If there is one piece of advice I could offer, both as a vet and as a pet owner (who has needed it on multiple occasions), it would be to strongly consider decent insurance cover for your pets.

Unlike many other types of insurance, such as home and car (which, incidentally, you are much less likely to claim on than pet insurance), it is not quite as straightforward as finding the cheapest quote.

You will need to consider various factors and see what level of cover is right for your companion, even if that means paying a bit more. Better to research well at the start, than to be paying into a policy that doesn’t cover what you need later down the line.

Giving your pet the care they need when they need it

People often ask, ‘can I not just put money aside?’. Absolutely, you can, but consider whether you would have access to, possibly, thousands of pounds at short notice if something happened in just a few months’ time, or if a condition was diagnosed that needed ongoing treatment for life. For most people, this is just not feasible and so insurance gives you the peace of mind to be able to give your pet the care they need, when they need it.

Different types of policy exist. Broadly speaking, there tend to be ‘lifetime cover’ policies (that will continue covering conditions if they are chronic or happen more than once in different policy years), ‘annual’ policies (that will only cover conditions for one year, then exclude them), or ‘accident only’ policies (that do not cover illness).

Some policies cover public liability

Some more comprehensive policies also cover things such as dental treatment, behaviourist fees, pet theft or public liability (if a pet causes damage or harm to property or person).

It is usually much easier to insure pets under eight or nine years old, but policies do exist for older animals. There are also policies for species other than cats, dogs and rabbits – but these may be with more specialist providers.

Take your time and buy what is right for you and your pet, and take some of the stress out of decision-making if they do need treatment.