Alternative therapies, such as chiropractic and acupuncture, are very popular because these treatments can help to improve your overall health and relieve pain. These treatments aren’t just available to people, though. Pets can also benefit from alternative medicine in many situations.

Unfortunately, holistic pet care can sometimes come with a high price tag. As a result, many pet owners want to know if pet insurance will cover alternative medicines for dogs and cats in addition to standard vet bills.

This guide can help you determine if and when pet insurance policies will cover alternative pet care. It can also provide insight into some benefits associated with looking outside conventional medicines to keep your pet as healthy, happy and strong as possible.

Which types of holistic pet care does pet insurance cover?

Whether or not you can get pet insurance to cover alternative medicine for dogs and cats will depend upon the pet insurance policy that you choose for your animal. Some pet insurers exclude pet insurance coverage for these types of therapies, but others may offer pet insurance reimbursement for certain types of alternative medicine.

For example, a particular pet insurance policy might provide coverage for a number of alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, cold laser therapy, hydrotherapy and physical therapy — as long as they’re administered by a licensed veterinarian.¹ But the same policy might exclude coverage for herbal, holistic and experimental therapies, for instance.¹

Since not all insurers offer coverage for alternative medicine, it’s important to read pet insurance policy language and coverage terms carefully when you’re signing up for pet insurance. If you believe that your pet may need alternative therapies at some point in his or her life, and you don’t want to worry about affording this care, be sure to choose a pet insurance policy that offers this coverage.

Benefits of alternative medicine for dogs and cats

The specific benefits of alternative therapies for pets depend upon the type of therapy that your pet is recommended to undergo. For example, pet chiropractic care may have benefits that go beyond the treatment of back pain.

Pets that undergo chiropractic treatment may experience improved mobility ² as well as relief from pain caused by many different conditions affecting the bones and joints.³ Dogs and cats with intervertebral disc disease or arthritis could benefit from chiropractic care, and pets that undergo chiropractic treatment may see improved comfort overall.²

Pet acupuncture, on the other hand, may be a helpful tool for pain management⁴ as well as for the treatment of musculoskeletal problems such as hip dysplasia.⁵ Dogs and cats undergoing acupuncture treatment may also experience improvements in appetite and reduction in nausea,⁴ which can be side effects of some medical treatments, such as chemotherapy for cancer. Muscle spasms, neurological conditions, arthritis and back pain are among other conditions that could potentially be helped by pet acupuncture. ^4,6

Cold laser therapy for dogs and cats is a noninvasive procedure that can be used to treat both chronic and acute injuries, including arthritis, sprains and strains, disc problems and muscular abnormalities.⁷ Dogs and cats that have undergone surgery could also be helped by cold laser therapy, as it may aid in the regeneration of nerve tissue.⁷

Finally, hydrotherapy may be used as a form of physical therapy for dogs that have undergone surgery, such as a procedure to repair a torn ACL. ⁸Hydrotherapy for dogs allows for buoyancy, so an animal undergoing hydrotherapy can exercise without fighting gravity.⁸ This reduces the strain and stress on joints, so dogs in recovery can keep their muscles strong without risk of further injury.⁸ Dogs recovering from injuries and those experiencing muscle atrophy due to diseases like Cushing’s or diabetes could also potentially benefit.⁸

These alternative medicines for dogs and cats may be used instead of or in conjunction with conventional medicine, depending upon what a veterinarian indicates is the most appropriate course of action.⁹ Since they are less invasive than some traditional medicine, they may have fewer unpleasant side effects⁵ and may help older animals maintain their mobility, comfort and quality of life for longer.

Often, these alternative pet care treatments are prescribed on an ongoing basis — for instance, a pet may receive regular chiropractic treatments as a form of ongoing health management.⁵ This can become prohibitively expensive for pet owners — but not if pet health insurance helps to cover some of the costs of care.

Finding the right pet insurance policy for you

If having access to alternative therapies is important for your pet, you’ll want to make sure you shop around for pet insurance that covers this. Since policies vary from one pet insurance company to another, and pet insurance coverage depends on the plan you pick, doing your research carefully is important. Be aware, though, that most insurers don’t cover preexisting conditions — health problems your pet already has.

Many pet insurance plans have annual caps on the reimbursement that you can receive from your insurer. For example, you may be limited to getting a maximum of $10,000 in care reimbursed per year. Some insurers, though, offer pet insurance policies without these annual caps. When you get unlimited annual coverage, you never have to put a price on your dog’s or cat’s life or health. You can rest assured that if your animal has an accident or becomes seriously ill, the money will be there to provide cutting-edge care.

Depending on your specific policy, pet insurance may provide coverage for chiropractic, acupuncture and certain other alternative therapies. In addition, it may reimburse certain costs related to wellness care (such as vaccinations and annual exams), broken bones, emergency care and care for other health issues, from illness to allergies.

Look for a plan for your dog or cat that provides the pet insurance coverage you need. If you decide on a policy, it’s a good idea to purchase it sooner rather than later, because insurers have waiting periods — a time between when you enroll your pet and when you’re eligible for coverage. Having a pet insurance policy in place before you need coverage helps ensure that your insurance is there and ready to help you if your pet develops a health issue that needs attention.