Embrace Pet Insurance Blog

Small Dog Claim Example: Pug has breathing issues

It's not just big dogs that have problems due to their size, smaller dogs can too. From luxating patellas to collapsing tracheas, health issues can become serious fast.

Consider the case of Weasley the Pug living in Valhalla, NY who has Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome or breathing problems due to the shape of his nose. Brachycephalic dogs (those with the smooshed-in noses) often have issues and in Weasley's case, it added up to over $5,000 earlier this year.

Date	Status	Diagnosis	Claim	Paid
7/9/2010	Deduct	Syncope	76.00	0.00
11/22/2010	Paid	Tracheal Foreign Body	549.40	95.20
2/11/2011	Paid	Complication of Elongated Soft Palate	2,835.00	2,193.60
2/17/2011	Paid	Bronchial Collapse, Bronchoscopy	1,786.88	1,429.50
3/3/2011	Paid	Acute Onset Rhinitis	68.00	44.00
			5,315.28	3,762.30

Weasely's coverage included a $500 annual deductible, $5,000 annual maximum, 80% reimbursement percentage but no take-home drug coverage and cost $28.41 a month.

Weasley was only 1 year old when this condition started - it's good news he had the Embrace policy in place early before this condition showed up.

Related Posts:
December is Extremes Month - Big & Little Dogs & Cats
Life with a Great Dane
Big Dog Claim Example: Neopolitan Mastiff's torn cruciate ligament
Life with a Maine Coon, or three
Guest Post: very big dog versus very small dog
Small Dog Claim Example: Pug has breathing issues

Life with a Great Dane

Continuing December's theme of dog and cat extremes, we asked Great Dane Embracer, Jahmila B. of Fort Collins, CO, to “tell us about life with your big boy, Ludo”.

As far as life with a giant breed dog....It's great! I decided to get a Great Dane because I have always loved giant breeds like Mastiffs, Danes and Irish Wolf Hounds. They have the perfect energy level for me and my life style and I think that is the most important thing to consider when getting a dog. I know I do not have the time or energy to exercise my dog for hours each day. With Ludo we go for a walk around the neighborhood and he usually lasts about twenty minutes before he wants to go home. He is very content with laying in his chair all day even though he has the opportunity to come to work with me at doggy daycare. Everyone thinks that to have a giant breed dog you need a big back yard for them to run and that is completely not true. They are great apartment dogs, as Ludo spent the first 2 years of his life in an apartment and did fine.

I got Ludo from a breeder because I did want to have a puppy and all the local rescues would not let a puppy live in a house without a fenced in yard.  Despite not being able to adopt a Dane, Ludo and I still spent about a year and a half volunteering with the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue helping to raise money for his fellow Danes that were looking for homes.

The one thing that worried me with giant breed dogs like Danes was bloat. I have known friends who's dogs have bloated and I never wanted to deal with that so I made the decision to get his stomach tacked when he got neutered as a pup. With that worry out of my head all I have to worry about now is his clumsiness. He is a silly big dog that thinks he is a lot smaller than he is. But I love my giant breed dog. My French Bulldog mix, Herman, is probably the only small dog I will ever own. When the time comes to get another dog it will be another Dane or possibly a Neapolitan Mastiff! I have always wanted one of them too! 

Would you like to read more about some of Jahmila’s favorite breeds?

Great Dane

Mastiff

Neapolitan Mastiff

Irish Wolfhound

And not to exclude Herman the Frenchie mix

Related Posts:
December is Extremes Month - Big & Little Dogs & Cats
Life with a Great Dane
Big Dog Claim Example: Neopolitan Mastiff's torn cruciate ligament
Life with a Maine Coon, or three
Guest Post: very big dog versus very small dog
Small Dog Claim Example: Pug has breathing issues

Claim Example: winter danger - toxic plant ingestion

One of the more common winter dangers is bored cats and dogs eating indoor plants they should not. The foliage looks like an interesting snack - why not!

Common examples are: poinsettia (those gorgeous Christmas plants with red leaves that look like flowers), which can cause mild irritation; holly and mistletoe, which are moderately toxic; and lilies and Amaryllis (also known as the belladonna lily - not good), which can cause death. You really need to know your plants.

Here's a recent claim for Marley, a Pekingese puppy, who ate a mildly toxic house plant. All the costs went towards Marley's $500 annual deductible ($28.34 a month premium).

ITEM	Billed
Exam	$43.00
Rads	$150.00
Rads Addl	$60.00
Sucralfate x 7	$19.50
	$272.50

Sucralfate is used to treat toxin ingestion and in this case, this was all the treatment Marley needed to get back to good health, thank goodness.

