👉 Before you dive into the article, be sure to familiarize yourself with the terms and verbiage used regularly when talking about pet insurance in our pet insurance glossary.
What are pet prescriptions?
Pet prescriptions are medications that can only be obtained from a licensed veterinarian. They typically treat things like anxiety, pain, and long-term chronic conditions. Prescription drugs can’t be purchased over the counter.
Prescriptions are often covered under your pet’s health insurance policy. However, coverage generally doesn’t include over-the-counter medications, like flea and tick preventatives.
Commons types of pet prescriptions
Medications for pain, seizures, diabetes, and anxiety all require prescriptions. Here’s a closer look at each of these common conditions.
Anxiety. Treating anxiety with medication has become more common nowadays. Common anxiety medicines covered by insurers include amitriptyline, fluoxetine, and Clomicalm.
Seizures. Seizure medications are covered by most pet insurance policies. Phenobarbital, diazepam, primidone, K-Brovet, and gabapentin are commonly-prescribed seizure medications.
Diabetes. Pets can get diabetes just like humans, and they’ll need daily medication to manage it. Most pet insurance policies cover insulins such as Lantus, Novolin N, Humulin N, Prozinc, and Vetsulin.
Pain. Prescription pain medication is sometimes needed post-surgery or for medical conditions like arthritis. Vets can prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Rimadyl or Previcox and opioids such as butorphanol and buprenorphine.
🚨 Never give your pets OTC pain medication, as it can cause life-threatening health problems.
Cost of pet prescriptions
Prescriptions can become costly over time, especially for long-term conditions. The annual cost of prescriptions for a pet can vary, however, depending on a few factors.
- Breed. Some breeds are prone to health conditions that lead to more prescription medications and higher costs.
- Weight. Many doses are calculated based on body weight, so big dogs need higher doses. This can add up when the cost is determined per pill or milliliter of fluid.
- Location. Vets often have differing costs for different services and medications depending on location.
- Overall health. A pet with a chronic condition or serious health problem will likely need more medications than others.
Pet insurance plans that cover medication
Not all pet insurance providers offer coverage for medication, and if they do, each policy may differ. Research your pet’s plan to determine which medications are or are not covered. Some of the top pet insurance companies that offer coverage for prescription medication include:
More and more pet parents are buying prescription medications for their furry friends every year. In 2019, 78% of dog owners and 62% of cat owners purchased pet medications. Those numbers are only expected to grow in the coming years.
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Frequently asked questions
What does pet insurance cover?
Most pet insurance plans cover unexpected injuries, accidents, unexpected illnesses, surgery, prescription medication, testing and diagnostics, and emergency care and exam fees. But this can vary depending on your pet’s specific policy.
Do I have to buy medicine from my vet?
For a medication to be covered under your pet insurance policy, you’ll need to have it prescribed by a licensed veterinarian.
How important is it to have pet insurance?
Aside from financial benefits, pet insurance may keep your pet from missing out on the care they may need. This includes expensive treatments which owners may otherwise be unable to afford. It also helps prevent pet owners from having to make the difficult decision to put a pet down rather than treat the issue because they lack the finances to do so.
Does Figo pet insurance cover prescriptions?
Figo pet insurance covers hospitalizations, surgeries, hereditary/congenital/chronic conditions, prescriptions, and more.
