The costly lesson of forgoing pet insurance

Today, I stand a firm advocate for pet insurance. I was initially advised by my older, more traditional, family members that insurance is a scam and that I should just put away a similar amount over time in case I needed it for my new pup. I got my Australian Sheperd, Pepper, in the early days of covid. 

When Pepper was just 4 years old, he started exhibiting some disturbing symptoms. I had never seriously considered all of the various health problems a dog of his breed or of his size is prone to. So, I wasn’t really prepared for the events to come. He started crying and dragging his back legs.  When I got him to the vet, he was very quickly diagnosed with Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD). This is essentially when the disk or the material within the spine shifts to compress the spinal cord. At its worst, it can cause total paralysis. IVDD can affect any breed, but some breeds’ anatomy make them more susceptible to these issues.

Pepper had to undergo emergency surgery to remove the herniated disk material which was causing the compression. Including the surgery, his recovery at the animal hospital and his meds, the bill was nearly $15,000. As you may have guessed, after 4 years, I had not put away enough to cover this bill. Beyond the cost, it was heartbreaking to watch my little guy under strict cage-rest for weeks to recover.

The fact that this issue is likely to reoccur in dog that has previously experienced IVDD is scary! It was enough to convince me to get pet insurance, since I have a second pup with no pre-existing conditions. Although it is the reality that Pepper is now more likely to have a reoccurring incident after this surgery.  I worry every day, as it can be fatal. But today, I am just happy to have Pepper home, happy and healthy with this lesson learned.  So, for those of you who are just bringing home your pup - get insurance now – BEFORE your pup develops a pre-existing condition. You’ll thank me later!