Related Posts:
November is Winter Danger Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Winter Danger: ingesting goodies that should not be eaten by a dog
Winter Danger: skiing is dangerous for your dog?
Guest Post: Winter Couch Potatoes - You and Your Dog
Winter dangers lurking in your own back yard
Claim Example: winter danger - toxic plant ingestion

 

Winter dangers lurking in your own back yard

At least once a year we get a claim for a dog injured while playing in the snow—in his or her own back yard.  In January, poor Eli was playing in a mere foot of snow, but hit the buried landscape border with his leg and sliced it open. Ouch!  A $312.33 vet visit wasn’t the ideal way to ring in the new year. 

In the same month, Dallas the Boxer was playing with her pops when she collided with a large branch that was buried in snow.  The branch caused a great deal of damage to her leg, requiring multiple sutures, a drain, antibiotics, and nursing care for a whopping $814.14.  Holy smokes that was an expensive stick!

Has your cat or dog got into trouble while romping in the snow?

Related Posts:
November is Winter Danger Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Winter Danger: ingesting goodies that should not be eaten by a dog
Winter Danger: skiing is dangerous for your dog?
Guest Post: Winter Couch Potatoes - You and Your Dog
Winter dangers lurking in your own back yard

Winter Danger: skiing is dangerous for your dog?

You wouldn’t think ski injuries would be a common canine concern, but upon a cursory search, we located not just one, but two claims caused by collisions with skis.

In one, a snow skier came around a blind turn too fast and wasn’t able to stop before the ski lacerated “Walter’s” leg, resulting in a $233.80 bill.

Poor “Nanuk” (an apt name for this story) was nicked by a ski, requiring sedation so that his tendon and skin could be sutured and bandaged. This visit, bandage changes and pain management was $254.30.

What a way to ruin your winter fun - skier and dog :(

Both claims were covered but subject to deductibles, $1,000 and $200 respectively.

If you have any other dog skiing accidents, do share. It's not something I would have thought of when looking at pet insurance.

Related Posts:
November is Winter Danger Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Winter Danger: ingesting goodies that should not be eaten by a dog
Winter Danger: skiing is dangerous for your dog?

Winter Danger: ingesting goodies that should not be eaten by a dog

Do you feed your dog chicken or turkey bones as part of your shared holiday celebrations?

I know a few people who do and I always wince when they tell me that their dog just loves gulping down those cooked bones no problem. Yes, many dogs have stomachs of iron, but bones can and do get stuck, right when you are having that lovely family time. Cooked bones in particular can dry out and splinter so not only might you have a blockage, you might also have a stomach perforation that can turn very seriously bad very quickly.

Here's a claim example that was just a normal chicken bone ingestion that made the dog have severe gastroenteritis and vomiting. Luckily, the bones just ended up passing through but not until after an overnight stay at the emergency clinic and nearly a $700 vet bill.

ITEM	BILLED AMOUNT	COVERAGE TYPE	COVERED CHARGES
Emergency Exam	$105.00	AC	$105.00
Radiographs	$199.50	AC	$199.50
Radiograph Interpretation	$63.00	AC	$63.00
Exam	$0.00	AC	$0.00
Radiographs Additional	$111.30	AC	$111.30
Dolasetron Injection	$68.09	AC	$68.09
Hospitalization	$23.00	AC	$23.00
Sucralfate x 1	$7.70	PD	$7.70
Maropitant x 5	$34.65	PD	$34.65
Sucralfate x 6	$19.64	PD	$19.64
	$631.88		$631.88

The dog's claim was paid out as follows:

STEP 1: Calculate Potential Refund
Billed Amount:					$631.88
Covered Charges:					$631.88
Annual deductible remaining					$200.00
	subtotal				$431.88
Copay 20%					$86.38
Potential Refund					$345.50
STEP 2: Compare potential refund against annual max
Annual Max					$10,000.00
Prior refunds for this policy year					$0.00
Coverage remaining					$10,000.00
Total refund is:					$345.50

You may want to think twice before tossing the turkey leg for your dog to enjoy - at least if you aren't planning to spend the rest of your evening in the emergency clinic.

Related Posts:
November is Winter Danger Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Winter Danger: ingesting goodies that should not be eaten by a dog
Winter Danger: skiing is dangerous for your dog?

Claim Example: hyperadrenocorticism or Cushings Disease in 9 year old dog

I was doing a quick survey of costly conditions in older dogs (older cat conditions coming soon) and Peggy, a 9 year old mixed breed dog living in Portland, OR, caught my eye.

