Dog insurance isn’t for everyone. Veterinary medicine is becoming more sophisticated (not to mention more expensive), and you don’t want to be stuck with huge debt and bills. Even worse is making your dog’s healthcare decisions based upon what you can and can’t afford. Dog insurance can be a cost-effective alternative, but you still have questions and concerns about it and aren’t ready to commit to it right now. There’s good news – we’ve got a few alternatives to pet insurance you may not have considered.

Start An Emergency Savings Account

This is the next best thing to having dog health insurance. A general emergency savings account is a great financial option that will ensure you have the money to pay for a veterinarian. But this takes discipline – you have to consistently put money into it. Put it into your budget and stick to it. If you don’t, it’s easy to miss a month here and there, and when an emergency pops up, you’re stuck with huge bills to pay off.

Short-Term Financing

These short-term loans give dog owners funds for emergency veterinary care. This can be a good short-term solution but is shouldn’t be seen as a long-term healthcare solution. This type of financing is just like a credit card, and the interest rates and payments can be significant.

Line of Credit

You can probably open a line of credit through your existing bank. Offering cheaper rates than credit cards, this money can come in handy in a pinch, but shouldn’t be relied upon very often. Just like a credit card, those vet bill payments can add up quickly and you can get in over your head in no time.

The choice to buy dog insurance is yours and shouldn’t be taken lightly. You need to decide how much you can afford to save and come up with a plan that will ensure that your pooch gets the medical care it needs and deserves. No matter what you end up going with, have some kind of plan in case of emergencies and for regular checkups so you’ll never be left out in the dog house.