Our last couple of weeks spent worrying about Gus made us stop and reconsider pet insurance…again.
Let’s first rewind to Thursday. Gus’s condition appeared to worsen after a couple of positive days at the beginning of the week. Our fabulous vet, Dr. Kyzar, spoke to M on the phone for a full 20 minutes Thursday afternoon and suggested we drop him off at the office for a couple of hours on Friday. He said it would give him a chance to examine Gus’s behavior and movement as he walked around. This horrified us. We don’t leave Gus anywhere, besides with family. Ever. We are not suggesting this is correct. Our paranoia is extreme and often wish we weren’t such worry-warts. But, that’s another story for another day. After some serious discussion, we decided it was in Gus’s best interest. We recognized that not all vets are willing to go the extra mile and the offer was too good to refuse.
M dropped Gus off on Friday afternoon and before he left, Dr. Kyzar performed another exam. Once again, Gus was stoic and displayed no signs of discomfort. Although he was only away from home for approximately three hours, it felt like an eternity. We received the call shortly before 5 p.m. to come back in.
The Good
Blood work: Results were clean with the exception of signs of dehydration. This was not surprising as we often have difficulty getting Gus to drink enough water. M mentioned he didn’t see him drink a lick all day. Side note: If you have suggestions on how we can increase Gus’s water consumption, please let us know!
The Bad
Ultrasound: Dr. Kyzar noticed Gus has an unusually small kidney. Although the findings were incidental and may never cause any problems, it can lead to shunts that cause vomiting and/or seizures. OMG. Please, please, please let it never cause him any problems.
The Inconclusive
X-Rays: There is a suspected area of inflammation on Gus’s back. However, Dr. Kyzar cautioned the findings were possibly caused by Gus’s body position during the x-ray. Sigh…we are not fans of inconclusive results. The x-rays also showed Gus’s belly was slightly gassy (sorry if that’s TMI).
The Plan of Attack
Dr. Kyzar recommended continuing Gus’s dose of two 1/2 pills of Novax per day through today. He also recommended administering 1/4 tablet of Pepcid to settle Gus’s upset stomach. When we inquired on activity, he suggested to walk Gus only if he appears ready for one (i.e. standing by the door) and only playing if Gus initiates it. We were instructed to monitor his progress and follow-up at the end of the week.
We’re happy to report that Gus was fairly active over the weekend and we even saw a decent amount of tail wagging. We missed our happy-go-lucky little man and were so relieved to see him improve!
********************************
Geesh…we really didn’t intend to be so wordy. Hope you didn’t fall asleep while reading this. 
Besides sharing our Gus update, we also wanted to ask your opinion on pet insurance. Although we’ve often considered purchasing insurance, we’ve never moved forward with it. The last couple of anxiety-ridden weeks reminded us to revisit the topic. Our last vet bill was over $200 and that was only for the x-rays and blood work. Dr. Kyzar did not charge us for the ultrasound or the actual exam. We did not complain about the cost or ask for any type of concession and are always willing to pay any necessary charges to determine whatever is ailing Gus. We think he did this out of the kindness of his heart and we appreciated it. That being said, the bill could have easily been so much more. What are your thoughts? Does your pet have insurance? If so, are you satisfied with your plan?
We intend to compare all the different plans and will post our findings on the blog. You know how much we I love a good chart. 
Until then, here a few photos we snapped of Gus over the weekend…
Thanks again, from the bottom of our hearts, for all the sweet comments and words of encouragement. Not in our wildest dreams did we imagine blogging would lead to finding such wonderful people. You guys are amazing!
We appreciate you hanging in there with us and promise to blog about more happy topics soon!
steve at gangs of new yorkie
March 21, 2011
Chicken water (as Steve calls it): our vet recommended chicken broth a while ago when Steve had a cold & I have never seen him saying no to it… Usually I make it at home (just chicken & some vegetables, no salt), but I have given him from the box as well. Hope pretty boy Gus gets back to his wiggly self soon!
No insurance here… When we got Mr Phoo we looked into it, but back then we could not find any plan that would insure a 11yr old (I suppose it changed a lot since 2002).