Peggy has hyperadrenocorticism, also known as Cushings Disease, which is more common in middle-aged and senior dogs. Cushings is a disease where the adrenal gland produces too much cortisol, most often caused by a tumor in the pituitary or adrenal glands. It is suspected to be somewhat genetic as certain breeds such as Miniature Poodles, Dachshunds, Boxers, Boston Terriers, and Beagles are more susceptible to the condition.

The most common clinical signs for Cushings are polydipsia (PD increased thirst), polyuria (PU increased urination), polyphagia (eating too much), heat intolerance, lethargy, potbelly, panting, obesity, muscle weakness, and recurrent urinary tract infections. Have you seen your dog suffering from one of those symptoms?

Peggy has “pituitary dependent” hyperadrenocorticism, and so she is being treated by medication. Her claims since she has started her treatment are as follows:

Vet Visit	Diagnosis	Claim Amount	Covered Amount	Paid Amount
2/12/2011	Hyperadrenocorticism, PU/PD	$1,246.47	$1,246.47	$597.18
3/25/2011	Hyperadrenocorticism	$396.00	$396.00	$316.80
3/15/2011	Ultrasound Abdomen	$305.00	$305.00	$244.00
3/28/2011	Drug: Prednisone & Vetoryl	$76.20	$76.20	$60.96
4/20/2011	Hyperadrenocorticism	$296.00	$296.00	$236.80
4/27/2011	Drug: Vetoryl	$72.85	$72.85	$58.28
5/13/2011	Hyperadrenocorticism	$407.48	$378.50	$302.80
7/16/2011	Drug: Vetoryl	$88.49	$70.50	$56.40
7/29/2011	Hyperadrenocorticism	$363.00	$363.00	$290.40
	Total	$3,251.49	$3,204.52	$2,163.62

Peggy's policy has a $500 annual deductible, an 80% reimbursement rate, a $10,000 annual maximum and includes the prescription drug coverage. Her policy costs $28.73 a month.

For more details, check out our detail on hyperadrenocorticism (Cushings Disease) in the Embrace Pet Health Center.

Are you coping with a Cushing's dog?

Related Posts:
September is Senior Pet Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest Post: Top 5 good things about old dogs
Guest Post: Senior Pet Health Tips
Claim Example: hyperadrenocorticism or Cushings Disease in 9 year old dog
Guest Post: Letting Her Lead by Christine Gillow

(picture is of another Embraced dog, Lexington - what a cutie!) 

Claim Example: bilateral hip dysplasia surgery in a Golden Retriever

Poor Two-Row. She's only 1 year old but had to undergo a $4,400 hip replacement surgery for both hips before the age of one. Hip dysplasia is a hereditary condition and must have been very severe for such aggressive surgery at such a young age. Thank goodness her owner thought to get pet insurance for her at a very early age to get this surgery paid for.

Since obesity is the theme of the month, it's worth noting that hip dysplasia can also be exacerbated by obesity (although I'm sure in Two-Row's situation, that was not the case).

Here are the details of the surgery charges:

ITEM	BILLED AMOUNT	COVERED CHARGES
1st exam	$68.00	$68.00
radiograph 14x 17 2-views	$155.00	$155.00
hosp	$35.00	$35.00
sedation	$95.00	$95.00
exam, sd- referral	$168.00	$168.00
rimadyl 75mg tab-14qty	$47.24	$47.24
tramadol hci 50mg-15qty	$11.65	$11.65
pelvis subcategory	$750.00	$750.00
surgery pack & o.r. fee	$369.00	$369.00
radiograph x2	$205.00	$205.00
anes- induction	$122.85	$122.85
anes-gas-iso/sevo @15 min	$595.32	$595.32
iv cath peripheral multi	$127.00	$127.00
fluids lrs 1 liter per bag	$26.00	$26.00
fluids initial iv set up	$17.00	$17.00
cri set up charge 250ml bag	$23.62	$23.62
hydromorphone 2mg/ml	$39.60	$39.60
ketamine 100mg/ml	$21.34	$21.34
lidocaine 2% cri, per ml	$22.13	$22.13
tpo locking plate 20, left	$310.20	$310.20
3.5mm cortex screw	$60.00	$60.00
4.0mm cancellous sc ft 22mm	$58.00	$58.00
hosp level II/shift	$200.00	$200.00
duramorph 1mg/ml inj	$94.07	$94.07
cefazolin inj	$28.92	$28.92
pcv/tp	$15.00	$15.00
profile nsaid's	$69.00	$69.00
lidocaine hci inj	$15.40	$15.40
glycopyrrolate inj	$15.64	$15.64
hosp level II/shift	$200.00	$200.00
cefazolin inj	$21.96	$21.96
hosp non icu-shift	$70.00	$70.00
sedation brief- 3 drugs	$81.90	$81.90
radiograph x2	$205.00	$205.00
recheck- sd, brief	$35.00	$35.00
hosp< 3hrs	$46.00	$46.00
Tax	$6.75	$6.75
	$4,431.59	$4,431.59

Two-Row's pet insurance policy had a $500 annual deductible, a 10% copayment percentage and a $10,000 annual maximum with the prescription drug coverage added. Her premium is $36.66 per month (she lives in MA).

