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Health Insurance for Dogs #6648578 01/25/17 08:34 PM
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kdkane1971 Offline OP
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The wife and I are looking to add a pup to our household. Do any of you guys carry Health Insurance on your dogs, and if so, could you recommend a good company to work with?

Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6648617 01/25/17 08:59 PM
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Only time I've ever had it was when I had my English Bulldog... That was five or six years ago. I don't remember what company it was through, but I'll find out. It was well worth it for me. Fairly cheap, and with a bulldog it got used.

Last edited by CRAnderson52; 01/25/17 09:00 PM.

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Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6648624 01/25/17 09:06 PM
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bill oxner Offline
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I've never had it. I'm ahead of the game.


Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill


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Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6648627 01/25/17 09:07 PM
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Leonardo Offline
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Most of the guys with high dollar retrievers use Pet Plan. I haven't purchased it even though I looked into it a few times. There are many stipulations in all pet policies.

Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: Leonardo] #6648690 01/25/17 09:36 PM
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bill oxner Offline
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Originally Posted By: Leonardo
Most of the guys with high dollar retrievers use Pet Plan. I haven't purchased it even though I looked into it a few times. There are many stipulations in all pet policies.


Why would the pedigree matter?


Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill


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Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6648741 01/25/17 10:13 PM
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Not saying Pedigree's matter at all. Just saying they feel its worth protecting their investment. I am sure they sell it for mutt's too.

Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6648747 01/25/17 10:15 PM
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I use Pet First with my Lab pup. Wish I'd gotten it last year.


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Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6649138 01/26/17 02:23 AM
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No way.

Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6649175 01/26/17 02:53 AM
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The Point Offline
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Not even a chance I would consider it. Best option is to find an honest, reasonably priced vet.

Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6649527 01/26/17 02:39 PM
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There are several of them out there. I really haven't heard of too many negatives. They have their place I guess. Seems like they were more common when my wife worked in Dallas - doesn't see near as many in her rural setting now. Then again - the majority of "country folk" don't spend money on pet health care like city people do.

Like The Point said though - best is to find an honest reasonably priced vet.

Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6649648 01/26/17 04:03 PM
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When you have a well pedigreed animal that has completed tests and is valuable as a stud or breeding female it's an investment and if something comes up you want to be able to afford the care reasonably.

To others the animal is a family member and they want to be able to give it the best care they can afford so the insurance becomes a reasonable investment.


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Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6649676 01/26/17 04:26 PM
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In the past I've always felt just find a good country type vet, and keep side money for unforeseen vet bills. When I get a new puppy, I'm going the insurance route.
In 2016 I spent around $13000.00 on vet bills. If you have something happen to a dog that requires them to be monitored 24 hours a day. Your regular vet can't handle the intensive care, nor do most have all the bells and whistles needed. $11000.00 was for 2 surgeries at ER, ER care for 5 days, plasma, more tubes than a marionette. A last and final exploratory (3rd)surgery to confirm it was the colon again, and not a gall bladder rupture that time. The vet pulled $1500.00 off his fees. We were all in on saving her, as long as she had a chance. I don't know what amount I would have stopped at, if her odds were better.

We each decide what a dog is worth to us. I don't tell anyone else, what they should, or shouldn't spend on a dog. This one was just special to me.



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Experience is what you get, when you didn't get what you wanted.


Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6653919 01/30/17 05:33 AM
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It sounds crazy to have a policy, but I took one out on my lab when he was about 1. I had over $1000 into him and knew that an ACL or some other serious surgery would put me in a tight spot. Insurance was about $30/mo when he was that age (it gets slightly higher as they age) and i figured i was financing trouble that may never come. Two years ago when he was 7 he ate a sock that got stuck in his small intestine. I had the operation and all bills added to $6500. Pet Plan paid me $4925 when I filed the claim. These plans are not for normal maintenance vet bills, they are for catastrophic things. I am very sad to write this, but I lost my lab 1 1/2 weeks ago (age 9) due to another consumed foreign body. We don't know what he ate because he had a heart attack while they prepped him for surgery. I told the vet not to worry about an autopsy, but the X-Ray showed blockage. I am in the process of filing a claim on this visit, in addition I had a $1000 death benefit that came with the plan which will pay a new pup maybe this year.

