How to Pay for Expensive Vet Trips

Wilmington and Nadia enjoying Remedios Varo's art book.

We are so sad to say that Wilmington Hopsin "The Wilms" Monroy Ramirez passed the night of Monday May 7, 2018. We believed Wilmington had GI Stasis, the slowing down or complete cessation of the digestive system. A rabbit tip for college students, if you see your rabbit anti-social and hunched up in a corner, take your rabbit to the vet. Rabbits do not display many symptoms when they are sick so it is important to keep an out eye for this type of behavior.

Wilmington was hunched up and anti-social Sunday night. We took her to the vet the next day where the doctor performed an exam, x-rays and provided Wilmington with an antibiotic Baytril and fluids. We did not receive her x-ray results until Tuesday afternoon. When we received the results, the vet informed us she had cancer and that there was no way Wilmington would have had a chance of survival.

You may be wondering how much we spent for the vet trip. Our total cost came out to $344 USD. As a college student, there was no way Nadia had that much money in her bank account. Another rabbit tip for college students is if you are in a situation where you cannot afford any type of care for your pet, ask the vet techs, assistants or the veterinarian about payment plans or payment options. Some clinics may have payment plans but not many will not. Unfortunately, our vet did not provide payment plans, but they informed us of a credit card called CareCredit.

CareCredit is a credit card you can apply to easily on your phone with your social security number. You can use this card for all types of health care including vet emergencies. After applying, you will immediately be notified if you have been approved or denied. You can be allotted up to $1,000 USD to spend. A super beneficial rabbit tip our vet tech told us when applying for this card is to ask for more money than you need. Some procedures may be added to your bill if the need arises. For us, the cost was lowered since the vet was unable to perform a blood test due to Wilmington's low blood pressure.

The great thing about this card is that you will be given a 6, 8, 12 or 18 month grace period without interest. That means, you won't be charged any interest if you pay your balance before the grace period ends. As a college student, that grace period can really help you maintain your budget and make payments without stressing out. A rabbit tip you should keep in mind if you are considering applying for CareCredit is to be aware this card is a credit card and it will affect your credit score. Do not make this decision lightly and ask as many questions as you need.

You may be a responsible college student with great money habits, but for the rest of us who have not yet learned to handle our expenses, CareCredit comes in handy for pet owners. It is also a good way to start building your credit without feeling the urgency to pay off interest. You can use this card wherever it is accepted. The CareCredit app has a map of locations that accept CareCredit.

It was so scary to see Wilmington in a terminal state. She was always hopping around the house saying hello to everyone she encountered. Wilmington was a very active and bold girl. It was very rare to see her sitting still; she'd rather do zoomies in a tiny cage than flop in a big open room. Wilmington loved cilantro and carrots. She enjoyed sharing her hay with Ollie, but never once let him have his share of cilantro. Brandon and Nadia buried her in Nadia's backyard by the blackberry bushes. Wilmington used to eat blackberry leaves and blackberries when she was first brought home.

Rest in paradise Wilmington. You captured the hearts of our fellow college students. You will be greatly missed.