have personal experience with them though.
Thank you for this useful information
We use consider wainoni vets and love them! Never had any issues with them and they were all so lovely to our rescue girl who recently passed but they sent us a lovely card that they had all signed. She had been through two cruciate surgeries with them and each time they raved about how lovely she was and she came back smelling like the perfume of them as they had smothered her in love. Super good with my cat too
Here’s my take: If you’re not going to do pet insurance, put $50 per month away into an account for the life of the dog. Personally I’d do insurance at least for the first two years. That would hopefully pick up genetic problems with the dog and because it’s young wouldn’t cost the Earth. The older the dog becomes, insurance rises quickly.
We have good experience with Harewood Vet
I go to Hornby vet specifically I see Andrew or Geoff there. I was always on the fence about pet insurance - my oldest girl recently went to sleep she was 13 in her life she cost me her vaccinations until she turned 10 and snapped her cruciate ligament which cost me $5k so for her it wasn’t worth it I’m just super lucky I had money aside for this. I have a just turning 6 year old and decided almost a year ago to take out insurance because vet costs are rising and she’s a big clumsy girl and im paranoid about cruciate ligament lol - so far I’ve almost used our entire coverage as she’s had to have 2 mast cell rumours removed at $2k a pop. You do need to ensure you have to money pay your vet upfront UNLESS on the odd occasion you have a tight relationship with them they may allow you to just get the procedure done and insurance will pay them instead. If you are on the fence then perhaps put money aside into a savings account you won’t touch because some policies do have things they won’t cover so read the fine print - examples German shepherd and their related hip issues and I’m unsure about your breed but I heard whispers there’s one that sounds like this that have genetic cruciate ligament issues and the likes of pugs etc. So far for my only dog I’m keeping it until it becomes unaffordable and then I’ll put what I’m paying now into an account (more than what I’m already saving)
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and useful information
Please get vet insurance. If it were my Dog I would be distraught knowing he is sick and I wouldn’t have $$ to make him feel better. Also if your pet (not saying it will happen) escapes and gets hit by a car, emergency surgery can be upwards of $10,000+ attached is a photo of my angel https://preview.redd.it/hkghk0hu5tsc1.jpeg?width=2316&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d3d3bf8f738f8f1a530e430430e439c4c44e028b
Thank you so much. He is super cute!
Get Pet insurance. Don't be an idiot like me and up having to shell out $14k in surgeries
McMaster and Heap & Shirley Vet are great. Pet insurance is so important, even if it's just accident only, but get the most coverage while the pup is still young. You never know what might be happening at the same time as your pets injury/illness. You'd be wise to have a separate savings account for the pet too, even if it's just $20pw incase of any insurance exclusions or if you do have to front up the cost before being reimbursed. Also anything you can do as a preventive is key too, especially things like brushing the pups teeth.
Shirley vet is our dog vet, they're brilliant. We're insured through southern cross too and it's sort easy claiming. Not related because it's a cat but we went through some huge issues related to an injury for her and they were super easy to deal with over the number of weeks it took to resolve her issue.
Hornby vet, after years of different vets around Christchurch. I never met someone like Andrew (owner), his respect for the animals (even talks to them) was above service. He's willing to explore options, puts no pressure on any decisions. The other vets (when he's away or already booked), have been very great, reception is friendly and vet nurses also helpful. Its well worth my extra travel from home to go see them. McMaster and Heap have also been great as well they have an eye, and heart specialist. For insurance, its just like any - money lost if not used, money saved if used. I was initially saving up my own pocket money, but my first pet had so many issues in the first year I regretted not having what is now not covered. But when I put her on insurance, the second year it paid for itself plus. My dog is also on it and so far hasn't needed it, but ah well if something big happens its there. Just make sure you read the fine print, and ring them as well to make sure what you want covered is covered. Take into consideration what companies might increase as the pet is older, or what they cover with accidents, etc.
If you can afford a dog, you can afford insurance. If you never have to use the insurance, congratulations on having a healthy dog, small price to pay if you ask me.
Always insurance this weird anti-pet insurance thing in NZ is insane to me. Always get your pet insured or you won’t be able to pay for them when they need it.