The payout for this claim was $3,691.43, which is calculated as follows:

STEP 1: Calculate Potential Refund
Billed Amount:				$4,431.59
Covered Charges:	(see attached detail)			$4,431.59
Annual deductible remaining				$330.00
	subtotal			$4,101.59
Copay 10%	(your copayment)			$410.16
Potential Refund				$3,691.43
STEP 2: Compare potential refund against your annual maximums
Annual Maximum				$10,000.00
Prior refunds for this policy year				$0.00
Coverage remaining				$10,000.00
Your total refund is:				$3,691.43

Related Obesity Posts:
August is Obesity Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Claim Example: bilateral hip dysplasia surgery in a Golden Retriever
How many calories a dog or cat should eat a day?
What does a healthy dog really look like?
National Holistic Pet Day

Claim Example: cataract surgery in a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

Gunner is a 4 year old Greater Swiss Mountain Dog who was diagnosed with Juvenile Cataracts this year. Juvenile Cataracts is a hereditary condition that strikes a number of breeds at younger ages.

As you may know, Embrace Pet Insurance covers hereditary or breed specific conditions as long as there are no clinical signs of the condition before the end of the waiting period.

The costs for the cataract treatment can add up. Here are the totals for Gunner's treatment so far. Note that the prescription drug coverage was not selected for Gunner's policy so take home drugs such as Otomax were not covered by his policy.

Date	Diagnosis	Status	Claim Amount	Paid
1/17/2011	Juvenile Cataracts	Deduct	$121.28	$0.00
1/21/2011	Cataracts	Paid	$194.00	$16.65
4/13/2011	Unilateral Cataract Surgery	Paid	$1,637.00	$1,381.50
5/24/2011	Post Op Recheck Exam	Deduct	$77.00	$0.00
			$2,029.28	$1,398.15

Here are the specifics on Gunner's surgery costs (FYI, he lives in Oregon)

ITEM	BILLED AMOUNT	COVERAGE TYPE	COVERED IN POLICY?	COVERED CHARGES
Catheter	$30.00	IL	Y	$30.00
Fluid Admin	$35.00	IL	Y	$35.00
Anesthesia	$225.00	IL	Y	$225.00
Antitbiotics	$18.00	IL	Y	$18.00
Dexamethasone Inj	$15.00	IL	Y	$15.00
Unilateral Cataract Surgery	$1,200.00	IL	Y	$1,200.00
NeoPolyDex Opth	$15.00	DD	N	$0.00
Diclofenac Sod Opth Sol	$30.00	DD	N	$0.00
PolyB Trimethoprim Opth Sol	$8.00	DD	N	$0.00
E-Collar	$12.00	IL	Y	$12.00
Cipro	$27.00	DD	N	$0.00
Tramadol	$10.00	DD	N	$0.00
Acepromazine	$12.00	DD	N	$0.00
	$1,637.00			$1,535.00

Gunner's claim payout was calculated as follows (the deductible having already been satisfied this year):

STEP 1: Calculate Potential Refund
Billed Amount:				$1,637.00
Covered Charges:	(see attached detail)			$1,535.00
Annual deductible remaining				$0.00
	subtotal			$1,535.00
Copay 10%	(your copayment)			$153.50
Potential Refund				$1,381.50
STEP 2: Compare potential refund against your annual maximums
Annual Maximum				$10,000.00
Prior refunds for this policy year				$16.65
Coverage remaining				$9,983.35
Your total refund is:				$1,381.50

Has your dog or cat had cataract surgery? How did it go?

Related Posts:
July is Eye Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest Post: Why are my dog’s eyes turning gray?
Claim Example: cataract surgery in a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog 

July is Eye Month at Embrace Pet Insurance

Eyes are funny things. They can look quite awful but be just fine (see a guest post coming up later this month) or they can harbor a persistent virus that can result in the pets' eye having to be removed (my cat Simon nearly lost his eye to a herpes virus once).

This month, we'll be looking at some eye conditions you might not know about and some you do, plus some claim examples.

Have you ever had vet bills for your cat or dog's eye condition?

Related Posts:
July is Eye Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest Post: Why are my dog’s eyes turning gray?
Claim Example: cataract surgery in a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog