How Veterinary Financing Can Help Support Optimal Pet Care

Most pet parents want to do what’s best for their pets. But paying for veterinary care — particularly emergencies, specialty services and senior pet care — can feel daunting. In fact, 80% of pet owners report feeling worried about how much specialty care or emergency treatments will cost.¹ Financing offers your clients a straightforward way to pay for eligible services for their pets over time. And that can help them say “yes” to your care recommendations sooner.

What Is Financing for Veterinary Care?

Providing options for veterinary financing can help your clients avoid deferrals and delays in caring for their pets by allowing them to pay over time for eligible treatments and purchases.

Typically, financing for veterinary care is offered in one of two ways:

• In-house arrangements where the practice team manages courtesy payment arrangements and collections
• Through a third-party financing partner, which allows pet owners to apply for a dedicated line of credit – if approved, they can use that credit to cover eligible veterinary costs and pay for them over time

While both approaches help pet owners, partnerships often benefit veterinary practices as well. A third-party option like the CareCredit health and pet care credit card can help your clients pay for qualifying purchases. Your practice gets paid up front by the financing company and your veterinary team can stay focused on what truly matters — the pets.

Vet Financing Can Help Pet Owners Say “Yes” to Care

Research shows that pet owners often underestimate the lifetime cost of care for their pets, which can lead them to defer vet visits.² When it comes to routine care like vaccines, dental cleanings, diagnostics and prescriptions, access to financing can help owners make decisions based on what’s best for their pets, rather than postponing care because of the cost.

For more urgent needs, like emergency surgery or diagnostic tests, visible “pay-over-time” options can reduce decision friction when minutes matter and pet parents are actively looking for a way to handle an unexpected bill. Clear veterinary financing options can also encourage earlier diagnostics, such as bloodwork or imaging, which can help support timely diagnostics.¹

Referring pet owners to specialists for care can create additional financial strain — only 25% of veterinary specialists report that owners have a realistic sense of treatment cost.¹ Presenting financing options alongside the referral can ease cost concerns so owners can move forward sooner with the recommended plan.²

How Veterinary Financing Provides a Clear Path Forward for Care

Discussing costs early, sharing a clear estimate and explaining a simple pay-over-time option can make financial conversations less stressful for your clients and your team.² Consistent use of a third-party solution can also reduce the administrative work associated with in-house plans and collections, supporting a steadier, more predictable flow of payments for your practice.

With the CareCredit credit card, enrolled providers can get paid within two business days — freeing veterinary teams to focus on pet care and communications with owners. Presenting a vet financing option at the estimate stage can help clients agree to your full care recommendation instead of selecting partial care or delaying care decisions.¹

How Financing for Veterinary Care Fits in the Pet Care Journey

Integrating financing touchpoints across your practice workflow can help support your clients’ care decisions:

• Before the visit. Share “pay-over-time” messaging on your website and in appointment confirmations. Invite clients to see if they prequalify before they arrive.
• Intake and triage. Acknowledge that costs can vary by diagnosis and note that financing is available for eligible purchases.
• Estimate and recommendation. Present the estimate with a brief, simple explanation of payment options.
• Decision and treatment. Offer a quick application on a tablet or a pet owner’s device; if approved, your clients can use the credit card for qualifying purchases immediately.
• Discharge and follow-up. For ongoing care plans like rehabilitation, frequent veterinary visits or long-term medications, remind your clients they may be able to use financing for eligible purchases if approved, which can reduce future delays in care decisions.
• Ongoing communication. When sending out prevention reminders for routine care like vaccines, dental cleanings and parasite prevention, include a reminder that financing is available to support care across a pet’s lifetime.

Learn More: Explore additional tools and resources designed to support your practice.

Help Pets Get the Care They Need

Providing financing options can encourage clients to keep up with their pet’s routine care, adapt to the rising costs of keeping their senior pets healthy and help ensure they make care decisions that are in the best interest of their pets. By offering a clear option to pay over time, your team can help clients move forward with care decisions, keep your practice’s flow of payments more predictable and reduce administrative burden.

A Veterinary Financing Solution for Your Clinic

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

When you accept CareCredit, you can provide an all-digital financing experience called the Custom Link that’s personalized to your practice. Clients can access it by scanning a QR code or clicking a unique link that allows them to see if they prequalify with no impact to their credit score. Those who apply, if approved, can take advantage of flexible financing on qualifying purchases.* The entire process is fast and 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.

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The CareCredit health and wellness credit card helps improve the payment experience for patients and clients, and your financial performance.

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