It’s best to not let your guard down with ticks, even though peak season runs from September to April they can be present all year round. What’s supposed to be a great day of strolling outside can turn out to be a festive day for ticks to grab on your best mate and feed onto them. Yikes!
Parasite prevention is essential to help ease your worries that your pet will be a tick magnet every time you go outside, especially in grassy, bushy, or sandy areas. On another note, ticks can still make their way through your pets sometimes, even though you’ve been cautious already. And this may result in tick-borne diseases requiring urgent attention and treatment.
It’s always best to visit your vet for prevention, early recognition, and treatment. Although doing it yourself is possible, consulting a professional is still always more advisable as they are more knowledgeable and skilled in handling such cases.
To prep your pockets for vet costs, getting tick insurance is your safest move. Let’s dive deeper into tick insurance in Australia in this article.
What are paralysis ticks
Paralysis ticks are ticks that attach onto dogs and cats and then burrow their mouth-parts into the skin. The tick feeds on the host’s blood, injecting small amounts of toxic saliva into the dog or cat, which causes weakness and ultimately paralysis.
Most tick paralysis cases could be treated by general practice vets however, there has been an increase in the number of dogs and cats receiving treatment at emergency and specialist/referral hospitals where they are able to provide 24-hour care for critical patients.
Some animals sometimes require assistance with breathing to maintain adequate oxygen levels, as the tick toxin affects an animal’s respiration system.
Can I get tick insurance for my pet
Firstly the good news, there are different insurance policies available in Australia for your pets that cover paralysis tick treatment for your dog or cat, so you’re in luck.
Now the bad news, some pet insurance policies can have an annual sub-limit for paralysis tick treatment, so insurers will only cover you up to a certain amount. The best way to understand what’s covered is to carefully read the product disclosure statement, if you’re unsure, reach out to the insurer and ask! It’s best to know that not.
Tick prevention and tick treatment costs
Prevention is often seen as the best cure, as treating tick paralysis can add up to thousands of dollars if the pet requires intensive care and/or mechanical assistance to breathe.
Tick paralysis, and other tick-borne diseases, can be eradicated with urgent veterinary attention. However, the average treatment cost for such cases is no joke. For example, in an animal hospital like Pittwater, the cost to treat tick paralysis is between $900 to $1,800 for an uncomplicated patient. The cost often depends on the size of your pet and the complexity of their case (mild, moderate, or end-stage paralysis).
Moreover, Finder’s case study showed that the veterinary bill for tick paralysis treatment costs over $2,000 for a 9-month-old Aussie doodle, which included an overnight stay. It also revealed that they have no pet insurance, which means they had to chunk a significant amount in their savings, one time, big time.
On the other hand, according to PetCloud, a single visit to the vet for parasite prevention starts at approximately $50. The rate can change depending on several factors like the size of your pet, the location of your vet’s clinic, and their professional fee. Services included in each appointment may also vary for every vet but you can expect that there will be consultation and administration of topical/oral/injectable medication for tick prevention/control.
Does pet insurance cover tick preventative cost
Unfortunately, finding insurance that covers comprehensive tick prevention alongside cover for tick treatment will be hard to find. There may be some insurers who could offer add-on extra benefits in pet insurance plans, which include minimal preventative treatments. You have to choose wisely here, as not all add-ons have parasite prevention. But, add-on extra benefits will usually mean you will have to pay higher premiums.
An alternative approach is planning and saving for tick preventative treatments yourself. We all know it can be tricky to save, a pet extras savings plan could be a better alternative.
Save for tick preventative treatments using a pet extras plan
A pet extras plan can help give you added peace of mind that you have funds available for their preventative treatments when they need it.
A pet extras plan allows you to save for pet extras like tick preventative treatments. If there are funds left over, you could use the funds for other similar pet extra treatments such as vaccination, desexing, dental, and general vet consultation.
Both pet extras and pet insurance serve the great purpose of giving your four-legged companion access to quality healthcare and equipping your pocket for vet costs.
Remember, pet insurance policies will generally exclude pre-existing conditions so don’t leave it too late to secure your pet’s healthiest future.
Combat pesky ticks with ExtrasJar
Never be afraid of vet bills anymore, with a pet extras plan combined with a wallet-friendly pet insurance policy with ExtrasJar. The best bit is ExtrasJar has no sub-limits for tick paralysis and limits up to $25,000.
Our innovative pet extras plan is an industry game-changer. Your funds are investing taking the hassle out of investing and you can access your funds anytime to pay for pet extras using your ExtrasJar pet extras Mastercard.
At ExtrasJar, we know pet’s are part of the family and want you to be in full control of your furry friend’s future!
The information in this article is general in nature as it has been prepared without taking account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statemen (PDS) & Target Market Determination, and obtain appropriate financial and taxation advice, before making a decision about whether ExtrasJar’s products are right for you.
*ExtrasJar Pet Insurance is subject to exclusion periods and exclusions, such as pre-existing Conditions. Please see our (PDS) for more details.
