Is there an alternative to a vet's pet plan?

[Hogwartsian]

I pay £19.50 for my vets pet plan, mainly for the prescription flea and worming tablets, plus there's a small discount on other stuff.

I've had a change in finances and finding this hard to pay, currently. I'm scared to cancel it in case my dog gets fleas/worms/ticks etc. I've read horror stories about fleas and that prescription stuff is the only thing that gets rid of them.

Is there any other product I can use? Is there any alternative to forking out 20 quid each month?

Had dogs for over 25 years and never had fleas, for ticks I buy a seresto collar in the spring (£36) and I only worm them every 6 months (drontal at £3 a tablet) as I’ve done worm counts before and they’ve always come back clear. I’m sure that buying flea, tick and wormer separately is not going to cost the £240 a year you are currently paying - look at pet drugs online. Unless of course the fee includes vaccinations.

I buy all flea, tick and worming treatment from Vet UK. I've used them for years. It works out significantly cheaper (approx £60 per year for a large breed dog). They do their own brand products which contain the same active ingredients as the leading OTC brands. They often have deals on so it's worth joining the mailing list.

If they get fleas there are several over the counter treatments you can buy with the active ingredient nytempyram eg Capstar/Johnson's 4Fleas which are very effective.

Vet UK

What about if your dog injures itself ? out and about - treads on something etc etc needs antibiotics/stitches - what would you do - ? I would sacrifice something else and pay the £19 which sounds reasonable to me ?

Look at the prices for seperate vaccinations and flea treatment.
I pay the vet club for 2 of my older cats but not the younger ones. I don't flea and worm every month - they don't need it that often really.

I only ever give my dog a prescription flea med if I see a flea. He has them maybe once a year, if that.
I don’t give a wormer. I worm count him and it’s been clear.

I think it’s not healthy to be having all these meds that will affect gut health/microbiome.

I raw feed alongside lots of fresh, varied veg. Most people don’t think about the microbiome of their dog. It’s just as important as for a human.

It's not insurance - it's a monthly fee for vaccination, flea, worming treatment and a small discount on other prescribed drugs.

@tillyandmilly you're thinking of insurance. Completely different to what the OP is asking about.

Vet health plans are generally made so that you save money if you do regular flea/worming/vaccinations. If you don’t routinely treat with preventative, then you’re unlikely to save money (although some health plans include some consultations and blood tests so could still be worthwhile, if you have an animal who is older or needs more regular visits for a chronic condition)

Whether you need to treat regularly depends on your pet’s risk factors - a 100% indoor cat probably doesn’t need treatment for fleas every month for instance; a dog with access to a garden and parks living in the southeast should have regular worming including protection against lungworm; pets living in the city are unlikely to need tick protection, unless they go for walks in the deer park; a cat prone to flea allergic dermatitis might need a faster and longer acting flea treatment.

The best way is to book a consultation with your vet to discuss what your pet’s parasite control should cover - if it’s only available on prescription, then compare the cost of buying it from the vet/health plan with getting a written prescription and buying from an online pharmacy.

Never had a pet plan. I have dog insurance. I pay the vet for annual check up and jabs. I buy flea and worm treatment online as cheaper.

I’ve never flea treated my animals and have never once seen a flea - we worm every few months with medication from Amazon.

Pet plans are payable for 12 months, they are just a way of spreading the cost of routine healthcare. If you've taken 'benefits' of the plan like vaccinations and parasite treatment then cancel you will have to pay the difference to your vet, depending on how many benefits you've had v what you've paid.

Pet owners make a rod for their own backs you don’t need to, buy basic wormer or flea treatment as you need it from you pet store, feed it a consistent basic dog food we use 50% canned meat 50% dry food.
We choose a healthy breed in our case terrier bitches give them puppy injections and worming then rarely visit a vet, when they get old and have major problems it’s the time to go to doggie heaven and we find a new puppy. We love them but they are not children and cost of treatment has to be affordable for me.