Orthopedic conditions can be devastating to anyone with a dog (cats get them but they are much more rare). They can be so costly to fix and we see them happen all the time.
Here are some claims examples we see all the time that illustrate how expensive orthopedic claims can be:
Hip Dysplasia - a painful misalignment of the hip joints and is a genetic condition:
Liko (Chicago IL), a Rottweiler born in April 2008 and insured in Jan 2009. His severe hip dysplasia discovered in Feb 2009 and required 2 femoral head ostectomy surgeries, one on each hip. Total cost $4,413.66, insurance payout $3,481.68
Intervertebral Disc Disease - a disease of the vertebral joints where the cushion between vertebrae deteriorate:
Dobie (Chandler, AZ), a mixed breed dog born in March 2003 and insured in Feb 2008. His IVDD was discovered in May 2008 and treated over the course of 2 years Total cost $6,954.49, insurance payout $5,247.79
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear - a ripped tendon in the knee
Barron (Newburgh, NY), a Pitbull Mix born in October 2004 and insured in November 2007. Barron started limping on and off one one leg after playing roughly and then damaging the other knee after chasing animals in the back yard. Both legs had to have surgery but now Barron is completely back to normal. Total cost $6,989.99, insurance payout $5,498.32
These are just a few examples of the types of costs you can expect to pay. This month, we'll review some of these conditions as well as talk about prevention. After all, the best type of pet insurance is one you never use.
