Historically, pet owners have paid for veterinary care with discretionary income, savings, credit cards, or other loans. Medical care for a pet sometimes involves sophisticated and costly treatments that are out of reach for many owners. Those without medical coverage may be forced to choose less expensive, sub-standard alternatives. This puts veterinarians in the position of having to determine treatment options based on an owner's finances. Pet owners in the United States and Canada collectively own approximately 180 million dogs and cats and less than 3% have medical coverage for their pet. Hospitals see a benefit in their bottom line when they have a client base that has the ability to pay for treatments that may otherwise be out of their financial means. And Trupanion's dedi