Insurance a wallet saver

[Wingy]

3rd January and my 5 year old Weimaraner bitch had been sick during the night, all day she was just not herself, off her food but nothing of obvious concern at this stage.
4th January out for morning walk she was a bit lethargic but still out for an hour. 1000hrs thought get appointment at the vets just for a checkup. 1200 hours dog felt cold, capillary refill very slow, abdomen swelling, suspected bloat or stomach twist. On phone to vets "get me a vet there I'll be 10 minutes". Left dog there. 1 hour later vet phones up "pick your dog up and take it to our other surgery ASAP".
Did that and there was a vet waiting when I got there.
1830 hours went to collect her. Diagnosis pericardium effusion, vet drained 1.2 litre of fluid from around the heart and took samples from the abdomen.
5th January back to my local vet for checkup, all appears well as did checkup on 7th January.
Dog then starts to get back to being herself dropped from a bloated 38.7Kg to 33.6Kg in 3 days.
Back to vets on 15th January for stitches out expecting to get all clear, no such luck. Vet not happy with sound of heart beat or shadow on heart from ultra sound scan. Referral to Liverpool royal veterinary hospital on 16th January. Diagnosis minor leak in heart valve causing irregular heart beat and slight swelling to one side of heart muscle, treatment - monitor and re examine 12 months. As for pericardium effusion - no idea what caused it in the first place
Total to date just under £3,000
Excess cost me £75
Wingy

 

[Apache]

This illustrates the value of pet insurance. Did you have 3k to spend on the dog without any concern - because most people haven't.

Glad the dog is doing ok.

My 1 comment is the Liverpool vet school is in no way 'Royal' (an honour conferred to only London and Edinburgh!)

I hate to think how many animals that could have been fixed I have been forced to give sub, standard treatment or even put to sleep, where for a sum of money they could be fixed.

 

[Wingy]

This illustrates the value of pet insurance. Did you have 3k to spend on the dog without any concern - because most people haven't.

No I didn't have that kind of money to hand and have known others in that situation.
I grew up all my life with working dogs that were considered tools to perform a task and I had no attachment at all. But this bitch has been through so much. She's been savaged by a terrier requiring many stitches. Fallen through ice which I swam in to rescue her, got bitten by an adder and still she continues to be loyal. She is not perfect but is good enough for me at everything from rough shooting, beating, wild fowling, stalking and she's been so easy to train. The best dog I've ever had and worth every penny insured or not
Wingy

 

[rarms]

How much does monthly insurance on a dog add up to over five years though?

 

[redlab]

Mine adds up to £1300, but why pay house insurance then? As probably you'll never need to claim......

 

[rarms]

Mine adds up to £1300, but why pay house insurance then? As probably you'll never need to claim......

My house insurance is about £300 a year. Dog insurance is probably only slightly less than that, and I think the difference is self explanatory!

 

[redlab]

My house insurance is about £300 a year. Dog insurance is probably only slightly less than that, and I think the difference is self explanatory!

Yes I know it is, assuming the op is roughly the same as I am for insurance he has saved £1700... So yes it is self explanatory.....

 

[hogey]

My dogs cost me about 600 quid a year to insure.One of them became very ill when she was 4 and needed lots of vet attention and medication.To date has cost just short of 3 grand which was coverd by insurance.Shes 7 now and doing great.

I would have spent the money on her anyhow but still glad to have the insurance.I know its not cheap but really its only a few less beers a year.

 

[EMcC]

Has nobody noticed how the premium jumps when the dog reaches nine !!
Mine jumped from £250 a year to over £600, I thought I was being conned so told them to stuff it.
That was a mistake, as the first question every other company I approached asked was "How old is it"
You could almost hear them clap their hands and their eyes light up calculating the premium !!
As it was new business and the dog was over seven I was told the premium kicks in at an astronomical amount for all new business from the age of seven, I had no choice but to save an amount each month in a 'Pet Pot' and luckily it was enough when the time finally arrived.
He had a stroke at 14 and had to be put down, not bad for a Springer that was springy right up to the last.

 

[Apache]

Has nobody noticed how the premium jumps when the dog reaches nine !!

It's only because the risk of a payout goes up a lot as the dog ages.

 

[EMcC]

It's only because the risk of a payout goes up a lot as the dog ages.

OK, I'll re-word it.
Has nobody noticed how the premium jumps up tremendously when the dog reaches nine !!
I know it goes up each year as the dog gets older but the amount it jumps at that stage in it's life would indicate the dog is likely to keel over any minute it passes that age !

 

[Wingy]

I have 2 weimaraners a 7 year old dog & this 5 year old bitch. The dog has never (touch wood) needed a claim but the bitch has claimed enough in her 5 years to put me in pocket. All I have paid on both dog & bitch in insurance premium pluss some.
It seems like a waste of money until you need it.
Wingy

 

[Buchan]

My 1 comment is the Liverpool vet school is in no way 'Royal' (an honour conferred to only London and Edinburgh!)

True.

Imperial is a better accolade!!!

Hope your dog continues OK Wingy, pericardial effusions can be bizarre things.

 

[Wingy]

Yes my mistake re the use of "Royal" in the title.
Bitch is doing fine but something I have to keep an eye on. It didn't stop her catching and dealing with a wounded fox this weekend as a follow up shot was not possible she made a 175 yard dash tracked another 50 yards and delt with a good sized dog fox by the time I got there
Wingy