Encouraging responsible pet ownership is central to National Pet Month. Keeping our pets healthy is the most important thing we can do for them, but, as one of our sponsors, Agria Pet Insurance, highlights, however responsible we are, even the youngest cats and dogs can suddenly find themselves being rushed to the vet…
A £2,000 vets’ bill at three months old? It can happen!
Sharing your life with a new pet is going to involve some expense. Starting with the cost of adopting or buying your new family member, to the vaccinations, neutering, food, bedding, litter trays… it’s obvious how the costs can mount up.
But these costs could sky-rocket if you don’t add insurance to your list of things to buy – and faster than you might expect. Because, however carefully you’ve chosen your new pet, however organised and caring you are, you simply have no control over the unexpected (and sometimes very random!) scrapes they can get themselves into.
Here are six recent claims that all involve animals of a year old and under, and just go to show how we can never tell when an unexpected trip to the vet is just around the corner…
1. The great sock-eating incident
Amount settled: over £700
Arlo, a one-year-old Flat-Coat Retriever suddenly went off his food and started vomiting. An x-ray revealed something suspicious-looking in his stomach… when it was removed it turned out to be a sock!
2. Hip dysplasia at 6 months
Amount settled: over £1,000 so far…
Gorgeous Golden Retriever Caspar was just six months old when he was taken to the vets with a clicking hip. A CT scan diagnosed hip dysplasia – something that’s likely to require long-term medication, with long-term vets’ bills to match.
3. A costly climb
Amount settled: over £350
While exploring the garden, beautiful Bengal cat Paulo climbed a little higher in a tree than he should have. After losing his balance and falling to the ground, Paulo required veterinary treatment for muscle damage from the impact.
4. A terrifying case of Meningo-encephalitis
Amount settled: over £2,000
Three-month-old Clumber Spaniel Summer hadn’t been with her new owners long when she stopped eating and became lethargic. Following an urgent examination and tests, the terrifying diagnosis of Meningo-encephalitis was made. Thanks to the quick actions of her owner and vet, Summer has made a full recovery.
5. Bitten by a big bill
Amount settled: almost £500
Out on a summer walk, one-year-old Labrador Chipper was bitten on the leg by an Adder. He became very sick and was admitted to the vets requiring antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication, pain relief and intravenous fluids.
6. An unusual Christmas dinner
Amount settled: over £1,600
When you’re a three-month old puppy, it seems that the strangest things are the most fun to play with. On Christmas Day, Jack the Cocker Spaniel managed to not only steal the turkey baster, but then swallow it! This resulted in an emergency trip to the vet followed by a stay in a specialist veterinary hospital to have it removed.
Luckily all of these little ones were insured, so their owners could give them the care they needed without concerns over the cost. Agria Pet Insurance recommends starting a lifetime insurance policy – one that covers conditions for life – when your pet is young and healthy. This way, any illnesses or conditions that arise will be covered, rather than excluded, from your policy, so you can claim towards the cost of treatment.
For more information on Agria Pet Insurance go to www.agriapet.co.uk
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