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

Guest Post: Pixie the Chihuahua Mix - a remarkable story of love and dedication

Wow! You just have to watch this video. Dr Riggs wanted to share a really positive story for Orthopedic Month at Embrace and this one tops them all. You'll have a smile and a tear after reading and watching.

Dr. Rex Riggs is the owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is a veterinarian, and an Advisory Board member of Embrace Pet Insurance.
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We tend to live in a hurried, instant gratification world anymore. We want the brand new shiny “whatever”, whether it be a car, a house, some jewelry or……whatever. If given the choice of working to get something or just be given that something, guess what; most of us will pick the easy way.

I am in my middle age years now (ouch that hurt saying that!), and I tend to notice such things. It also goes for our pets. There are literally millions of free pets looking for homes in the United States’ rescue shelters and foster homes. Great animals of all pedigrees and ages. It is estimated 3 million of these potential companions are put to sleep each year, simply because no one wants them.

Some have special needs and do need more TLC. It does take time and work to rehabilitate these animals. But you know what…. it is worth it.

The following video exemplifies how love, time and dedication can make a difference and bring joy and life back to an animal and bring fullfillness and happiness to a new owner. This is the story of Pixie Stardust, a little Chihuahua/Yorkie mix, which was given up to Noah’s Bark Pet Rescue in Los Angeles, because she could not walk. She was a pitiful sight. A small, scrawny puppy with deformed legs that could not even support her feather-like weight.

Enter Carolyn Paxton, owner of Chi WOW WOW, a hip clothing line for small dogs. Carolyn is an avid animal lover with a soft spot for Chihuahuas. Pixie's video shows just what love, persistence and a little technology can make in our lives.

I hope this makes us all think of helping these sheltered animals with a home. Their only crime was being born without an owner.



Related Posts:
October is Orthopedic Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Claim Example: Old English Bulldogge with multiple medical conditions
Guest Post: Pixie the Chihuahua Mix - a remarkable story of love and dedication
The Lowdown on Dog and Cat Orthopedics
Guest Post: Rupture of the Cranial Cruciate Ligament
Other posts by Dr Riggs

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Dr. Rex Riggs grew up in Wadsworth, Ohio, near Akron. Dr Riggs is co-owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is also on the board of the North Central Region of Canine Companions of Independence, a board member of The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society and Small Animal Practitioner Advancement Board at The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Riggs lives in Lewis Center, OH with his wife Nancy, their dogs Maggie, and two cats Franklin and Speeder. Outside of work, Dr. Riggs is an avid golfer and enjoys travel and photography.

 

Senior Pet Health Month Wrap Up

As October approaches, I thought it would be fun to share some of the great articles that have been written on senior pets this month. Here are some of my finds:

Over at the Daley's Dog Years blog (tips, tales and tools for senior dog life), here's a senior dog book review “Good Old Dog” Guide Focuses On Your Senior Dog’s Health And Happiness.

There are a number of articles over at the Senior Dog Books website. Here's one on how laser treatment can be used to treat pain in senior dogs: Cold Laser Therapy for Dogs- Dr. Brian Pryor

Edie at Will My Dog Hate Me?, wrote a great post about adopting an older dog Needing to Be Needed: How A Less Adoptable Dog Changed My Life 

My friend Roxanne writes about life with her fearful dog Lilly. Lilly has been going through some recent health issues with a lump - read the ups and downs (and ups) as they happen at Champion of My Heart

Christine from the Raising Ruby blog writes a very touching story about her soulmate Kiva and the introduction of a younger dog training to be a service dog into their household Old Dog

I know I have missed some other great posts and I'm sure there are some great books on senior dogs and cats - feel free to share in the comments. Can't have too many.

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
Senior Pet Health Month Wrap Up

Claim Example: allergies in a dog

What does 3 years of allergy treatment cost?  $2,500 and climbing. Ouch.

As an example of the cost of general allergies in a dog, I found Jack, a mixed breed dog born in 2005 who has suffered from allergies since 2008. He lives in Dallas TX, so while not an inexpensive city to live in for veterinary care, certainly not the most expensive.

Here are his charges related to allergies over the last 3 years (he tore his cruciate ligament early on as well - he's had a lot of health issues going on.)

Date of Visit	Claim Status	Diagnosis	Covered Amount	Paid Amount
4/8/2008	Paid	colitis	131.00	117.90
4/16/2008	Paid	allergies	99.00	89.10
5/7/2008	Paid	allergies, diarrhea, ear infection	164.50	148.05
6/13/2008	Paid	allergies	77.00	69.30
7/1/2008	Paid	allergic dermatitis	252.00	226.80
8/20/2008	Paid	allergy flare up	99.00	89.10
9/23/2008	Deduct	allergy flare up	44.00	0.00
11/1/2008	Paid	allergies	74.95	17.05
4/10/2009	Paid	Allergy Testing	265.00	238.50
4/24/2009	Paid	Allercept Allergy Initial Treatment	200.50	180.45
5/28/2009	Paid	Allergic Otitis	45.00	40.50
6/30/2009	Paid	Medications, Allergy	156.00	140.40
12/29/2009	Paid	Medications, Allergy	156.00	50.40
6/28/2010	Paid	Medications, Allergy	168.30	151.47
1/14/2011	Paid	Allergy Refill Treatment Set	165.50	58.95
1/20/2011	Paid	Skin Lesion, Pain Instability	117.00	105.30
3/22/2011	Paid	Allergy Flare Up	194.23	174.81
4/15/2011	Paid	Superficial External Otitis	83.20	74.88
Total			2,492.18	1,972.96

Jack's pet insurance policy costs $64.31 a month for a $100 annual deductible, 10% copay percentage, $10,000 annual maximum with prescription drug coverage.  

Are these the kind of expenses you are seeing with your dog allergies?

Related Posts:
May is Allergy Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest Post: Allergies in Pets
Can dogs be allergic to bee and yellow jacket stings?
Claim Example: allergies in a dog

 

Pet Cancer Story: Boss the Rottweiler with Lymphoma

Continuing our series on our Embraced pet parents sending in their pet cancer stories, here's one from Kay, one of our long-timers at Embrace.

Hello everyone at Embrace,

Your article couldn't have said it better. After loosing our last rottie to cancer, I knew before getting my next pet, I would invest in insurance.

I found a lump in Boss' rear leg and took him to the vet and they took a fluid sample and it came back positive lymphoma and the most aggressive kind. We were sent to an specialist to see about treatment. We did not have insurance on Boss, but with or without it, I would not take back one dollar I spent. Some pets are lucky enough to have full remission, Boss' remission lasted for 2 years before the cancer came back and we lost our battle. We got to enjoy 2 more wonderful years with him and have never regretted it.

As all pet owners know, their pets are special, but I have always told everyone, Boss was not my pet, I was his human. The technicians at our oncology clinic could really tell some stories to confirm that.

Take care,

Kay
Proud parent of one spoiled Bullmastiff, Amos

Related Posts:
April is Cancer Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Claim Example: b cell neoplasm (rectal tumor) in Dachshund
Guest Post: cancer treatment for cats and dogs versus people
Claim example: lymphoma in 3 year old mixed breed cat
Other Pet Cancer Stories

Cancer story: update on Cadence the Pug with an oral mast cell tumor

We profiled Cadence the Pug with an oral mast cell tumor on our website but I thought it worth revisiting Cadence's continued progress with this cancer.

First, some great news from Christine, Cadence's mom:

Cadence gets 6 month check ups to look for recurrence including occasional blood work and xrays.  So far she's checked out A-Ok :). No cancer has been found!

I am so grateful for everything Embrace has done to make sure Cadence got the best care. It saved Cadence's life. :) I can't say thank you enough!

Here is a picture of Cadence and our other pup, Wrigley (also insured with Embrace) as well as one of Cadence on her own.  If you notice Cadence's face, her right side is white.  She is bald with white whiskers there now from her radiation treatment.  Adds character :)

Here's an update on the cost to treat Cadence, including surgery to remove the tumor and radiation treatment:

Date	Claim Status	Diagnosis	Claim Amount	Paid Amount
11/4/2008	Deduct	suspected URI or allergy	68.91	0.00
5/6/2009	Paid	Mass Removal, mast cell tumor	1,167.70	932.95
5/14/2009	Paid	Oral Mast Cell Tumor	203.00	182.70
6/3/2009	Paid	Oral Mast Cell Tumor	469.50	422.55
6/4/2009	Paid	CT for Oral Mass Cell Tumor	682.00	613.80
6/16/2009	Paid	Tumor Radiation Treatments	2,572.00	2,314.80
7/13/2009	Paid	Tumor Radiation Treatments	2,200.00	1,980.00
8/27/2009	Paid	Recheck Post Radiation Therapy	49.00	44.10
9/4/2009	Paid	Lethargic and Decreased Appetite	175.40	157.86
2/25/2010	Paid	Oral Mast Cell Tumor recheck	110.00	99.00
Total			7,697.51	6,747.76

Cadence is now 5 years old and looks great considering what she's gone through, don't you think?!

Related Posts:
April is Cancer Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Claim Example: b cell neoplasm (rectal tumor) in Dachshund
Guest Post: cancer treatment for cats and dogs versus people
Claim example: lymphoma in 3 year old mixed breed cat
Pet Cancer Stories

Pet Cancer Story: Barkley and Jake, Golden Retrievers

Continuing our submissions on pet cancer... from Colleen E, Albany NY:

My very first dog Barkley was a Golden Retriever.  I noticed he had problems with his neck.  The vets did all kinds of tests and found nothing. I finally took him to a different vet who took blood samples. Turns out he had bone cancer.  We went to a specialist and he had chemo for awhile, I spent $1000’s on him and his care. Barkley died, he was 2 years old. 

I was never going to get another dog, but my friends in Syracuse rescued a dog Jake and brought him to me 6 months later. Jake was my Golden Retriever who I had for 10 wonderful years.  I went to CA last July on vacation with my sisters and Jake got sick.

As it turned out his spleen was filled with cancer and it had spread throughout his body.   My best friend had to put him down while I was away.  Jake never once showed any signs of illness.  Cancer is a horrible disease.

I now have 2 dogs: a rescued mix and a new golden retriever.  I now have pet insurance!

Related Posts:
April is Cancer Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Claim Example: b cell neoplasm (rectal tumor) in Dachshund
Guest Post: cancer treatment for cats and dogs versus people
Claim example: lymphoma in 3 year old mixed breed cat
Pet Cancer Stories

Pet Cancer Stories

In our monthly Belly Rubs newsletter, I asked our readers if they had any stories about pet cancer they would like to share on the Embrace blog and I had a wonderful response.

Sometimes a little teary, but mostly warm and caring stories about the effect pets have on our lives when they are with us and when they are gone. Amazingly, I felt uplifted reading them.

In the next few blog posts, I will be sharing these stories. I'd love to hear your thoughts and stories too. It's important pet parents feel they are not alone dealing with pet cancer.

Pet Cancer Stories:
Barkley and Jake, Golden Retrievers
Rex and Maddy, mixed breed cats
Update on Cadence the Pug with an oral mast cell tumor
Boss the Rottweiler with Lymphoma
Molly a German Shepherd Dog / Husky
Ally the Labrador with Lung Cancer

How to brush your dog's teeth - an Embraced pet parent shows how she does it

Do you want to brush your dog's teeth but are afraid it's too hard or too much work? If yes, I have some inspiration for you - it's not nearly as hard as it looks or sounds.

