Pet insurance in Louisiana

Pets have a great life in the Pelican State but there are many reasons why you should get pet insurance in Louisiana.

Pets are popular in Louisiana, particularly dogs, but where and how pet parents live here is pretty varied. You could be inland, perhaps in a city like Shreveport or Alexandria, or closer to the coast in Lafayette, Baton Rouge or New Orleans. Or you could live the rural life in the varied and distinct country.  

That country provides fabulous walking, especially with your pet. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy non-profit runs a nationwide network of 1,600 ‘rail-trails’ created from old rail lines that are great for dog walks, with many running through Louisiana. Few places can rival Kisatchie National Forest for natural beauty and all the trails are dog-friendly, as long as they’re on a leash. Kisatchie, like all forests in Louisiana, does pose risks to dogs. There are venomous snakes, predatory animals and poisonous plants – and poisoning can see a vet bill of up to $5,000. 

Among Louisiana’s nicknames is the Bayou State, and that tells you a lot about the geography, particularly in the south of the state near the Mississippi Delta. These watery lowlands are as dramatic as they are beautiful, making them wonderful places to explore with your pet but also full of potential risks to their health. Obviously, avoiding dangerous water where your pet could drown is a major way to keep them safe, as is checking for discarded fishing hooks and looking out for blue-green algae, which is harmful to animals and could set you back $1,500 to treat.

Dogs can also pick up ticks, which love wetlands and cause Lyme disease. This could easily set you back around $1,000 in diagnostic and treatment costs. 

Louisiana’s most famous city, New Orleans, also has plenty for pets and their parents to do. There are parks, like Louis Armstrong park, and even hiking trails from the city, such as the Bayou Sauvage Ridge Trail which has plenty of boardwalks to make life easier for paws. You can even take your Bichon Frise around the legendary French Quarter, where a lot of stores are pet-friendly. As with any city, though, be aware of traffic – a dislocated knee is not only extremely painful for a dog or cat, but really expensive to treat ($3,000 for a dog, $1,000 for a cat). Also, some animals might be spooked by crowds or loud music, so introduce them gently and, if they don’t get used to it, don’t take them.

Pet insurance is a great idea for any pet parent in Louisiana. Vet bills in the state are among the highest in the country, with households spend on average more than $1,500 a year – and that’s not taking into account regular wellness costs like vaccinations and dental.

Why get pet insurance at all?

At Petted, we sincerely believe that pet insurance is a must for all pet parents, whether you live in New York, North Carolina or Nebraska. It doesn’t matter if you’re a city- or country-dweller, if you have a Bull Mastiff or a Burmese, your beloved pet is at risk from injury, illness and inherited conditions – and these things can cost a lot of money to fix.

If you don’t have a very large savings account then you run the risk of either getting into a ton of debt (we’re talking tens of thousands of dollars in some cases) or – and we hate to think about this – not being able to pay for your pet’s treatment and having to either give them up or, tragically, have them euthanized.

So, for the sake of a few dollars a month, please buy yourself some peace of mind and your pet a healthier, more secure future. To find the best pet insurance policy for where you live, click here. We'll fetch you the perfect quotes in less than a minute.