According to Gus
March 21, 2011
I like the idea of making homemade…thanks for the tip!
LuLu & Wally
March 21, 2011
Poor Gus.
I’m sorry he’s still not feeling well.
Does he have a Kong? I would mix some kibble with water or chicken broth and freeze it in his Kong. That should help him get some more fluid.
Also, if his tummy can handle canned food, there’s a high water content there, so he’d automatically get more fluids. (My brother’s cat has a kidney issue and the vet said to only feed him canned food to be sure he’s getting enough fluid. His vet said dry food can put a strain on the kidneys.)
We’re thinking of you and hoping for a quick recovery!
According to Gus
March 21, 2011
Gus eats canned food for one meal and then mixed with his kibble for dinner. Thank goodness he gets fluid that way. He’s so odd when it comes to drinking water, one day he’ll drink a ton and then the next we hardly see him drink any!
Thanks for the Kong idea too. We’ve never tried it, but will!
LuLu & Wally
March 21, 2011
BTW, a quick tip about filling Kongs easily – we mix everything in a bowl, then fill ice cube trays with the mixture. When they’re frozen, we pop them all out and put them in a plastic freezer bag. Then, whenever we want to stuff a Kong, we just pull out an ice cube and shove it in there! We have mashed sweet potato and chicken broth cubes in the freezer right now.
Look for ice cube trays that are oval, not square. Ours fit perfectly in the medium Kong, but also fit into the large Kong.
Judy
March 21, 2011
I have not found a pet insurance policy that is worthwhile and many people I know feel the same way. We feel that we are better off just putting money aside in case of emergency. It can be expensive though, two days of vet visits, extras and blood work cost us $700 one time. Results…Tiffy had gas:0 On the other hand I had a dog for 10 years and beside his regular check ups wouldn’t have benefited from the insurance. He just didn’t get sick. Good luck in finding a policy that you are happy with and let us know the results of your findings. I hope Gus feels better soon.
According to Gus
March 21, 2011
Thanks, Judy! We tend to agree with you and that’s why we’ve never purchased a plan. We do the same as you and set aside money specifically for Gus and have built up a considerable amount. Gus had gas too, which showed up on hix x-ray. We seriously wonder how much that had to do with him moping around. He’s been SO much better over the past couple of days since we’ve given him 1/4 tablet of Pepcid with his meals.
Alison @The Other Winnie Cooper
March 21, 2011
I’d love to know what you find on insurance too. I have looked at a few, but they’ve all seemed like a lot of money for little reward.
I second the chicken broth in the water dish idea. I also use veggies (carrots and celery mostly) and they have water content that regular dog biscuits don’t have. I also add water and canned food to the dry and mix it all up. Winnie loves that.
Hope Gus is doing better today!
Jasmine
March 21, 2011
Ice pops and Ice cups. Ice cubes to lick and play with.
Mom canceled VPI pet insurance. She only saved about $70 after total of $1700 vet bills
Get Well Gus
According to Gus
March 21, 2011
Good to know about VPI. Thanks, Jasmine!
Angel @ Life with LuLu and Wally
March 21, 2011
When Wally broke his hip we used CareCredit. It allows us to pay off the bill over 18 months, interest free. We opted not to get insurance and will use CareCredit in the future for any large veterinary bills.
Pip
March 21, 2011
Poor Gus. Here’s a suggest for dehydration. Add chicken broth to his food. He will probably like it and liquid is liquid. Our vet has us do this with Pip and our cat when they are sick.
I am sending all kinds of good vibes to little Gus!
Your pal, Pip
Chunyo's Corner
March 21, 2011
I never had insurance with my other dogs but they did not have alot of health issues. We did get health insurance (VPI) for Chunyo his first year. Figured with neutering, shots, etc. it would pay off and it did. We were going to cancel but it turns out that Chun’s medical file has grown so we kept it and it’s worked out so far. What really made us decide to keep it was when our friend’s dog broke her leg – her surgery was $4,000. Insurance would have helped in her case. On another note, when Chunyo wouldn’t drink his water, we made him some chicken broth – no salt. Worked so well, he didn’t want water after that
Slick one! Good luck!
2browndawgs
March 21, 2011
Awe Gus still looks melancholy, cute, but melancholy. I have put chicken broth in water to encourage drinking. I just don’t leave it out long. We also add water to the kibbled food we feed our dogs.
We had pet insurance on the Golden we had before the Chessies. The coverage we had only covered visits at the vet’s office and if the dog had to go to the ER it was not covered, (because they never get sick during business hours…lol). Between the price of the policy and the co-pays we did not think it was worth it, so eventually we dropped it on the Golden. I have heard of people who have had good experiences with insurance though.
Jen
March 21, 2011
I think pet insurance is a wonderful thing to have. It just takes a lot of time and research to find the one that is right for you. Even though I work at a vet clinic and get a very good discount, I am in the process of getting insurance for the boys. I am looking at companies that offer breed specific coverage and accidental coverage, my thinking is that if something would happen to them they most likely would have to go to a specialist, or if due to an accident-an emergency clinic-and my employees discount is not good there:)
Glad to hear Gus is feeling better!
royalcoonhounds
March 21, 2011
Glad you are starting to feel better Gus!
I wish I had insurance for the girls-at least for expensive emergencies. unfortunately, no pet insurance will cover preexisting conditions. And EVERYTHING including diarrhea, and this as, and this back pain would be excluded forever. Some policies allow for a case by case review if you and your vet agree that the last time this happened is completely unrelated but it is a toss up.
Perhaps an emergency/catastrophic coverage policy? Like in case of a broken leg or something that could run thousands of dollars?
Elizabeth
March 21, 2011
Yay for Gus! Sounds like you’ve received lots of good ideas for water intake. My dogs love munching on ice cubes, which is super easy.
No pet insurance in our house (there are lots of pre-existing condition clauses out there for pure breeds). However, I have heard in corgi forums that Trupanion is a good/reputable company.
Annette@snoopysdogblog
March 21, 2011
Hey Gus,
I’m glad to hear you’re feeling a little better and those pics are awesome……:)
Water – I give Snoopy ice cubes, he loves them and considers them a treat and sits for them – when we come back from a run he usually doesn’t want a drink, so I give him a few large ice cubes, it’s rare he doesn’t eat them. During the day he gets some more, especially when it’s hot…..ours are just plain, although I know some people flavour them if the dog won’t eat them…
Insurance – I’m no expert on US pet insurance, but I took out a policy with Trupanion as it was recommended by my vets and seemed fairly good, but I’ve yet to claim – thanfully. I did this because of my experience with my 2 Goldens Retrievers I had in the UK, who luckily were insured.
George was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 2 and had an emergency operation and it was found to be untreatable.
Harry, at the age of 6 was found to have severe kidney disease (we never discovered the cause) – we tried everything to help Harry, including extremely expensive medication.
I know lots of people work out the cost over the expected life of their pets, but I wasn’t lucky enough to have my wonderful dogs to a grand old age and I was very thankful that I didn’t have to consider the costs when they were seriously ill.
For us personally, it’s for piece of mind, I would be interested to see the results of your research though in case there is a better provider for Snoopy.
Have a great day,
Annette and Snoopy
According to Gus
March 21, 2011
Oh, Annette, I had no idea about your two previous furry loved ones. Discovering George and Harry both had serious illnesses when they were so young had to have been heartbreaking.
I’m glad that you didn’t have to worry about cost and could focus on the time you had with them. I can see why you think it’s a good thing!
I will keep you posted…I’ve heard good things about Trupanion!
Helen
March 21, 2011
Poor Gus and poor you guys for having to go through it. I know exactly what you mean about leaving Gus. We don’t leave Spike and Dru EVER. It killed us when we had to leave them for their spay/neuter. We bathe them ourselves, not because of costs but because we refuse to leave them at the groomers for an afternoon. Pampered, spoiled rotten? Maybe but it’s how we roll.
With the four cats and the undeadly duo, we have often considered pet insurance but, like you, have never pulled the trigger. I just don’t know enough about it and the last thing I want to do is pay every month to find out when I need it the item is not covered. We should really just talk to our vet to see what they think. George’s tumor cost us an arm and a leg and with our newest insanity it may not be feasible to hand over wads of cash in the future.
I hope Gus continues to improve
sagechronicles
March 21, 2011
We are sure hoping Gus continues on his road to recovery! I think the chicken broth idea is the best. I hope it works and he’s back to his regular fun-loving self really soon.
We considered pet insurance when we rescued Sage, but, after weighing the cost and benefits, it just didn’t make a lot of sense. It seems like that’s the consensus of most of these comments too.
Anna
March 21, 2011
I have one water camel here and one who stocks up like a camel. Doubtful the later is ever dehydrated though she goes through spurts of drinking. Sometimes I remind her to get some water as she is always thinking of other things. I would try that chicken broth idea, but maybe only add a tiny bit at first and see if that will do. So that you don’t get into him only wanting to drink that. If he is one who likes to eat ice you could also freeze the chicken broth. I also agree about adding some to his food, or even just water to his food. Ours lick their bowls clean, but I know not all dogs do that.
I have never gotten pet insurance, I have thought about it, but so far have not really needed it. I try and be my own dogs vet where I can, and just try and keep them healthy and active (as I know you do). I like the idea Angel had of carecredit, good one to remember.
I’m glad you all were able to get out a bit, vets have to keep in mind a happy dog will heal quicker just like a happy human would. Good spirits are good medicine too, so I would try and find ways to get him out to keep his mind happy. Another idea for the gas is simply giving him some probiotics. They have all kinds of types, capsuls, powder, or just a touch of greek yogurt. I give this to ours on a regular basis, and also have clients that do the same. (I only mention this as I don’t know what long term effects pepcid would have, would it affect kidney at all?
Good luck! Glad he seems to be on the mend.
Anna
March 21, 2011
Oh and one word I must say about leaving your dogs places.. if you have family to watch your dog great. But I am still a firm believer in having a lot of care options/dog babysitters available. Life happens and heaven forbid none of the usuals can take him, having not exposed him to a GOOD kennel or something similar will only compound any negativity he feels during the experience.
I run a kennel, and time and time again we get dogs in that are over a year old (sometimes 5+ years) and never been apart from their owner or close family. And as to be expected they are a wreck. Chances are if you can find a way to thoroughly check out a kennel when they are young and make a point to do some short stays with them there, they will most likely be A LOT better off in the future if life happens and nobody can take your pup. It’s always good to have a back up plan (or a back up back up back up plan
) I hate seeing dogs unsettled in the kennel when I know it could have been prevented.
And now I will get off my soapbox, and hope you never have life happen to that extent.
Anna
According to Gus
March 21, 2011
Thanks for the comments, Anna. Our vet has suggested Pepcid before when Gus had a rumbly tummy. He recommended 1/4 tablet twice/day for three days. We appreciate it when he recommends easy, over-the-counter options.
As for leaving Gus, I totally understand what you’re saying about having a back-up plan with a kennel. However, the only way to expose him to a good kennel (and there are a couple that we know of in SA) is to leave him there. Since we’ve always had a family (and/or friend) option, we’ve always opted to go with someone he’s comfortable with.
Vicky
March 21, 2011
I wish I had gotten pet insurance for Darby, but as he had parvo three days after adopting him, then being cryptorchid (thus raising his neutering fee to over $200, even with the adoption voucher), we worried that any resulting injury/illness would be a result of the parvo recovery, so we didn’t do it. Mistake on our part, as we spent $1,700 last year on his knee surgery and may have to do the other in the future if it acts up again.
And I well understand your paranoia over leaving him places, as we are the same with our pets. The few times we’ve gone on vacation we import family to move to move in and care for everyone so they are all at home. I have no issue with kennels, but with three cats in double-digits and the dog it’s just less stressful for everyone if they stay home together.
Keep us posted on Gus’ progress.
Cheryl Gustin
March 21, 2011
Gus you look a little more perky from your photos. Glad you had a better weekend. Tell your Mom and Dad you need another Oatmeal Cookie. Mm! Mm!