Bottom line is that if you have the money to pay for these type of surgeries, then this type of thing may not be for you. I never wanted my financial situation to dictate whether I repaired an injury or made an attempt to save his life. We are still reeling from losing him, but Pet Plan was a good decision for me and my family.


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Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6654080 01/30/17 02:16 PM
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duckhunter55 Offline
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VPI
Have had it on all my labs.


This country is stuck on stupid!
Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: WatersFowler] #6654550 01/30/17 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted By: WatersFowler
Bottom line is that if you have the money to pay for these type of surgeries, then this type of thing may not be for you. I never wanted my financial situation to dictate whether I repaired an injury or made an attempt to save his life. We are still reeling from losing him, but Pet Plan was a good decision for me and my family.


My thoughts exactly. I've had my dog on a Healthy Paws plan since she was a puppy. The monthly premium isn't a lot of money in the grand scheme of things. I'm sorry for your loss.

Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6655600 01/31/17 02:28 PM
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I've always had two or three dogs. The monthly premium could add up to around $1,000 per year. That's $50,000 in my lifetime. Double that invested three times and see what you would have. That's the math I've always used. I've been lucky. I've never had a big vet bill. I'm not arguing with you who have it. Just giving my logic.


Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill


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Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6656795 02/01/17 06:31 AM
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No question pet insurance isn't right for everyone. I added it up and over the 8 years I have spent $3840 on premiums and received $5925 in reimbursement plus $2000 out of pocket on the big things. I call that breaking even and basically allowing me to pay out the bad things that can happen. Even if I hadn't had the claims I was prepared to pay for that security knowing I wasn't concerned about affording his health care. Good looking dogs Bill!


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Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6658417 02/02/17 02:31 PM
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My family has had dogs for 30+ years and never has anyone held pet insurance. Nobody has ever needed it. That is until my 3 year old lab got an abscess on her head this past year. It was an expensive process as the vets tried to figure out what it was and eventually the surgery to remove the abscess. Hind sight is 20/20, and had I known we would be walking down that road I probably would have carried insurance. That being said, the amount of premiums paid over 30+ years would dwarf the amount of money we spent last year. Here are some pictures of Covey's surgery:
Swollen head due to abscess

Pictures from MRI


Mid-surgery picture showing walnut size hole left by abscess

post surgery recovery pup

Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6658446 02/02/17 02:46 PM
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I don't carry insurance on dogs. If the medical treatment costs more than what the dog is worth and what it will cost to get another pup to that point, then the dog gets put down and I start over with a new pup. I look at other things too, like whether the injury will affect performance or could be reoccurring. I've been lucky and have had mostly healthy animals.
I like my dogs and enjoy them. I think when it comes to animals you have to look at them as property and not as a family member.

Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: scalebuster] #6659283 02/03/17 12:08 AM
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Originally Posted By: scalebuster
I don't carry insurance on dogs. If the medical treatment costs more than what the dog is worth and what it will cost to get another pup to that point, then the dog gets put down and I start over with a new pup. I look at other things too, like whether the injury will affect performance or could be reoccurring. I've been lucky and have had mostly healthy animals.
I like my dogs and enjoy them. I think when it comes to animals you have to look at them as property and not as a family member.


I agree about the insurance, but a pup is home to stay when they come home with me.


Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill


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Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: The Point] #6662484 02/05/17 04:42 PM
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Originally Posted By: The Point
Not even a chance I would consider it. Best option is to find an honest, reasonably priced vet.

Yeah good luck with that on a Sunday and your dog got injured and needs emergency care. Has happen to me many times, $1,500 is about average cost. I guess some rednecks with a cheap mutt would take it behind the barn put a bullet in its head and buy a new mutt.

I got a new lab pup, and I'm in the market for insurance. She is a fire ball, and I know over the years she will do something crazy and injure herself, probably many times. Plus she is crazy about food, and I'm allays pulling things out of her mouth, and really worried she is going to eat something bad one day. This crap always happens on the weekends or when your vet is closed.

Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: Guy] #6662632 02/05/17 07:06 PM
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Originally Posted By: Guy
Originally Posted By: The Point
Not even a chance I would consider it. Best option is to find an honest, reasonably priced vet.

Yeah good luck with that on a Sunday and your dog got injured and needs emergency care. Has happen to me many times, $1,500 is about average cost. I guess some rednecks with a cheap mutt would take it behind the barn put a bullet in its head and buy a new mutt.



