Insurance

Do any of you have pet insurance? how does it work? Who is it through? I'm thinking about getting some, for our puppy. She has had a UTI for 3 weeks now, - she had been on antibotics, but it hasn't cleared up.... So I don't think that is what it is. I'm afraid of the costs of all the testing that will be coming up and what she might have.

Any suggestions?

We have www.petinsurance.com
Their website tells you what it coversor you can call and they send you info.

---

Posted by PlanningFromATL

Do any of you have pet insurance? how does it work? Who is it through? I'm thinking about getting some, for our puppy. She has had a UTI for 3 weeks now, - she had been on antibotics, but it hasn't cleared up.... So I don't think that is what it is. I'm afraid of the costs of all the testing that will be coming up and what she might have.

Any suggestions?

---

Sorry your puppy isn't well. I hope she feels better soon!
Unfortunately most pet insurance companies do not cover pre-existing conditions so it woudln't help you right now. They are very limited in what they cover and generally you pay out of pocket first and get reimbursed later. I'm not a fan of pet insurance, but there are others who love it. Just my two cents.

---

Posted by PlanningFromATL

Do any of you have pet insurance? how does it work? Who is it through? I'm thinking about getting some, for our puppy. She has had a UTI for 3 weeks now, - she had been on antibotics, but it hasn't cleared up.... So I don't think that is what it is. I'm afraid of the costs of all the testing that will be coming up and what she might have.

Any suggestions?

---

My DH (a veterinarian) recommends VPI (the same website Valentine girl posted),
there are different level plans, the less expensive plans cover less.

Unfortunately, I don't think the insurance will cover your puppy's UTI, it's preexisting.

But call them, I may be wrong, it's still worth a phone call.

Did your vet get a urine sample and do a culture to identify which bacteria is in the urine? Maybe your vet didn't do the culture (he/she needs to send out the urine for this, and it takes several days for the results, usually...if your antibiotics are not working, this should be the next step, I think)
How do you know the antibiotics are not working, just wondering what the symptoms your puppy is exhibiting.

You should call your vet, and explain your financial situation, there are payment options, like pet credit (I think it's called CARE credit), basically it's like a credit card, the vet gets paid up front from the company and you pay off the card....or maybe the vet will allow you to pay him in installments (do you have a long history with your vet?)

If the UTI goes untreated, it can eventually result in permanent kidney damage, and if the kidneys fail, it's deadly.
I don't mean to scare you, but a UTI really should not go untreated too long.

I hope your puppy gets the proper treatment and feels better soon

I'm off of the insurance thing for now, realizing it won't help, b/c whatever she ends up having will be re-exiting.

Kathy, the vet did to a culture, will know tomorrow what it turns up. They did another urinalysis on Friday, and it still showed a lot of white blood cells.....so another round of antibotics until the culture comes back. Then maybe an ultra sound. It's not that the UTI has gone untreated, it is just that the medicine doesn't seem to be helping. I don't think it is just a UTI. She has very diluted urine, low gravity, and pees a lot.

We will know more monday.

---

Posted by am470

I had it and just cancelled it after 3 years. I think it is terrible and barely covered anything. I posted about it a while back. I had VPI. For example, my cat needed surgery. It cost $600. They covered $220. However, the cost of the insurance was $220. So I wasn't up anything. Plus I had it for one dog and another cat. So I was still out all of this money. It does not cover regular vet visits either.

---

I guess you just have to measure the pros and cons if that particular plan is for you.

There are different level plans with VPI, just as Empire Blue Cross has different levels of human insurance.

My DH has had many clients thrilled with the insurance, he's had a few that had surgical costs of over $2000, and the clients were fully reimbursed.

Please let us know the results of his culture.

I hope your puppy starts to feel better really soon and this all goes away.