TOtomameee
March 21, 2011
TOto drinking intake is very random too! On days when he is very inactive, he will drink very little. And when it gets too little, we will drop his tricks/biscuits into his water bowl. And in order to get to the treat/biscuit, he will have to drink some water! If not we will let him play with ice cube. And regarding the gassy issue, I wonder will yoghurt help? When TOto fart too much we will add 1/2 tsp of some greek natural yoghurt for him!
Hope Gus get better soon!
jan
March 21, 2011
I was going to suggest chicken broth as others have done. We don’t have pet insurance and I was interested to read the opinions of others.
jan
March 21, 2011
Many paws and fingers crossed for Gus to get well soon
Peggy @Peggy's Pet Place
March 21, 2011
Gus is such a pretty color red. Good luck as you continue making charts and figuring these tough things out. I hope Gus feels one hundred percent soon.
Bailey
March 21, 2011
Guuuuus! I hope you’re feeling a little better today! Nala and I are thinking of you, and are sending all the puppy prayers that we could! I asked mommy about pet insurance, and she told me to tell you that she just signed up for a Care Credit card, so she could have 6 months to pay out Nala’s surgery bill, with no interest. Here’s the link for Care Credit if you’re interested: http://www.carecredit.com. Mommy says it could be used for pets and people too, if you need time to pay things out. I hope this helps you!
Big woofs & hugs to you and your family, Gus!
~Bailey
Aleksandra
March 21, 2011
poor gus. he is so lucky to have you guys taking good care of him. we’re all keeping our paws crossed for his get-better-soon-ness!
aleksandra
Debby and Kirby the Dorkie
March 21, 2011
So glad Gus is feeling better!! When Kirby got bit it was very expensive. Luckily the owner of the other dog paid all of the bills. Knowing I would take out a loan if needed I checked out pet insurance.
I chose ASPCA Pet Insurance. Kirby has no pre-existing illnesses excluded and $20.00 is drafted from my bank account every month. I like that a portion specifically goes to the ASPCA to help shelter animals. It has a $100.00 deductable with a 80/20 co-pay and covers illness and injury. It does have an annual limit of $8,000.00. Check it out. I’ll be curious to see what you end up getting.
I feel comforted knowing I have insurance on my home, my car, me, and Kirby. Hopefully, I won’t ever need any of it!
Debby and Kirby the Dorkie
March 21, 2011
Forgot about the water. Kirby will drink ice cold water. When we are at his training class he won’t touch the water available for the dogs so we always bring a bottle and I actually pour it in my hand for him. At home I keep ice in his water bowl. I know – he’s spoiled!
Katie
March 21, 2011
Oooh Monsti, I wish you were all better so that you could be a crazy man and run around and play and have fun.
Also, I wish I could snuggle you right now. You and your fluffy ears.
Kari
March 21, 2011
Poor Gus
He needs to get all better soon!
Kari
http://dogisgodinreverse.com
Donna and the Dogs
March 21, 2011
Glad Gus is starting to feel better and that his test results for the most part sound pretty good. (fingers crossed about the inconclusive ones!)
We also don’t do pet insurance – with five animals I think the insurance itself would be too much to afford. We do put money for emergencies. However, we have had some large vet bills over the years, (a torn ACL for Leah, multiple diagnostic tests for both Toby’s psychogenic polydipsia and Meadow’s urinary incontinence) and I often wonder about the insurance, but for the most part I have been happy with our decision to just pay as we go.
one person's view
March 21, 2011
Insurance is such a crapshoot. Here it’s about $600/year. As some have said, you could put in the bank, and pray you don’t have a $3,000 expense before you have it. I have one friend who had to use to her credit line to pay a huge vet bill, and then she had interest on top of paying the money back.
Speaking as a person with unremitting stomach issues, gas can lay you REALLY low (talk about TMI). I’ll be the gas was causing him more pain than the strained back (if he even had one!).
According to Gus
March 21, 2011
We wondered if the gas/pressure was caused by his lack of exercise. There was such a huge improvement on Friday evening after he received his first dose of Pepcid that it made us seriously consider that his stomach pains were at least contributing to his discomfort.