I am so excited for this post. Jeani Coleman, an Embrace policyholder, happened to mention to me last month that she cleans all her dogs' teeth (4 dogs at present) and I asked her if she would take some video of her brushing her teeth and maybe write up something to go with it. Jeani does not have veterinary training but she has been brushing her dogs' teeth for years and knows a thing or two about what works and sent a great write up and a wonderful video to go along with it.

As always, check with your veterinarian on technique and materials to use to brush your dog's teeth but I hope you can see that it's much easier than it sounds to keep them nice and healthy.

From Jeani... (everything Jeani talks about here is illustrated in the most excellent video she made that I've posted at the bottom)
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I’ve got 4 dogs of 4 different ages and sizes and I brush their teeth daily.  It only takes seconds – in fact, I can get all of their teeth brushed in the same time it takes me to brush my teeth.

The first dog I will talk about is my 11 year old toy poodle Molly.  I’ve been brushing Molly’s teeth all her life and her teeth are in excellent condition.   I prefer to use the good ole doggy toothbrush which you can pick up anywhere.  It has two sizes to use. Of course I use the small size for my 4 small dogs.   It comes in a package with C.E.T. toothpaste which I get from my vet. It’s chicken flavored and the dogs love it.

You don’t have to brush all their teeth – only the top rack and only the outside.  The insides stay clean from the dogs’ tongue and saliva as well as the bottom rack – I can’t tell you why – you would have to ask your vet.  I put the toothpaste on the brush and I pull her cheek back to expose her back molars.  These are the critical ones because they get the most tartar deposits. You just take the brush and stroke down a couple of times and move down toward the front.  Then I got to the other side and do the same.  Sometimes it’s hard to get the toothbrush back there but you get the hang of it with practice.  Then I do the fronts and we’re through.  And it doesn’t even take half a minute.

The next dog is Gracie, my tiny toy poodle who is 3 years old.  I use the same brush for her. I just rinse it and apply the paste.  I let her lick it a little then I use my finger to pull her cheek out because she is so small.  I repeat the same procedure as with Molly.

Alfie  is our 7 mo. Old Pomchi (Pomeranian and Chihuahua mix) – he’s actually our grand-dog and he will be living with his parents as soon as they move into their new house which will be soon.  Alfie is still learning to accept teeth brushing.  He loves the paste so I let him lick it then I put some on the brush and let him lick it off the brush while I slip the brush into his mouth a little.  Then I grab his muzzle and wedge the brush into the sides of his cheeks and do a little brushing. 

The final dog is Sheldon, our new toy poodle.  I just got him from the breeder last week. He is a year old and has never had his teeth brushed.  His teeth aren’t as white as my other dogs since he hasn’t had regular teeth brushing.  Sheldon had his teeth professionally cleaned in October, so it just shows how quickly dogs’ teeth can get dirty.  I first let him smell and lick the toothpaste.  Then I put a little bit on the brush and let him lick it.  I introduced the brush to his tongue so he could feel it.  Then I was able to place it on his back teeth on both sides just a little.  It will take time for him to get used to it, but he is already accepting it. 

I can’t tell you how important it is to brush your dog’s teeth.  Dogs get tooth decay the same as humans do and it can be very painful.  Sometimes their teeth can hurt so much that it’s difficult for them to eat and especially when it goes into gum disease.   The bacteria and infection gets into their system and can cause all kinds of health problems even to death.   Dogs can also get abscesses which can be extremely painful and result in tooth extraction.  I cannot stress enough the importance of keeping your dog’s teeth cleaned.

I hope I’ve helped you.  If you have any questions, be sure to ask your vet.

 

Do you brush your dog or cat's teeth? Do you find it as easy as Jeani?

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Related Posts:
February is Dental Health Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest Post: top five ways to know if your dog needs a dental 
Breed Focus: Italian Greyhound
How to brush your dog's teeth - an Embraced pet parent shows how she does it
Claim Example: dental cleaning and extractions
Guest Post: Preventing Pet Periodontal Disease

Guest Post: why wellness checkups are so important to me

As you know, it's Wellness Month at Embrace and we were chit-chatting about it on our Facebook page, when Mark Braun, one of our Embraced pet parents, eloquently said:

Yup, I've been extremely happy with the Wellness coverage, among other things with Embrace. It's like a health savings plan for your pet. I wrote a review at petinsurancereview.com about it. Not that Embrace needed more glowing reviews!

