Embrace Pet Insurance Blog

We want to Embrace small businesses

Sometimes when you are a small business, it feels like nobody loves you. Too small, too niche, too much!

Well, we are a small business too and we know what it's like to work hard for every penny. So, we'd like to help you out in our own unique way.

If you have a small business and are looking for something value-add you can do for your employees at no cost to you, come and get Embraced! If you work for a small business and want to help our your company, tell your boss to come and get Embraced!

If you sign up with Embrace, we will give your employees a 5% discount on Embrace Pet Insurance policies. All you have to do is tell them about the discount. It's that simple.

Questions? Call us a 1-800-511-9172.

How does a customizable pet insurance policy work?

Most pet insurance companies in the US and the UK typically offer what I would call the "low, medium, and high premium" products to choose from with a corresponding basket of coverages provided; however, many pet parents start with a price in mind when shopping for pet insurance, leaving them with really only one basket of options to solve their needs.

Our customizable product changes that model completely. You control the features of the product to make your own trade-offs between price and the benefits you receive. Your policy is tailored to your own needs by you.

What are your options?

Deductible	$100	$200	$500	per year
Copay	10%	20%	35%	per visit
Maximum	$2,000	$5,000	$10,000	per year

The copay is applied after your deductible has been met.

It's so much easier to compare across different combinations as well because your policy benefits stay the same, just the amount of money you get back differs.

In addtion, we offer two endorsements:

• drugs and dental: this a drug plan and covers dental illness that's not covered in the base policy
• continuing care: this means that ongoing conditions stemming from an accident or illness that occurs this year will be covered next year assuming you keep paying your premiums.  The maximum for this coverage is 25% of the annual policy maximum.

Give us a call so you can learn more about your creating a custom tailored policy just for you: 1 800 511 9172

Embrace covers alternative and complementary treatments for dogs and cats

There is a growing movement towards alternative healthcare in the US, not only for us humans but also for our pets. We have heard many success stories using alternative treatments, such as using acupuncture to relieve arthritis in older dogs or hydrotherapy to help a dog improve muscle tone and healing after surgery.

We are pleased to announce that Embrace covers alternative and complementary treatments for cats and dogs as we believe that there are many ways to come at health problems in our pets.

What is covered?

Acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, hydrotherapy, and physiotherapy that are performed by a Veterinarian.

Who can perform these treatments?

A Veterinarian is a currently licensed and admitted Doctor of Veterinary Medicine who actively works in the United States, Canada, or Mexico. Veterinarians providing Alternative and Complementary Treatments must belong to one of the following associations:

• American Veterinary Chiropractic Association
• American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture
• American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association

Have you ever had acupuncture for your dog or been to a vet specializing in holistic medicine? We'd love to hear from you.

Summary of our Embrace Pet Insurance product

How do I describe our products to people when they ask? In a nutshell, it sounds something like this:

A customizable pet insurance policy for your cat or dog that covers accidents, illnesses, genetic conditions, and alternative therapies. You can also opt to get dental and long-term drug costs covered too.

Your pet is covered this year and in the future, the same as human health insurance, and you can see any vet nationwide, and in Canada and Mexico too if you're on vacation.

We pay your claim based on what it costs you and we pay out up to your annual policy limit, unlike some competitors who charge less but only pay according to a fixed schedule.

How does that sound to you?

Our first weekend after going live

Phew, the week is over and we have survived the first few days of selling Embrace pet insurance policies.

How did it go? Well, not surprisingly, the phone hasn't been ringing off the hook as it will take a while for the news to spread that we are up and running. But, we did sell some policies (to "real" pet parents, not just to ourselves) and we got a little bit used to the idea that real calls are coming in and not training runs.

We certainly appreciated all the good questions from our competitors' friends and family trying to find out what we are up to! Keep up the good work, guys :) We like the tough ones, it's good practise.

Well, back to work. Onwards and upwards...

Laura
Chief Embracer

More on curing a dog's chewing

This post is Lea's email response to a comment by a desparate pet parent of a 9-month old labrador on our post Curing a Dog's Chewing.

