Pet insurance

[Mike, Cedar and Reno]

I get my puppy in two weeks.  In the past, I have never had pet insurance in the past & things have gotten quite expensive with knee surgeries and treatments.  Not so much when my dogs were young, but when they became older.  I was wondering if there is any recommendations on insurance plans as I plan on getting some this time around.  It just makes sense.  I'll take any advice.  I've been considering Pet Plan which handles the catastrophic stuff.

[Jennifer and Jack]

I got Jacks insurance for him by the time he was six month old. They require you to fax them all of your puppies records from the time you got them. They are real picky about any preexisting conditions. Since Jack was a puppy he did not have any.

 

There is no cut off to getting it however, if you wait until a problem is discovered the problem will not be covered. I can not recommend them enough.

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

Sandy, I got the insurance the day after I brought Lucca and Izzy home. I didn't want to risk ANY pre-existing conditions. My son's girlfriend has PetPlan for her now 9 yo Golden. She started it last year. I believe she pays around $467/this year. The premiums do increase with age but I believe when I renewed Lucca's this year (at 2 yo) it stayed the same. I have the Bronze plan for both Lucca and Izzy. I figure when they get older I will need the higher plan.

As to when to cut it off....I stopped my golden's insurance (from VPI at the time) when she was 12. At that point the insurance had gone up to over $700. She was having major problems and I basically had her on comfort care at that point so I wasn't going to do any kind of heroic measures but.. because I didn't renew.... I ended up spending over $2000 that last year because she ended up with pericardium effusion (fluid build up around the heart lining). we drained it once but I couldn't put her through it again.. IMO you basically stop the insurance when you know the end is near or at the end. I know we never want to think like that:( That's what I will do with Lucca and Izzy.

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

Did anyone mention the doodle discount?   Mention the word "doodle" for additional 5% off.   Here's a message from the Doodle messenger about partnering with Petplan.  Its a win/win:

For every new doodle who is signed up with Petplan, and for those who are needing to renew their insurance with Petplan, the company will donate $25.00 to the fund which goes directly and equally to each doodle on The Doodle Messenger

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

We got a multi-dog discount. But this is good to know when we renew

[Lauria Orr]

I got PetPlan when Melody was about 14 months old and Morgan 5 months old. They will not cover pre-existing conditions.  I had taken Melody to the Vet for an opinion about her nervousness.  She recommended a  behaviorist and training.  Because Melody was seen for anxiety, that became a pre-existing condition, and insurance would not cover this.  That made me think about getting insurance, as I didn't want to risk not having coverage if something serious came up.

 

Our Beagle, Lucy, developed seizures, 4 different bouts of Mast Cell Cancer, Cushings Disease, and  heart rhythm issues.  She did very well with treatments for these things.  It was expensive,though!  Then she developed kidney disease, and that is when her quality of life took a change. I wish I had had coverage for the other medical issues.  Her quality of life was so good, that she was definitely treatable, and those appointmenst were spendy.

 

That being said, insurance early on is a good idea, in my opinion!

[Mike, Cedar and Reno]

I signed up for the PetPlan Gold insurance... $100 deductible yesterday and paid the first year's premium.  I don't even get my pup until the first week of March, but she's insured :o)  The medical bills for my Maggie(whom I lost in October of last year) were huge over her lifetime so I've learned my lesson.  I know that PetPlan is aimed mostly at catastrophic events.  I also have to have the vet make a statement on her chart that specific notation in you pet’s chart that your pet has been examined and does not have any pre-existing conditions relating to the cruciates or patellas.  Cedar's first appt. is March 7.  By doing so, she will be covered from day one for damage to the cruciate ligaments.  The other thing I need to do is send the microchip # when she is microchipped(probably when I have her spayed).  I had called in the morning yesterday and was put on hold for too long so just emailed my questions.  I was contacted by phone by Suzanne Metzger and she did a great job explaining everything to me & signing me up.  If anyone does sign up... just say Mike sent you :o)

 

I have another question....  When is it safe to start flea control & which product do people use.  On my Maggie, I used Frontline Plus and it worked well.  She was a great dog & a champion retriever ... half yellow lab and half golden retriever.  I'm attaching a picture of Maggie and Hayden.  It was the last one I took before I lost her to kidney failure & was taken about 3 weeks before her death.

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

Mike, Maggie is lovely and... your son Hayden is very handsome. What a great photo. Cedar will definitely help to fill the hole left by Maggie. Lucca did that when I brought him home after I lost my Mia at 12yo. How old was Maggie?

As to the insurance.. it's interesting. I was never told to have the vet document on the charts about the cruciate and patellas. I also didn't know they wanted the microchip #. I'll have to call them..and my vet:) If Cedar isn't chipped by the breeder your vet will most likely do it on the first visit.

We use Frontline Plus also. Izzy got her first dose at 3 months. A lot of the vets are pushing Comfortis which is a monthly oral med for fleas. They are finding that fleas are becoming resistant to Frontline. I've researched Comfortis and don't feel comfortable with it..yet. Too many side effects for me to want to give it to my dogs.

Good luck to you

[Lauria Orr]

Oh my gosh, Mike, what a picture!  That is priceless.  A boy and his dog.  That just breaks my heart.  They look like the perfect match.. Maggie is so beautiful! 

 

How old was Maggie when she developed kidney issues?  I am so sorry. We lost both our Beagles to kidney disease, one last Feb, and one in May.  They were almost 14 1/2 and almost 15.  After reading all the things I have on the food group here on DK, I am surprised they lived as long as they did.  Apparently I had them on junk food!  I got the food at Petco and at the Vet.  As diligent as I thought I was about their care, there were obviously things I did wrong.  This DK  food group is extremely helpful. What size Doodle are you getting?

 

When I signed up for insurance, nothing was said about documentation about patellas, etc.  The breeder did send us her Vet's exam reports, and we had to take each Doodle to the Vet within 72 hours of us getting them, as part of our contract with her. They were examined and findings were documented in their charts.  I suppose, if ever we need to file a claim, the INS. Co. could request records. We  got the micro chipping done here, and I did fill in those numbers when applying for insurance.

 

I am so excited for you!  Yes, I believe Cedar will help you and your family.  I miss Lucy and Hershey every single day.  I believe I always will.  Melody and Morgan are so healing for that, even though they do not replace them.. It is like they are my other 2 kids!

 

Thanks for the insurance info!

[shelly]

WHAT AN AWESOME PICTURE! I hope you have blown this up and it is hanging on a wall in your home... it is just beautiful! Truly gives life to "a picture is worth a thousand words". I too unfortunately know what it's like to lose a friend of a son... we had to put down our golden due to cancer, and my youngest son, who was just 3 at the time still remembers the day. Best of luck with your new little guy!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

What an amazing picture this is Mike.  The bond between Maggie and your son is so apparent.  You all must have been so heartbroken to lose her.  I also have PetPlan, and they've been great.  I'd check with your Vet on when to begin the Frontline.  I believe I started after their first Vet check.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

What a great picture and so sorry to hear about your Maggie.

[Mike, Cedar and Reno]

Maggie was something special to me.  She had bad joints from about 2 years on & the vet prescribed metacam.  I used it sparingly, but I think(know) this contributed to the kidney disease.  I still miss seeing her.  She couldn't jump much, but she was a champion swimmer though and had a huge chest.  Here's one more picture of her....