Given his obvious passion about pet wellness at Embrace, I asked him to write up his thoughts on wellness and the Embrace Wellness Rewards Program and much to my surprise, he agreed!

Here are Mark's own words about wellness.
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On occasion I’m sure we’ve all wished that our pets had controls, like the remote for a DVD player.  Every once in a while I’ve longed for a pause button for my very active dog!  But our dogs and cats aren’t machines; they’re complicated biological organisms just as we are.  When we adopt a pet, we accept the responsibility for their wellbeing, physically, mentally and emotionally.  Maintaining their condition becomes important to us and we want the best for them.  Important aspects of maintaining their physical wellbeing include checkups, vaccinations, and treatments such as heartworm and flea prevention to protect them from dangerous pests.  These are a part of wellness care.

I know from personal experience that far too many people only take their pets to the veterinarian when there are signs of a problem, perhaps an injury or symptoms indicating the onset of a disease.   Imagine how much less anxiety for the owner and discomfort for the pet would be involved if these pets had been seen by a vet on a routine basis, catching potential problems before they can develop.  

By examining your pet and monitoring vital signs, veterinarians and veterinary technicians can use their training and expertise to immediately recognize when there are signs present which may lead to a problem down the road, and suggest simple lifestyle changes to help prevent those problems.  Perhaps a different diet or exercise routine will help Fido shed a few pounds, avoiding conditions like cardiovascular disease in the future.  When you’re together with your pet every single day it can be hard to notice subtle changes.  But your vet can take a fresh approach!   A wellness visit also allows the staff to form a baseline understanding of what your pet’s behavior is like, what its vital signs show, when there is no sign of sickness.  This can help greatly in recognizing and treating any illness in the future too. 

I think that it’s extremely important to work with a veterinarian that you’re comfortable with.  A sense of clear communication is essential.  If you were uncomfortable with your own doctor, you’d switch doctors, right?  A wellness visit, away from the stress involved in treating an illness, will give you the chance to evaluate your relationship with your pet’s doctor too.  So if something does indeed come up, you’re not meeting someone at random for the first time with no prior communication. 

Our animals live in the environment we chose for them.  Modern medicine gives us the ability to protect them from many of the risks associated with that environment.  With vaccinations available for diseases which used to be a death sentence for our pets, there’s no excuse to skip this essential protection.  Same with heartworm and flea prevention; these are affordable and convenient safeguards and we owe it to our pets to keep them from the discomfort and illness associated with these pests too.  At the risk of sounding too negative, how would you feel if your dog came down with a life threatening case of heartworm when a simple monthly chewable pill could have eliminated the risk in the first place? 

It’s not free or even cheap to have a pet.  I’d spend the money on these wellness requirements in any case.  Embrace makes it easier with their wellness plans by adding to my contribution.  It’s like having a health savings plan for my dog.  And it’s important to me that there isn’t a pre approved schedule for payments either.  My vet charges for a physical exam and it’s covered.  That way I get to choose the care provider that I’m most comfortable with, and that my Gracie is most comfortable with too.

Related Posts:
January is Wellness Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest post: cat wellness care or why cats are not little dogs
Claim Example: Spay (aka OVH/OVE in veterinary speak)
Claim Example: Neuter
Guest Post by Lea: This is your Weight-Loss Wakeup Call
Why Are Pet Veterinarian Visits Going Down?
The Embrace Wellness Rewards Plan
Guest Post: why wellness checkups are so important to me
The Embrace Wellness Rewards Plan
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Mark is pet parent to Gracie, a 3 year old mixed breed dog. They reside together in North Venice FL.

Note that Mark was not compensated in any way to write this post - except for virtual hugs across the interweb of course