Pet insurance for dogs???

Hi all,
Some of you might know Chobby. He was diagnosed with hip dysplasia before age of 1. Now we have little Bella, and she's only 12 weeks. I was very scared of all the potenital health problems associated with this breed. I don't know if I should get them pet insurance, just in case "if" something else happens.

Did you have any prior experience with pet insurance? If so, which company would you recommend?

Thanks a million!

 

oh, I didn't hear about chobby getting hip disp., that is so sad when he is still so young! What type dog is your new one?

 

Ive never had pet insurance (worked in animal hospitals for years...theres always perks available) but this one is apparantly very good. There different policies available, some only cover the cost of an exam and yearly vaccines so as with any insurance, read the small print. You might want to also check with your vet and make sure they accept the plan, some hospitals wont (the last emergency hospital I worked at didnt take any) but usually what happens there is you pay the bill, the vet fills out some paperwork, you send it in and then get reimbursed....make sure with the insurance company that they WILL reimburse you if youve already paid for something that is covered.

Also pre-existing conditions are usually not covered.

http://www.petinsurance.com/affiliates.cfm?ec=CI0033

I think Petco has insurance available through them.

 

I looked into pet insurance for my dogs b/c I'm afraid of them getting hip dysplasia - they are St. Bernards. The ones I saw all didn't cover hereditary conditions, which is what I think they consider hip dysplasia to be. B/c that was my biggest concern, I decided not to get it. So...I would just look at worst case scenario for your particular breed, check to make sure they cover that. If they do, then maybe it is a good thing. If not, why bother.

 

Another option is to set aside money every month in a "pet fund" that you can then use if something happens down the road. This works fairly well, unless something REALLY expensive happens - some surgeries, cancer treatments, etc.

 

Thank you all for your opinions on this topic. I checked out a few pet insurance companies, like VPI and Pet Care, and I thought that the description of the coverage was very vague. Setting money aside is a good idea though. The monthly estimate is about $50 for two dogs. If I set aside $50 a month as doggie fund, by the end of the year I would save $600. Hmm it makes sense. Thanks, Jamiya, for the brilliant idea!!!

I am taking Chobby to see a vet specialized in surgery a couple weeks from now. There are a few different treatments to hip dysplasia. The worst case scenario is the most expensive one, somewhere between $4000 and $6000. :cry: And, it is painful...

Oh, Bella is also a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I got her for Chobby because he needs a doggie companion. Although it was a lot of extra work, Chobby is now very happy. Here's the link to the Dogster profile: http://www.dogster.com/pet_page.php?i=156187

If I find something noteworthy, I'll let ya know.