The advice I gave about finding an honest, reasonably priced vet is very good advice. By the time you add up that premium over time and invest that money you will find pet insurance for the most part is a bad investment. They're not in business to lose money and you're paying for the insurers building, salaries, equipment, overhead, profit, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc. As for your cheap mutt comment...Both my dogs were sired by National Field champions and were not exactly cheap. Secondly I also own a stray mutt and that dog gets the same care as the others, not a bullet in the head. When you make a decision to purchase a dog, you commit yourself to providing that dog a happy, healthy environment for the life of the dog.

Last edited by The Point; 02/05/17 07:08 PM.
Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: The Point] #6662657 02/05/17 07:28 PM
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Originally Posted By: The Point
Originally Posted By: Guy
Originally Posted By: The Point
Not even a chance I would consider it. Best option is to find an honest, reasonably priced vet.

Yeah good luck with that on a Sunday and your dog got injured and needs emergency care. Has happen to me many times, $1,500 is about average cost. I guess some rednecks with a cheap mutt would take it behind the barn put a bullet in its head and buy a new mutt.



The advice I gave about finding an honest, reasonably priced vet is very good advice. By the time you add up that premium over time and invest that money you will find pet insurance for the most part is a bad investment. They're not in business to lose money and you're paying for the insurers building, salaries, equipment, overhead, profit, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc. As for your cheap mutt comment...Both my dogs were sired by National Field champions and were not exactly cheap. Secondly I also own a stray mutt and that dog gets the same care as the others, not a bullet in the head. When you make a decision to purchase a dog, you commit yourself to providing that dog a happy, healthy environment for the life of the dog.

Yeah, insurance is not an investment to make money, it is to reduce risk. Statistically, you pay a premium (to reduce risk of having to pay a lot more), on average, over average cost, that is how they make money, yes everyone knows that. You go without insurance for yourself? I didn't think so. If you want to take a lot of risk on your dog, then to each their own. I would rather pay $30 a month and know if something big happens and costs thousands of dollars I don't have to stress about it. My hope is nothing bad happens to my dog, and it just costs me $360 a year in premiums.

Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: kdkane1971] #6662771 02/05/17 09:32 PM
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My lab tore his CCL this fall. Insurance always seemed unnecessary until that happened. He is four, so surgery was needed. It was nearly $3,000 and that was without a board certified surgeon and I'm doing all of the rehab myself. That doesn't include the ongoing medications, either. I realize insurance wouldn't have covered all of this, but it would have helped.


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Re: Health Insurance for Dogs [Re: Guy] #6663099 02/06/17 01:35 AM
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Originally Posted By: Guy
Originally Posted By: The Point
Originally Posted By: Guy
Originally Posted By: The Point
Not even a chance I would consider it. Best option is to find an honest, reasonably priced vet.

Yeah good luck with that on a Sunday and your dog got injured and needs emergency care. Has happen to me many times, $1,500 is about average cost. I guess some rednecks with a cheap mutt would take it behind the barn put a bullet in its head and buy a new mutt.



The advice I gave about finding an honest, reasonably priced vet is very good advice. By the time you add up that premium over time and invest that money you will find pet insurance for the most part is a bad investment. They're not in business to lose money and you're paying for the insurers building, salaries, equipment, overhead, profit, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc. As for your cheap mutt comment...Both my dogs were sired by National Field champions and were not exactly cheap. Secondly I also own a stray mutt and that dog gets the same care as the others, not a bullet in the head. When you make a decision to purchase a dog, you commit yourself to providing that dog a happy, healthy environment for the life of the dog.

Yeah, insurance is not an investment to make money, it is to reduce risk. Statistically, you pay a premium (to reduce risk of having to pay a lot more), on average, over average cost, that is how they make money, yes everyone knows that. You go without insurance for yourself? I didn't think so. If you want to take a lot of risk on your dog, then to each their own. I would rather pay $30 a month and know if something big happens and costs thousands of dollars I don't have to stress about it. My hope is nothing bad happens to my dog, and it just costs me $360 a year in premiums.


Like you said to each their own. I would rather put the $360 a year times three dogs in my pocket. If something does happen I'll have the money to pay for it because I have located an honest, reasonably priced vet. If something doesn't happen I'm way ahead because I don't buy the extended warranty on my toaster and every appliance, stereo, lawn mower etc etc etc that's available. Insurance purchased wisely is for catastrophic protection only.

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