It is no secret that the cost of veterinary services keeps rising and that, over the past few years, prices have increased faster than the inflation rate. In addition, veterinary clinics are experiencing a decline in patient visits, with no sign of slowing. It is also no surprise that many pet owners are waiting longer between appointments, declining veterinary care or postponing procedures.
According to the 2025 PetSmart Charities/Gallup study, just over half of pet owners have not brought their pets to the veterinarian within the past year, even when they felt the animal needed care, or they have declined veterinarian-recommended care. Their No. 1 reason was that they couldn’t afford the cost. The second reason was they didn’t see the value.
What can we do to ensure that people understand the value of veterinary services? And how can practices make their services more affordable?
Monthly Reminders
One surefire way to improve the perceived value of preventive care is to offer wellness plans. These bundled services typically include basic visits, vaccines, blood work and other products. The pet owner pays a monthly recurring fee instead of a one-time lump sum. The plans usually run for 12 months and may be customized based on the type of animal and its age. Puppy and kitten wellness plans are examples.
Here are three benefits of offering wellness plans:
- Client loyalty and retention: Wellness plans build long-term relationships because clients feel more committed to scheduling routine visits and perceive the value.
- Compliance and enhanced patient health: Clients are more likely to follow preventive care recommendations when the costs are spread out over time. Regular checkups help catch health issues earlier, leading to better (and often cheaper) outcomes.
- Affordable and manageable: Spreading the costs over time makes routine care more budget-friendly for clients. And let’s face it: Almost everyone has a subscription of some sort in today’s world. Like it or not, payment plans have a huge influence on consumers’ spending habits. For clinics, the monthly payments increase revenue, stabilize cash flow and reduce financial uncertainty.
What to Avoid
You might think, “What’s the catch?” Yes, there is a catch. Among the common pitfalls when implementing a wellness plan are these:
- Wrong prices: Some clients will look for discounts, while others want to budget a pet’s veterinary care and spread the cost. You must understand the cost of every product and service your plan offers, as well as the administration expense. Once you establish the price, adjust it regularly to account for inflation and other changes in the underlying costs.
- Ineffective communication: Pet owners get frustrated when they belatedly learn that their wellness plan doesn’t include a desired product or service. Keep your plan simple and clearly state what it encompasses. The promotional material should be available as a printed handout and on your website. Ensure your team can clearly explain to clients the plan’s benefits and pricing.
- Poor design: One-size-fits-all might not entice participation, but too many choices can overwhelm clients and reduce interest in your wellness plan. Design a basic program and let pet owners opt for simple, clearly stated add-ons, such as preventive medications and dental procedures.
- Lack of financial tracking: Consider how you will compensate your veterinarians for wellness plan transactions, especially if you pay them on a production basis. Factoring in variable compensation can complicate the plan and make payroll management a time-consuming process. A third-party wellness plan provider can streamline the process by generating reports automatically, saving you valuable in-house hours and reducing the administrative burden.
- Wrong technology: A third-party provider saves you from having to chase late payments, manually calculate production reports and so on. Understand how the provider integrates with your practice management software.
Contract With a Vendor
Who are some of the third parties, you ask? Here are a few.
- Nest Veterinary: This modern platform integrates with many practice information management systems. If you are worried about clients paying their bills, Nest’s care plans boast a 99.8% capture rate. Pet owner signup is easy and fast. The platform’s analytics and conversion reporting are robust.
- PetsApp: This provider says pet owners can sign up in as little as 30 seconds.
- Covetrus CarePlans and Idexx Petly Plans: These platforms are operated by two veterinary industry giants.
Pet health insurers are another option for affordable preventive care. For example, Pets Best offers wellness plans in addition to its core accident and illness coverage, helping clients budget for expected veterinary bills. Other providers include Lemonde, ASPCA and Embrace.
But wait, you have other options! Wag, an online platform where pet owners find sitters and walkers, has wellness plans starting at as little as $14.95 a month. They visit any licensed veterinarian and submit the invoice for reimbursement. Some Wag packages come with 24/7 live chat with a veterinarian.
Are You Ready?
When people become more conscious of their spending, the race is on for subscription-based wellness care. Veterinary wellness plans aren’t just about providing affordable care. They’re also about building lasting client relationships, improving medical outcomes and ensuring financial stability. By leveraging the proper tools and fostering team buy-in, you can make preventive care more accessible and enhance client satisfaction and practice profitability.
INCENTIVE PLANS
According to the PetSmart Charities/Gallup State of Pet Care study, “Interest-free payment plans would significantly increase most pet parents’ cost ceilings. Nearly two-thirds of pet parents (64%) say that if their veterinarian offered them the option to pay the cost of life-saving care over a one-year period through an interest‑free payment plan, they could at least double the amount they previously said they would be able to afford for that care. This is especially true among owners who said their maximum budget for life-saving care would be $1,000 or less.” The report added, “Despite the positive impact that interest-free payment plans could have on pet parents struggling to afford veterinary care for their pets, most have never been given that option.” Read the complete report at bit.ly/44281Mi.