How Financing Solutions Can Support Parasite Prevention

The spring surge in parasite activity can be a prime time for veterinary practices to encourage animal owners to maintain consistent, year-round pet parasite treatment.

Some pet owners may try DIY approaches to help reduce costs, but vet financing options can offer an effective tool to bridge the gap between recommended care and affordability.

“Just as you recommend a range of care options that are effective for the pet’s health, proactively communicate a spectrum of financial choices that can work for the client’s financial situation,” says Debbie Boone, CVPM, a veterinary practice consultant in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. “This communicates you care about their financial well-being as much as you do their pet’s well-being. In other words, it shows hospitality.”

Why Pet Owners May Skip Preventive Care

For many pet owners, parasite prevention may be inconsistent. Research published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science indicates that fewer than 4 in 10 dogs in the sample studied were given consistent heartworm preventives.¹ Flea and tick protection compliance can vary widely, particularly during cooler months when owners may believe there’s less risk of infection.

This seasonal approach to parasite prevention can create dangerous gaps, leaving pets vulnerable during critical times when parasites may still be active or when reinfestation can occur rapidly as temperatures rise.²

Skipping parasite prevention can increase treatment costs

When owners skip preventive measures due to cost concerns, they may inadvertently expose themselves to a greater financial burden and may compromise their pets’ well-being.

As you may know, treating heartworm can cost from $1,200 to $1,800.³ This exceeds the national average cost* of heartworm prevention for dogs, which ranges from $11 to $25.⁴ Similarly, tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis can pose significant danger to pets and may also require additional diagnostic workups and extended treatment protocols.²

Another complicating factor is that the geographic area for ranges of parasites keeps expanding. Climate change and increased travel by owners and their pets have extended heartworm transmission zones northward, while tick populations continue to spread into previously unaffected regions.⁵

These environmental shifts make year-round protection increasingly critical, even in areas traditionally considered to be low risk during certain seasons.⁵

Vet Financing Can Help Keep Parasite Prevention on Track

Many pet owners understand the importance of year-round parasite prevention but may struggle to fit the associated costs into their budgets.

According to Specialty Care: A Synchrony Lifetime of Care Study, half of pet owners would be stressed by a specialty bill of $999 or less.⁶ Financing options can help ease this concern by allowing owners to spread costs over time while maintaining continuous protection for their pets.

For veterinary practices, many financing solutions can integrate seamlessly into practice workflows, which may make them easy to offer and simple for clients to use.

Solutions to consider for your practice might include:

• Payment calculators. These tools may help owners explore different payment terms and amounts in real time, providing options that help fit their specific budget constraints. A calculator can help demonstrate the actual monthly cost of comprehensive pet parasite treatment.
• QR codes and custom links. These can further simplify the financing application process by enabling mobile-device accessibility. Owners can apply for financing immediately during their appointment or later at home, removing traditional barriers like lengthy paperwork or complex approval processes.
• Custom packages. Combining multiple parasite prevention products with financing options may be an option for your practice to offer clients. When you pair annual protection bundles that include heartworm prevention, flea and tick control, and deworming protocols with a payment plan, clients may feel more empowered to move forward with treatment.

Investing in Pet Health

Spreading the cost of may help empower pet owners to invest in preventive protection, which can help avoid more expensive treatment later.

“Improving access to care requires that we not only present treatment options but also accept a spectrum of payment methods, such as the CareCredit health and pet care credit card,” says Kate Boatright, DVM, of Penn-Ohio Veterinary Services of West Middlesex, Pa.

Financing can also enable practices to focus on the medical benefits of parasite prevention protocols while helping to potentially reduce patient concerns about price. This shift in conversational dynamics can help improve client trust and position the practice as a trustworthy advocate for their best friend.

Empowering staff to integrate into financing conversations about parasite control can also help. Some staff training strategies might include:

• Education about financing. Team members must understand financing options, qualification requirements and application processes to confidently present these solutions to pet owners.
• Role-playing exercises. These tips and scripts can help staff develop natural conversation flows that introduce financing as a helpful tool.
• Proactive approach. Encourage your staff to introduce payment options early in the discussion about parasite prevention.

These practices can help position financing as a standard service offering, helping shift the focus to making the best care decision for their pet.

Challenges and Opportunities for Vet Practices

While economic pressures and changing consumer behaviors may create barriers to consistent parasite prevention, veterinary practices can strategically use financing options to help overcome these obstacles and potentially improve pet health outcomes.

“When we elevate the client’s experience through being proactive, transparent, flexible and trustworthy, we make it easier for them to say yes to care,” says Peter Weinstein, DVM, MBA, of Simple Solutions for Vets and PAW Consulting.

The results can be a win for all parties: Pets receive consistent, comprehensive parasite protection throughout the year, owners can plan their pet health spending and practices can strengthen client relationships while maintaining recommended standards of care.

Talk About Parasite Prevention All Year

Educating pet owners effectively about parasite prevention can take a multifaceted approach that addresses both knowledge gaps and practical barriers to compliance.

Timing these conversations strategically throughout the year can help maximize their impact and reinforce the importance of continuous parasite prevention. Spring visits, for example, can provide natural opportunities for discussing parasites in depth as owners prepare for increased outdoor activities. Fall visits may offer an opportunity to discuss why protection must continue through winter and address common misconceptions about seasonal parasite risks.

A multipronged strategy to communicate to your clients might include:

• Visual aids and local data. This may include regional parasite prevalence maps, seasonal activity charts and case studies from your own practice to help owners understand specific risks in their area.
• Before-and-after photographs of parasite-related conditions. When used sensitively, these may help illustrate the dangers of failing to prevent parasites in pets.
• Stressing the economic benefits of parasite prevention. Comparing annual pet parasite prevention costs to treatment expenses for heartworm, tick-borne illnesses or severe flea infestations can help owners understand the financial benefits of consistent protection.
• Regular follow-up communication. This may help reinforce parasite prevention messages and maintain top-of-mind awareness.
• Leveraging automated reminders. Seasonal newsletters and social media content can keep parasite prevention visible between visits. Text-message reminders to administer monthly pet parasite treatments or refill meds may also help improve compliance rates and demonstrate your practice’s commitment to pet health.

Getting the Right Info About Parasite Prevention

Pet owners who do their own research online may encounter conflicting advice, outdated information or recommendations that don’t account for regional parasite pressures or individual pet risk factors.

Without professional interpretation, well-meaning owners could make decisions that compromise their pets’ health, such as trying to manage costs by scheduling fewer veterinary visits. If owners skip routine wellness exams, it could result in you or your clinic staff having fewer opportunities to engage with them about the parasite risk assessment, product selection and compliance monitoring essential for parasite prevention.

A Veterinary Financing Solution for Your Clinic

Looking for a way to help your clients manage the cost of care that is needed for their pets? Consider accepting the CareCredit health and pet care credit card. CareCredit is a flexible financing solution that allows cardholders to pay for veterinary services over time, while you get paid within two business days.

When you accept CareCredit, you will receive a custom link that allows clients to see if they prequalify with no impact to their credit score. Those who apply, if approved, can take advantage of special financing on qualifying purchases.** The entire process is mobile-friendly, leaving you free to focus on providing the care pets need.

Learn more about the CareCredit credit card as a veterinary financing solution or start the provider enrollment process by filling out this form.

Author Bio

Robert DiGiacomo is a Philadelphia-based writer and editor. He has written for publications and outlets including AAA World, The Washington Post, The Globe and Mail, USA TODAY, Forbes, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Pennsylvania Gazette, Fodor’s, MSNBC, CNN and more.

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