Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Pet Insurance and other questions (poss hip dysplasia)
I am a poster on the Knot, but lurk on this board from time to time.
My fiance and I got a (now) 5 1/2 year old chocolate lab last year from a couple who no longer wanted him, as they were moving. He is really the best thing that as ever happened to him and we love him so much. The other family that had him left him in a crate for 12+ hours a day (awful, I know). He has some problems getting up from time to time. It just seems to take him longer to get up from a sitting position. I have been researching hip dysplasia, and he also seems to do the "bunny hop" thing, but only when running. I know hip dysplasia is a genentic disease, so I am not sure if his bad hips are from being kept in the crate, or hip dysplasia. When it's treat time, he has no trouble getting up though.
He is a bit over weight. The last time we were at the vet he was 125 pounds. The vet said this wasn't overweight for a 5 year old lab, but would be for a 10 year old. Granted, since then, we now have started going on daily 1 mile run/walks and I started feeding him Blue Buffalo weight loss food. I also have him on twice daily hip supplements.
I am very interested in buying pet insurance, as I know down the road, he may have to have a total hip replacement and we would absolutely do this if necessary. For pet owners who have pet insurance, who do you go through? I have googled it, but cannot find a good answer.
Also. for pet owners who have pets with hi dysplasia, what treatments are you doing? I realize I need to take him to the vet to have hip x-rays done and am currently waiting for our appointment.
And pictures:
Edited to fix pictures
Re: Pet Insurance and other questions (poss hip dysplasia)
If he has already been diagnosed by a vet for hip dysplasia, pet insurance will not cover anything related to the condition (pre-existing condition).
If he hasn't been diagnosed yet, whether anything will be covered may depend on whether or not the plan you choose has a "waiting period" or not.
That being said, Pet Plan, Pets Best and Embrace are the most-often recommended insurance companies on this board.
http://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/
http://www.akcpethealthcare.com/
We only have insurance for emergencies since our dog is only 2 years old and he likes to wonder around a lot. We're currently with ASPCA but was on AKC who has good service too. aspca has a higher deductible but cheaper rates. I haven't had to make a claim when I was either one (knock on wood) so I can't vouch for that.
Like a pp said, if you're dogs already been diagnosed, insurance won't cover it. I'm not sure if there are any insurance out there willing to cover dogs over 10 years either. I think waiting period on both of these companies was 1 month.
I agree with the others that there is a good chance an insurance company is going to consider the dysplasia to be pre existing. Embrace and Pets Best both have good reimbursement, when i was looking Embrace seemed to be more restrictive re. what they classified as pre existing, but Pets Best excludes some genetic conditions in purebreds. I'd read through both of their exclusions to see which suits you better.
For the dysplasia I have no advice but if he is overweight you need to take responsibility and get his weight down ASAP. Another Pestie kicked my butt about this recently and our 45 lb dog lost four pounds in four weeks. Sometimes you need the tough love and a kick in the pants; they only eat as much as you give them and exercise as much as you allow them to. I think you also may want to keep him from jumping up on the sofa, etc.