Thanks for writing in about your Lab’s chewing. I sympathize with you, as my Lab mix did the majority of his chewing in the first year and a half, and it was bad. Let me tell you a few things that helped me…

One thing that stuck in my mind during all his chewing was something another Lab owner told me. She said that research says that great majority of Labradors that are re-homed are given up by their owners under the age of two and half. Beyond that age, the number of people who re-home their lab decreases significantly. This is clearly showing that young labs chew, but that it does get better. I promise you it will get better, and in a year or so, you won’t even remember how bad it really was.

If your dog is chewing the wood while you are away, I would suggest that you crate him during your outings. He’ll need a crate large enough to stand up and lay down in, and it may help if he’s got an enrichment toy with him.

If it’s a matter of his chewing while you are home, you may want to consider tethering him to you using a 5 ft leash, so that you can stop him before the chewing starts, and redirect him onto a toy or treat that is acceptable.

Toys like the Everlasting Treat Ball (see Embrace Community Post: Your Dog Wants an Everlasting Treat for discussion) or a Kong (available at ANY petstore) can be setup to give your dog the chewing satisfaction he’s looking for, if they are stuffed or frozen with treats like peanut butter inside. You just need to catch your dog to redirect him.

Beyond this, I can just emphasize the need for exercise. A 9 month old lab will need a minimum of an hour of exercise a day, which means a real walk or swim or fetch. If you’re just letting him wander the yard on his own, this is only going to increase his boredom and increase the chewing. You may want to hire a dog walker, or consider doggie daycare to help tire your Lab out. If this is not practical, then see if there are other dogs in the neighborhood that you can organize playtime with, so he can expel some of his nervous energy with them.

A site that has helped me with many different Lab related issues over the years has been OhYellowDog.com. Their message board can be seen here: I highly recommend you check in with these folks, as they’ve all been where you are now, and can help you through it.

Take care, and don’t give up.

Saddle Thrombus in cats

When we were researching this topic, we found so many sad stories because of the poor outlook or prognosis for a cat stricken with saddle thrombus (also known as saddle thrombosis or aortic thromboembolism). To all of the wonderful pet parents who have suffered a loss, you have our sincerest sympathy.

What is Saddle Thrombus?

Saddle Thrombus (or Saddle Thrombosis) is a blood clot that started off in the left atrium of the heart and then moved out into the aorta (hence the term aortic thromboembolism). Once there, the clot travels to the junction of the aorta and into the iliac arteries where it gets stuck. Since the iliac arteries feed into the femoral arteries, which serve the back legs, the clot prevents blood flow to the back legs and is an extremely serious condition.

90% of the time, saddle thrombus is related to an underlying heart condition such as dilated or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (types of congestive heart failure).

How do I know if my cat has Saddle Thrombus?

Your cat will tell you. The main symptom is weakness or paralysis of the hind legs, which will be colder than other parts of the body and may even be bluish in color. The cat will be in a lot of pain, often vocalizing her discomfort loudly. Go to your veterinarian or an emergency clinic immediately if your cat has these symptoms.

What can I do?

Cats with saddle thrombus are treated on an individual basis based on:

• the length of time since the symptoms were first presented,
• diagnosis of the primary heart condition and
• how far the pet parent wants to go with treatment.

Your options are:

• Medical treatment, including attempts to dissolve the clot and control the underlying heart condition. Relieving the patient’s discomfort with pain management is key.
• Surgery; however this is not common and may not always be the best option for your pet. There is always a high anesthetic risk for patients that have a heart condition. The size of the clot also plays a role in the pet’s prognosis. There have been cases where the clot fills the entire length of the artery.
• Euthanasia

If your pet recovers from saddle thrombus, she may not get the full function of her back legs back. She will be on blood thinners for the rest of her life to prevent any future clots from forming.

Related Posts:
Saddle Thrombus in cats
Causes and signs of saddle thrombus in cats
Cardiomyopathy in cats related to saddle thrombosis
Memories of Dave
Blood clot in cat: Q&A with Dr. Carleton

We found useful information on this topic from Vet Med Center, The Pet Center, Pet Education.com, and Long Beach Animal Hospital

Embrace Pet Insurance partners with Lloyd's of London to provide pet health insurance in the US

It's true! Embrace Pet Insurance has partnered with Lloyd's of London to bring you our unique pet insurance products.