Elizabeth
March 21, 2011
Oh, I see that you’ve gotten a bazillion jillion wonderful comments already, but I forgot to mention earlier that frozen green beans are a great, low-calorie source of water, too. Many people use them as filler for dogs who need to lose weight. Anyway, I hope Gus is continuing to improve.
thatjenk
March 21, 2011
Those are great photos!
We are pet insurances payers, but after an expensive bill ($4,500) when uninsured, the peace of mind alone is worth it. We like our company – an e-mail inquiry gets a same-day response. Now that we pay, of course, we might never use it, simply because irony works like that.
I hope everything turns out well for Gus. Have you considered a second opinion from a holistic vet? I’ve never actually been to one myself, and do prefer to stick to my trusted vet that I like, but I have heard good things, especially in cases of “inconclusive”.
veryvizsla
March 22, 2011
I’m impressed that your vet didn’t charge you for the ultrasound! That’s usually the priciest part of the visit! That vet is a keeper, too bad that you are moving
I do not have pet insurance but to those that are considering, do your research! All plans are not created equal.
Banjo & Millie
March 22, 2011
Gus, I hope you start feeling better soon! You are one very lucky dog to have such loving parents! And I love these photos! What a sweet little face you have. Banjo and Millie are sending their love!
raisingdaisy
March 22, 2011
All I could think when I looked at these pictures was, “What a handsome boy!” It’s good to see Gus looking more like his old happy self again.
We don’t have pet insurance, but we also considered it when Daisy was going through that awful respiratory infection. We racked up several hundred dollars in vet bills and meds. Since then, I’m afraid to say I dropped the ball on researching insurance. I’ll be interested to see what you find out!
Could the medication Gus is taking be making his tummy gassy? Maybe it’s one of the side effects. I’ve never had to lure my dogs to drink, but I’ve heard that adding a little chicken or beef broth to the water can entice them. Maybe you can try that?
Daisy sends Gus her love and positive thoughts for a quick recovery!
henrihound
March 22, 2011
Hi Gus, I’m glad you’re feeling better, hope it stays that way. Be a good boy and drink ur liquids, that chicken stuff sounds good! I hope U don’t need any more meds but you might want to check out a discount med plan that could save U up to 50% on meds and help pet causes as well. If you go to the last page of my site U can download a med discount card that’s good in most pharmacies. http://henrithehound.com/index.php?page=118220 Good Luck
Kirby
March 22, 2011
Glad to hear Gus is feeling better. You have rec’d lots of comments on how to increase his water intake and insurance. One person commented on a holistic vet. I personally have never tried one, but my sister (her dog was Scooter), took her to one. They can get a little expensive, but she found that acupuncture worked really well for Scooter. Something to think about.
Cute pics!
Kirby’s mom
Erin
March 22, 2011
Lori,
I know you’ve probably mentioned this a million times before, but what type of camera do you use? I’m shopping around for a DSLR, so I was just wondering!
I’m glad Gus was feeling better this weekend, I hope he gets progressively better this week! It’s scary/frustrating/stressful/all kinds of other negative feelings knowing that something is wrong with your pup, but being unable to pinpoint it.
Anyways, keep us updated!!
Erin
According to Gus
March 23, 2011
Hi Erin! We have the Nikon D5000. We bought it last May and have had good luck with it so far. We bought it at Costco and it came with 2 lenses, a bag and a memory card…all for just over $800. If you have a Costco, we highly recommend checking them out for cameras, they usually have good deals and add an extra 1 yr to the warranty!
Pup Fan
March 24, 2011
I vote for the Nikon D series of cameras too. I love my D7000.
If you want to do some camera research, I’d recommend you check out http://www.kenrockwell.com/ – great site.
Opie
March 23, 2011
So sorry to hear that Gus is still sick.
Water
When Opie was I’ll we gave him low sodium chicken broth. He also had special canned food from the vet.
All the other ideas sound good.
Insurance
Don’t know but our go to source for objective analysis for products and services is consumer reports.
I like the idea of credit care. Sounds like a no interest unsecured loan.
Insurance is a tricky business, but it might be worth it. One bad bill will make it worthwhile.
