How a Medical Credit Card Helped Me Pay an Unexpected $8,500 Emergency Vet Bill

Thomas Dock, a 59-year-old director of communications for a chain of animal hospitals in Indianapolis, has been working in and around veterinary hospitals, shelters, and rescues since he was 16.

He's also the owner of four mischievous dogs - Nike, Orion, Andi, and Kratos.

When Orion (his 7-year-old English mastiff) was acting sluggish and lost his appetite, Thomas and his wife were concerned.

"We took his temperature, and [Orion] was running a slight fever," Thomas says. "He was reluctant to move and regurgitated the small piece of cheese we tried to give him."

Thomas knew it was bad. He took Orion to the emergency vet.

"Despite working in the veterinary field, I was not certain what caused this at that moment, and I was worried for him," Thomas says. He was also concerned for the health of his other dogs because he thought they might be at risk.

A costly accidental overdose

Thomas later discovered that Orion had gotten into his brother pup's bottle of carprofen, which had been left out. Carprofen - commonly known by the brand name Rimadyl - is a pain medication for dogs. It's a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).

"Unfortunately, the pill vial was left unattended, and [Orion] was able to ingest thirty to forty-five 100 mg tablets," Thomas says. Orion's size (200 lbs) helped decrease the effects of the overdose, but the medication was enough to injure his gastrointestinal tract. Thomas says he found out that overconsumption of NSAIDs can cause major health issues for dogs.

Orion was diagnosed with a perforated abdomen, and his belly was filling with fluid. He needed to have emergency surgery.

This emergency vet visit was costly for Thomas.

Some of the charges included:

• More than $800 for the first round of diagnostics

• $2,500 for surgery

• $1,500 for 3 days of hospitalization

• $500 for postoperative diagnostics

• $2,000 for medications

That added up to $7,300, and the bills were still coming.

Although it was pricey, Thomas says it gave him a new appreciation for the value of veterinary medicine. He says he is also now aware of just how much veterinary costs can affect a family.

A medical credit card helped with a payment plan

With thousands of dollars in medical bills to pay for, Thomas had to come up with a plan.

He decided to use a medical credit card with a deferred payment plan. CareCredit is a health and wellness credit card that offers promotional financing options, allowing him to pay off the purchase over time. With deferred interest, he could avoid paying interest if he paid the full balance within a specified promotional period. This kind of card is often used for healthcare expenses.

"I paid the entire amount out of pocket but used my CareCredit card to defer payments," Thomas says. "All told, it was about $8,500."

Thomas says this credit card was helpful because it offered different options to pay off the balance. "By using the CareCredit card, I was able to pay off this bill over a 6-month period of time," he says.

Thomas did not have pet insurance at the time, but he does now.

His big lesson? Be prepared in case of an emergency

Thomas says he took one major lesson away from this experience: "It is important to have a plan for your pets' care."

Illness or injury are real possibilities, and you need to think about how you'll pay for it, he says. Prevention can also be costly.

"Whether it's a pet insurance policy, a separate credit card, a pet savings account, or a combination of all of the above, it's vital to know what your financial capabilities are before an emergency strikes," he says.

Looking back, Thomas says he wishes that medication had not been left out where his large dogs could reach it. He's grateful things worked out.

But he says that no matter how much you know about veterinary services, no matter how cautious you are, dogs are mischievous. And they'll keep being that way.