True Pet Insurance Stories
Pet Insurance
Pet insurance helped our own dog emergencies.
You may wonder if Pet insurance is worth it, but we know first-hand how beneficial it can be to both your wallet and the well-being of your dog or cat. If you’re not yet convinced, read on for some true stories from our very own team.
Three Strokes of Bad Luck
Sibyl:
When we adopted our dog, Max, I wondered how often he’d really get injured or sick, especially if well cared for by a responsible owner. In the end, I’m so glad we have Pet insurance–it’s paid off!
We were out for a walk when two very large dogs approached from the opposite direction, took one look at my 25 lb. cockapoo, and decided to pounce. I rushed Max to the vet, and after a surgery, several days of boarding, and numerous follow-up visits, Pet insurance covered the $3,000 bill, after my deductible.
About a year later, Max accidentally ingested a dangerous substance. We again hurried him to the vet. Thank goodness he was fine, and so was my wallet.
Last year, we found a small lump on Max’s back. A cytology confirmed it was benign, but because Max would be under anesthesia for a routine dental cleaning, we opted to have the lump removed. I was skeptical about how much insurance would cover since the dental work was routine preventive care (not covered under my plan), but I was pleasantly surprised that our Pet policy covered the bulk of the procedure costs.
I like to think that Max has had his three strokes of bad luck, but in the event there’s more to come, I know I can count on Pet insurance to help us cover the costs.
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A Bad Tooth Day
Mandy:
My labradoodle, Eli, was chewing on his favorite nylon-style bone when it broke his tooth. I was sitting right next to him and saw a chunk fly off. We could actually see the root. Dogs have no “root canal” option like humans, so we were forced to remove it. That entailed an exam, anesthesia, and surgical extraction, in addition to prescribed medications and a return checkup. This all resulted in a $1,800 bill, but thanks to Pet insurance, all we had to pay for was our $250 deductible.
Pet owners can expect to pay $800 to $1,500 on average for an emergency vet visit. Treatment for poisoning can be as high as $5,000, and intestinal blockage as high as $7,000.1
Tummy Trouble
Kevin:
My wife and I recently left our hound-mix with our in-laws. When we returned, we found him to be feeling unusually lethargic, nauseous, and without an appetite. We waited a few days, and when his condition didn’t improve, we took him to our vet. After running several tests, they theorized he had ingested something that was causing a blockage in his digestive system.
They performed an ultrasound and discovered he did in fact have an object stuck inside his stomach. Luckily, the vet was able to use an endoscope to locate and remove the object, which turned out to be a large piece of a rubber chew toy he had swallowed.
The procedure, plus anti-nausea medication, ended up being close to $2,000! Luckily, we had Pet insurance to help cover a large percentage of the costs. We had just moved into our first house, so our money was very tight. I’m not sure what we would have done if we had to pay the vet bill in full.
You never can tell when a dog might get injured, sick, or, worse, attacked. Veterinary care and medications can be expensive, so when the unexpected happens, Pet insurance can help ease the financial burden. We offer ASPCA’s Complete CoverageSM that includes accidents, illnesses, cancer, hereditary conditions, alternative therapies, behavioral issues, and more. You can even add preventive care to help keep your pet healthy. Learn more.
1Andrea Agostini Ferrer, “How Much is An Emergency Vet Visit?” Money.com, July 2022, https://money.com/how-much-is-an-emergency-vet/