My top five reasons why Lloyd's is a great partner to have for a pet insurance program:

1. It's always nice to get a trip back to London every now and then.
2. Lloyd's was started in a coffee shop in 1688 - I spend a lot of time hanging out in coffee shops meeting people for Embrace; we must be kindred spirits.
3. Lloyd's insures the most amazing things - Jimmy Durante's nose and Fred Astaire's legs come to mind, plus all those ships that travel around the world every day. Embrace Pet Insurance just falls into place with Lloyd's, doesn't it?
4. Everyone has heard of Lloyd's - it's almost as good a brand as Guinness, isn't it?
   
   And finally, but most importantly,
5. Lloyd's knows what it is doing with pet insurance. Lloyd's has underwritten quite a few pet insurance programs before in the UK. While the Embrace program is the first time they have ventured into the US with pet insurance, this is pet insurance program number 4 (at least) for our underwriter who has worked on the top 2 programs in the UK in the past.

I've been dying to tell you all about this for ages (years!) but London's timetable and ours are so different. So, it's been over 2 years since we started talking with Lloyd's but hopefully it will be worth the wait for everyone - you and me.

Thanks for hanging out with us while we waited :)

Embrace Pet Insurance is open for business

Call Embrace Pet Insurance at (800) 511 9172 or (440) 484 2260 to learn about pet insurance, get a quote or buy a policy. Or just call us to talk about your pets.

Hours: 9am - 5pm EST Monday to Friday. Underwritten by certain underwriters at Lloyd's of London.

I almost can't believe it myself but it's true - Embrace Pet Insurance is open for business through our call center- not a moment too soon I say! Our totally awesome new look website will come later in November and you will be able to quote online then.

This day has been in my dreams for more than 4 years and it has come and gone. I must admit, it's exhilerating and petrifying at the same time. Now is the time we bare all and let you take a look at the goods. Don't hold back - let us know what you think!

I'll be posting quite a bit about our products over the coming weeks. Any thoughts and questions are sincerely welcome.

Laura Bennett
Chief Embracer & Co-Founder

Repairing a tracheal collapse in dogs

See my previous article on Collapsing Trachea in Dogs for an introduction on the condition.

According to Dr. Jim Koch, from Bloomington, Indiana, very few surgeons repair tracheal collapses surgically and there is no straightforward correction. Dr. Koch is unaware of any surgeons in Indiana doing the surgery but there is at least one surgeon in Chicago that does them but only as a last resort. They can be repaired but frequently are not.

What can you do?

Taken from a combination of research and discussions amongst veterinarians at the University of Pennsylvania:

• The first option is to go for a combination of:
  • aggressive medical management such as steroids, anti-tussives, and/or broncho-dilators
  • reviewing for other causes such as underlying cardiac disease or pulmonary disease, and
  • avoiding neck leashes, encourage weight loss, and no smoking around the pet.
• If these options do not work, stenting or surgery to implant prosthetic rings are the next option. Both procedures have about 5% mortality rate but have different post-operative and long-terms effects:
  • surgery has 10% chance of laryngeal paralysis (caused by degeneration of the nerves involved in normal breathing) and 20% chance of permanent tracheotomy (half within 24 hours) but has few long term issues if you can get beyond that initial period
  • stents do very well post-operatively but can run into problems longer-term with stent migration, excessive granulation tissue, stent fracture, coughing, and so on
• Some surgeons prefer stenting if there is intrathoracic collapse (the trachea inside the chest as opposed to the throat part, aka extrathoracic) or the animal is a poor candidate for anesthetic because the death rate for surgical rings in these cases is much higher than stenting.
• Both stenting and rings have approximate average survivals of about 2-2.5 years according to the scant literature but this depends upon age, other conditions present, and likely the extent of collapse

How much does it cost?

A veterinarian friend told me if the collapse is intrathoracic (low down on the esophagus), you can put stents in the trachea. Depending on how many stents you need, the cost ranges from $3,500 up to $6,500.

Why so much? Apart from the specialist surgeon needed, the stents themselves are $1,000 a piece and the number you need depends on how much of the trachea is collapsed. If the collapse is extra-thoracic you put stents on the outside of the trachea. Cost is about the same.

Your veterinarian can help you understand your choices and their implications more clearly.

Related Posts:
Treating tracheal collapse in dogs - Dr Chick Weisse
Looking for a veterinary surgeon in the US or Canada?
Collapsing Trachea in a dog
New York Times - Cat and Dog Obesity
Dog choking on a ball
Big vet bills and no pet insurance?
Non-invasive veterinary surgery