You’ve heard Bob Barker say it a thousand times on The Price Is Right: “Help control the pet population — have your pets spayed or neutered.”Have you ever considered it?If your life is blessed with furry companions, you may have.Spay procedures can be somewhat costly.Perhaps you wondered, maybe pet insurance pays for it? But does pet insurance cover spay? Here’s more info about how pet insurance covers neutering and spaying and a few situations when pet insurance makes the most sense.Spaying is surgical sterilizations performed by a veterinarian.The medical procedure permanently ends the pet’s ability to have offspring by removing its reproductive organs.There are two sterilization procedures:Ovariohysterectomy: Also known as spay, it removes the female’s ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus. Orchiectomy: Also known as neuter, it removes the male’s testes.As Bob said, one of the best ways to control the over-population of pets is to spay your pet. But the benefits can help your pet, too.Reduces Hormone-Driven BehaviorsPets seek opportunities to breed when they can. Males will roam outdoors and become aggressive.Females may vocalize and urinate frequently.

Male dogs that smell it know she is in heat.If your pet escapes out the door and disappears for a few days, she might return home carrying a litter.Keeps Your Home CleanFemale pets can leave blood spots on carpets and furniture.Once spayed, female cats and dogs no longer have heat cycles. That means your house will be cleaner without occasional blood spots.Spayed pets are less likely to mark territory. Your floors and furniture will keep their fresh scent instead of having urine fragrances.Reduces Health RisksMany pet parents also consider that spaying can reduce health risks.Sterilization can avoid some illnesses like infections, and breast, ovarian and testicular cancers.Pet insurance covers the unexpected things in life.What if another dog attacked your pet? Or your companion developed congestive heart failure later in life? Pet insurance would cover them.Here’s what else it could cover:AccidentsIllnessesEmergency careChronic conditionsHereditary conditionsCongenital conditionsCancerDiagnostic treatmentSpecialty careDentalX-rays, blood tests, ultrasoundsHospitalizationVaccinationsSurgeryPrescription medicationsAlternative treatment (physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic)However, pet insurance does not cover expected vet costs.For example, pre-existing conditions are already known, so they may not be insurable.Also, routine care like vaccinations and heartworm preventative are foreseeable costs.So pet insurance does not cover them, either.If you look for pet insurance in your state, you’ll discover that several companies offer pet insurance.Depending on which plan you choose, pet insurance can cost as little as $15 per month.Typically, pet insurance plans reimburse up to 90% of your vet expenses.For instance, instead of paying for a $1,000 accident out of pocket, pet insurance could cover up to $900. So, is pet insurance worth it?You betcha.If your pet has a chronic disease, you could save hundreds of dollars each year because pet insurance helps pay the bill.Unfortunately, pet insurance doesn’t cover the cost of a spay procedure.Isn’t spaying unexpected?No, in most cases, pet parents choose sterilization for their pet. That means spaying is not medically-necessary in most circumstances.However, pet insurance may cover spaying if it is the treatment for a different illness or injury. Suppose your pet developed ovarian cancer.

Here, sterilization is a cancer treatment, so spaying is not elective but necessary for survival.Most pet insurance plans cover surgical complications from a spaying procedure. For example, if your pet develops a complication like an infection or the incision reopens, your pet insurance may cover it.However, always check the policy first to be sure.Even if your furry friend is healthy in their adult life, pet insurance is still worth having.AccidentsAccidents can happen anytime—at the dog park, in the car, at home or on a walk.For example, let’s say you and your dog just took a trip to the park. On the way home, you stopped at a convenience store to get drinks for both of you.When you get back to the car, a pack of sugar-free gum is ripped open and half-eaten.Sugar substitutes can be toxic to dogs, so you must act immediately. Since it’s the weekend, your vet is closed.The emergency animal hospital is the only clinic open.

They charge $250 just to walk in the door.The emergency vet runs lab tests and induces vomiting, and your final bill is just over $1,000.Imagine if you had pet insurance?Your policy may have covered most of these expenses, saving you money for the care of your pet.IllnessWhat if your dog sprouted a lump over his left eye? Your vet removed it, sent it for pathology, discovered it was a carcinoma, but told you she could not get a clean margin. You know it is a matter of time before it comes back. After the mass pressed on the dog’s eye, making him uncomfortable, your specialist recommended removing his eye so he would be more comfortable.Eventually, the worst happens and your dog let you know he was tired and was ready to go.You scheduled his euthanasia and said a tearful goodbye. Over 12 months agonizing, the bills added up for several vet visits, lab work, pathology, two surgeries, anesthesia, several prescriptions and euthanasia. If you did not have pet insurance, it would have cost over $4,000 for vet treatments. Pet insurance covers most of these bills. Pet insurance lets you focus on caring for your pet instead of worrying about how you will pay for it.If you’ve ever seen a GoFundMe campaign for a pet’s unexpected vet bills, you know how expensive treatment can be.Maybe you’ve been in that situation yourself.Financially, you feel trapped between a rock and a hard place.Pet insurance gives you peace of mind that someone is there to help you with unforeseen costs. Pet parents should not have to choose between their pet’s life and vet expenses.And with the best pet insurance, you won’t have to.To get a free quote on pet insurance, click the button below.

*While we make every effort to keep our site updated, please be aware that "timely" information on this page, such as quote estimates, or pertinent details about companies, may only be accurate as of its last edit day.Huntley Wealth & Insurance Services and its representatives do not give legal or tax advice.Please consult your own legal or tax adviser.