Prescription & Medications: Covered by Pet Insurance?

With so many injuries and illnesses your pet can suffer from, there's a decent likelihood a vet will prescribe them medication at some point in their life. Whether it’s an antibiotic, pain reliever, allergy shot such as Cytopoint, anxiety pill, insulin, blood pressure medicine, or something else, medicines can be expensive. There’s good news, though: MetLife Pet Insurance can provide coverage and reimbursement for prescriptions and medications for coverable conditions.

Giving your pet medicine may be a challenge, but paying for it doesn’t have to be. We’ll explore how to get veterinary prescriptions covered, how much they could cost, and some reasons why your pet may need medicine.

How Do I Get Veterinary Prescriptions Covered?

Your specific coverage for medications can vary depending on your insurance provider and selected coverage. MetLife Pet may reimburse you for the cost of pills, injections, liquid medications, compounded medications, and more. There are two key things to know about getting your pet’s medicine covered by MetLife Pet Insurance:

• A vet has to prescribe the veterinary medication.
• The prescription must be to treat a condition that’s covered by your policy.

How Much Do Veterinary Prescriptions Cost?

Prescription medications for your furry friend can add up quickly. Whether your pet needs immediate pain relief or long-term blood pressure medication, the bill may surprise you. The average cost of prescription medication depends on which medicine your pet needs, as well as your specific vet, your location, and the dosage your pet needs.

Here are a few examples of how much cat and dog medications cost for four different pet families:

Insulin for a Siberian husky

Diabetes in dogs is a disease in which you’ll often need to give your dog insulin. However, insulin costs can add up. The cost depends on the dose and where you get it. If you have a large dog, your vet may prescribe a higher dose to maintain their blood sugar levels. And it’s important to note that higher doses will cost more.

A Siberian husky, Kailee, had diabetes and needed medication. Her prescription cost a whopping $680. Thankfully, her family had pet insurance that covered the medication. Their MetLife Pet Insurance policy covered nearly $550 of the bill.¹

Allergy medication for a boxer

If your pet has allergies, they may need allergy medication or shots throughout their life to manage them. However, this can also add up.

A boxer named Emmy had atopy and needed regular allergy medication. One of her veterinary prescription bills cost a little over $400. MetLife Pet Insurance paid for $375, which helped significantly.¹

Flea and tick medication for a cat

Flea and tick prevention medications are expensive. But they’re crucial to protecting your pet from parasites and diseases.

A cat named Jeeves needed his regular prescription for his flea and tick medication. The medication cost about $550, and MetLife Pet Insurance covered the entire thing.¹

Heart medication for a cat

Heart conditions may slow your cat down, but they can be helped with medication. A vet may put a cat on medicines — like ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, diuretics, or blood thinners — to help manage their heart health.² Often, pets with heart problems need a combination of these, which can add up.

One cat, Harry, had a heart condition that his vet decided to manage with medication. One of his veterinary prescription bills was a little over $250, but MetLife Pet Insurance covered $200 of the cost.¹

Does Pet Insurance Cover Prescription Food?

Prescription pet food can have vitamins and minerals specifically for your pet’s health conditions.³ You can feed them a special diet to help with food sensitivities, managing a chronic condition, or losing weight. A therapeutic diet for a dog can cost over $100 each month.⁴

Like prescription medications, MetLife Pet Insurance may reimburse you for prescription cat or dog food. Similarly, you’ll need to have a vet prescribe it for a covered medical condition.

Reasons Your Pet May Need Prescription Medication

Cats and dogs may need medicine for any number of reasons — from something as straightforward as allergies to conditions as painful as arthritis. They may only need prescription medications one time, or they might need lifelong medication to manage a chronic illness. Additionally, your vet may administer the medication themselves or send you home with a prescription.

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of reasons why your vet may prescribe medication for your pet:

• To mitigate post-operative pain
• To clear up infections
• To treat allergies
• To fight cancer
• To ease anxiety or other behavioral concerns
• To manage chronic illnesses — like heart disease, kidney disease, or diabetes

How Pet Insurance Can Help Pay for Medication

Pet medications often follow veterinarian visits. And while it can be a relief to know what’s going on with your pet, those meds can add up quickly — especially if you’re paying out of pocket. Without insurance, you’ll have to foot the entire bill. 

Pet insurance may reimburse you for some or all of your expenses, depending on your selected coverage. Coverage for your pet’s medicines may make pet insurance worth it to you. Get started with a free quote today.