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My eight-year-old dog Goose, who is prone to eating toys — and socks and chicken bones — is likely due for a medical emergency. I don’t want to be morbid, but I do want to be realistic.
And when you have to get your pet emergency care, the experience can be both scary and expensive, often costing hundreds or thousands of dollars.
I would sweat over that bill; would you? In Synchrony’s 2025 "Pet Lifetime of Care Study,” nearly half of the pet owners surveyed said that unexpected expenses cause significant financial worry.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having a sick pet and a huge bill, here are your options for covering the cost.
Savings
Ideally, you could tap savings to pay for emergency vet care. Surprise expenses are exactly why NerdWallet recommends keeping an emergency fund in a high-yield savings account. The initial goal is to stash around $500 and — eventually — contribute enough to cover three to six-months’ worth of essential expenses.
These funds are meant to be tapped. So if you have savings, use it to pay for that emergency vet bill and keep your pet healthy. Then work on replenishing the fund.
Vet financing plans
Clinics may offer financing options that let you split large bills into multiple payments over time instead of paying the full amount upfront. Sometimes the clinics facilitate these plans themselves, but more often they partner with third-party financing companies.
In those cases, the clinic typically helps you apply for financing through its partner, which often makes approval decision quickly.
Many emergency and specialty clinics partner with CareCredit or Scratch, for example:
- CareCredit functions like a health care credit card — it can be used for health and wellness costs for both pets and their humans. If you’re approved for CareCredit, interest is deferred for certain expenses over $200 if you pay them off within their promotional period.
- Scratch typically offers fixed monthly installment plans, sometimes with no interest, depending on eligibility.
Whether you finance through the clinic itself or a third party, read the terms carefully. Keep in mind that the emotional load of a sick pet paired with a hefty bill may make it hard to focus on the fine print of a financial agreement.
So make a point to sit down with the document and ask questions — like what happens if you don’t pay within the no-interest period. When in doubt, consider calling a friend for a gut check on the agreement.
Credit cards
A credit card can be a convenient way to pay for emergency veterinary care if you have the available credit. Credit card rates can be high, so paying off any accrued balance as soon as possible is important to avoid high-interest charges.
Alternatively, if you have good or excellent credit, consider applying for a 0% APR credit card. This type of card charges no interest for a promotional period, typically six to 21 months. So, if you’re approved, you could charge the vet bill to the new card, then pay it off within the promotional period.
That last part is key — because when that promotional period ends, you’ll be charged interest on any balance you carry. So if you go this route, make a plan to complete your payments during the promotional period. And make those payments on time, too. A late payment could end the 0% promotional period and trigger a penalty fee.
Personal loans
Banks, credit unions and online lenders offer personal loans that can help pay for unexpected veterinary expenses. Personal loans typically have interest rates from 7% to 36% and two- to seven-year repayment periods.
Depending on how much you qualify for, loans typically start at $1,000 and go up to $50,000 or more. For quick cash, such as in the case of a pet emergency, some lenders provide next-day funding.
For borrowers with strong credit, a personal loan may have a lower interest rate than a credit card to pay large vet bills. A shorter loan term can mean higher monthly payments, but less total interest cost.
Use a personal loan calculator to estimate monthly payments based on the rate and term.
Charitable organizations
If you still can’t cover a big, unexpected bill, ask the vet or front-desk staff about nonprofit charitable organizations that may be able to help in your situation.
Keep in mind that funding through these programs is limited and not guaranteed. You may have to show economic hardship, for example, and your pet must be facing a life-threatening situation, among other qualifications. (This page on Bestfriends.org lists several financial assistance resources if you can’t afford your vet bill.)
Alternatively, consider turning to crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe, or pet-specific sites like PetFundr. These sites help you tap your community for help.
Note that whether you lean on a nonprofit or your local community, funds may take a while to receive and may not cover your entire vet bill. So you would likely pair this option with one of the other funding sources mentioned above.
What about pet insurance?
Signing up for a new pet insurance plan now won’t help if you’re uninsured in an emergency. But for the future, pet insurance may help cover an accident, depending on the plan and provider.
» Learn more: What does pet insurance cover?
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