I know that you are moving and selling your house, but maybe you could shop around a bit. Opie was not at 100 per cent when we got him. Vet bills ballooned up to $1600.00. He is fine now but his issues were minor. Nevertheless, medication, lab work, exams special food, add up fast.
Chicken broth gets our vote.
Sending even more healing thoughts your way!
Josette and Opie
Emma (ecoprincess)
March 23, 2011
Aww I’m so sorry Gus is having some problems – he’s such a cutie! I’m glad he’s getting better though. We considered getting pet insurance for Izzy but it’s so expensive each month and through her life we’d probably pay WAY more insurance than her vet bills would cost, so we decided to just start putting some money aside.
Steve Kalb
March 23, 2011
I’d pass on the insurance. Even with Ruthie’s chemo, the cost of premiums would have exceeded the medical costs. However, that’s not taking into account a surgery or something like that. It’s a gamble either way.
Pup Fan
March 24, 2011
I don’t have pet insurance, but I’ve wrestled with this quesitno over the years too. I’m looking forward to reading about your findings, and am finding everyone’s comments really interesting too.
Hope Gus feels better soon!
Gretchen @ Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen!
March 24, 2011
I feel like there are fewer proponents of getting it here, but I am a HUGE fan of the pet insurance that I have for Harry & Daxter. I use Embrace Pet Insurance, and while they’re a little more expensive than your starts ASPCA and VPI insurances, they are AWESOME. They cover so much more (even hereditary conditions!) and their customer service is fantastic. It’s 80% of what you pay that gets reimbursed after a small deductible (and their deductible is yearly, not per-incident like a lot of other pet insurances.) I HIGHLY recommend you check them out. Harry had a possible tumor on his leg (ended up being benign) that he had to get surgically removed and biopsied and having Embrace for that alone saved me hundreds o’ dollers.
MelF
March 25, 2011
Wordy? Are you kidding me? I wanted to know what was up with Gus! I hadn’t realized things had gotten worse again. Poor Gus!
I can’t add to the pet insurance discussion, but I will be reading the other comments since I’ve been considering buying some myself. I’m glad you introduced the topic. I believe PetSitUSA had a side-by-side comparison on different kinds of pet insurance that was quite good.
I am so sorry that he has not been feeling well. How stressful. And, I know what you mean about leaving your baby at the vet. I don’t know if I could do it.
As far as the water goes, I have a Lhasapoo that has the same issue. I would get worried after a long walk in the summer heat, so I taught her “drink your water” – she knows that the treat I am holding and praise I give her for drinking are the rewards so she does it. In fact, I have noticed that she now does it on her own without any prompting from me. Go figure! I hope that helps.
AngelColbert
March 28, 2011
Two of my three dogs have insurance through Banfield. My service dog and my youngest dog. The reason that these two have insurance is because puppies cost more and that made it possible to spread out the costs of all of those initial visits over a period of time. My service dog has insurance because if anything happens to him, including a limp because he stepped on something sharp, we are both home bound. If he has anything little come up I want him immediately taken to the vet and Banfield’s insurance gives free vet visits just in case I’m paranoid and nothings really wrong but I thought something might be. My oldest dog rarely has any medical issues so it is not cost effective for him.
A
March 28, 2011
Oh, gosh, I should do better at reading other blogs. I had no idea Gus wasn’t feeling 100%! I’m so sorry, and I do hope he’s back at ‘em soon. Fortunately, it does sound like he’s on the mend. I am not a fan of inconclusive results, either. :/
furfilled
March 29, 2011
Hi : ) I meant to write you last week, but I was traveling and my internet was acting up. I thought you might be interested in a story I heard on This American Life, one of my favorite radio shows on NPR. The show was dedicated to health insurance, and one segment talked about the similarities and differences in pet and health insurance. It was certainly a thought provoking piece. Here’s the link: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/392/someone-elses-money
Amy@GoPetFriendly
March 30, 2011
Hey, I hope Gus is feeling better. Our Buster is on medication for seizures. I hope that Gus’s small kidney never causes a problem, but if it does the medications are very effective. It’s been nearly 2 years since Buster’s last seizure.