Seriously... Do not put off pet insurance

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Here is the good news:  Roo will live a long and healthy life.  The bad news is that it will cost between $2000 and $4000 a year because Roo has Addison's disease.  And because I had procrastinated about researching pet insurance.  Every time there was a post on DK about pet insurance, I meant to do it, sometimes, I even started the research.  Never really followed through. Boy am I sorry, but it only hurts my wallet.  For us it is not a fatal mistake for Roo, for my daughter, I really do not know what she would do.

Roo was four in October of 2011.  He has been totally, riotously healthy.  Until he wasn't.  Roo and Tigger went in Mon Jan16 for their wellness check-up and Roo's rabies booster.  We were placed in the room that we were in with Storm and Roo when Storm was euthanized.  He immediately crawled under the chairs.  Roo is boisterous to a fault, and has not previously shown anxiety at the vet's, although he is not exactly Mr. Cooperative either.  Both dogs were checked by the nurse, the vet,  blood was drawn for a "junior wellness" blood panel, stool and urine samples..... and Roo received his Rabies booster.  All was well except for Roo's odd under the chair behavior.

That afternoon was lethargic on his walk and picked at his dinner.  I thought - rabies vacine reaction.

Roo did not eat for the next four days, at all - nothing.  He got progressively sadder and quieter, not really sick, but certainly not well.  I put two and two together and got 832.  I thought the room had really traumatized him.  Friday Roo and I returned to the vet for a ACTH. It is a test to stimulate the adrenal gland, a definitive test for Addison's Disease if the dog's blood shows no change one hour after the test.  It was a long hour.

Roo definitely had Addison's disease.  A "repository" injection which will need to be repeated every three weeks for the rest of his life.  Today Roo is his old self and looking back to last summer there were two clear times when it was obvious something was wrong, it just fixed itself.  This time the adrenal gland wasn't weak. it wasn't operating at all and the visit to the vet was enough stress to send him toward an Addisonian crisis.

Yesterday I bought pet insurance for both Roo and Tigger.  It will not, of course, cover Addison's disease treatments.  But now I understand.  I am not invulnerable and neither are my beloved dogs.

 

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Maryann, I'm sorry to hear that Roo has Addison's. I do know several other  Addison's dogs, as they are called, and they are all doing well and living good lives. I hope this will be the case for Roo.

I know what you mean about the insurance. I didn't get it, and then after JD was diagnosed with Atopy, I thought it was too late, that wouldn't be covered, and what else could go wrong that would be such a big hardship?  Well, I found out last month when he suddenly developed IBD. The expenses over the past two months are fast approaching $6000. Had I gotten the insurance, that would have been covered. :(

Hugs to you and Roo, may his treatment go well, and may you never need the insurance for either dog.

[Martha & Cooper]

So sorry to hear of Roo's diagnosis and that you don't have insurance to cover the expenses for his Addisons.  I am glad to hear that he is feeling better already though and that you have since purchased the insurance. 

I  also recommend Pet Insurance to everyone and that they get it as soon as they become pet owners. Unfortunately, we learned the hard way with one of our previous pets.  

I am so grateful that we have PetPlan for Cooper and it is helping with his expensive medicines and treatments right now.   While we have a deductible and co-pay for the Specialist, so far, they have been wonderful.  I am keeping our fingers crossed that they will renew Cooper and not raise the premiums to some ridiculous amount when the time for renewal comes up in October.  

[Martha & Cooper]

I think I have to amend this post after doing some research tonight.  After looking further into the policy, it says we are guaranteed a lifetime of insurance as long as there is not a "break" in the coverage.   Thank Goodness!

[shelly]

I am so sorry for all of you!  So happy Roo is going to be ok... but I feel for you with your new expenses...I too always say we're going to get insurance.. then I kind of talk myself out of it... but THANK YOU.. I think we will start looking again! {{{HUGS}}}

[Camilla and Darwin]

I'm so sorry, but I'm glad it's a treatable disease. Poor Roo. :-( 

Thanks for the great reminder about insurance. We have had insurance for Darwin and it's really made me breathe easier. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Please know that your call has not gone unanswered.  I too, have read the posts, and put insurance off thinking ; I should check into that, I should do it today.  Recent events made me think even more seriously and still I had not gotten it done.    I saw your post, left this site and finished my payment and application that I had not completed from last week. DONE.  I heard you.

Maryann,

I am so sorry that Roo is sick with Addison's Disease.  Knowing you through your posts here on DK, I am positive Roo is in the best possible hands with your care and love.  

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Thanks Joanne,  It is really nice to know I helped someone.  I feel like a total jerk.  Fortunately, DH loves the dogs as much as I do and is a worse procrastinator than I am.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Maryann, May you and Roo and Tigger have many, many happy years together. Thank you for taking such good care of sweet Roo.

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

I am so sorry to read this! My knowledge about Addison's is limited, but I do hope that the treatments allow him to live a nice long life. I am heeding your warning -- I have thought about insurance for several months but have been "too busy" to really look into it! I will tomorrow!!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

So sorry to hear of your experience with Roo.  I know that the day that I filled out the PetPlan form and sent it off to get coverage for Lucy and Sophie was a huge relief.  I too was one of those that kept putting it off because it was just a little overwhelming doing all the research and trying to decide which plan, but once I took the plunge and just picked one and did it, there was just a calm that I felt.  I no longer had to worry about "what if".    Hope that Roo is doing better and back to his old self.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

First, much love to you and yours. Thank you for this poignant reminder of the benefit of Peace of Mind.

I certainly understand procrastination as it is a bitter pill to swallow, I have done it most of my life. I too waited and researched and wondered if I should get Daisy insurance, in fact the reason I was even doing that was because our last pup Zach should have had it but back then it was new and most did not go that route. Oh the money we could have saved on that little guy. 

Fortunately for me I got it. Then a few months later I was lucky enough to happen upon DK. One of the first discussions I read was about insurance. I was pretty darn proud of myself for making that purchase and then also finding that PetPlan was one of popular choices here. Goody for me twice.

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

Maryann, I'm so sorry to hear that Roo has Addison's but can live a good life with treatement.  I too, need to get pet insurance, just this past weekend I was looking at MetLife pet insurance which I can get from my job and deducted right out of my paycheck which is a nice feature.  I should have learned right from the beginning because the first year of Sasha's life cost me $4000.   I would have paid 4 million to get her better.  Please give Roo doodle hugs and kisses :)