Pet Insurance Grows In Popularity

[pdurod1]

DES MOINES, Iowa -- As more people now consider pets as part of their families, many are now considering health insurance for their animals.

It has been around for some time, but a lot of people have not heard about pet insurance. Some Des Moines veterinarians hope to change that.

The costs of regular visits to the vet can add up. Dr. Karen Neff in Des Moines estimates her average patient spends at least $200 to $300 every year for basic health care. She believes pet insurance might help her clients budget for unexpected expenses.

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http://www.theomahachannel.com/health/1464574/detail.html

When many working people can't afford health insurance, this comes along.

[tridim]

1. My dog has cost me about $3000 in the past year

I wish I had insurance for her. Too late now, she's high risk.

[rucky]

2. I just spent 2 grand on my pooch.

they still don't know what was wrong with him, or what they did to make him better.

[Liberty Belle]

3. Our pup had hip surgery, $1,800.

Luckily California has a "puppy lemon law" so the place where we bought her had to pay most of the bill, since this was a congenital condition. The cost of vet care, like med care, is going through the roof.

[infusionman]

4. I love my animals but...

I woulden't waste $3,000.00 on them. I would just put them out of their misery.

I have kids in college. My kids will be around alot longer than my animals will.

I don't want to hear any crap from PETA on this either

PETA=People Eating Tasty Animals

[Darth_Kitten]

5. If you really loved animals, you would do your best by them....

Your PETA joke isn't very funny, we are a bunch of pet lovers here. :(

[infusionman]

6. In my opinion...

I am doing my best by them. I take good care of them, get them to the vet at least once a year, make sure they are fed, watered, and exercised.

I do a lot better than many people out there who care lass for them than I.

On the other hand, When something happens to them ie: they become very ill, suffer some kind of nasty injury like being hit by a car(my cats are outdoor cats) I don't feel obligated to spend thousands of dollars that would come out of my kids pockets for school to spend on an animal that lives for only at most 15 to twenty years anyway.

If it makes you feel better, you should know that with the exception of one animal, all the pets we have had were brought in from an animal shelter where they would have died a long time ago.

Please don't think that because I would not spend high sums of money on a pet does not mean I would not care for them when they are in my custody.

My joke about PETA was to demonstrate the ferocity with which they conduct their business and to which they are getting a taste of their own medicine.

[pompano dem]

7. This Post seemed to be about Pet Insurance

I despise PETA as well but I don't think this thread has anything to do with them. Start one on PETA if you want to discuss that group of Morons.

With regards to Pet insurance, I have it and it has paid for itself. It is a great idea and even pays for yearly shots. Mine only costs me $160/year. Starts paying after $100. My Boston Terrier ate one of those Bofu Frogs and it would have cost me $600. Only cost $100 + the insurance for the year. The best part is if you do have a $3000 situation you don't have to make the decision on whether to put you animal down. I for one know that I would write the $3000 check if my dog was ill, thats just me.

[musette_sf]

13. I would write the check too

and in fact, I did, when I was called upon to do so. I was unemployed, no prospects in sight, had just pulled my 401K to live on that, and Junior developed FUS (Feline Urinary Syndrome) and a complete blockage.

$2K+ later, I do not regret spending the money at all, and I became gainfully employed not too long after Junior's treatment.

Maybe the Kitty Goddess had some good karma for me, for keeping her boy around. Two years later, I am at the same job, and Junior is just fine.

To the poster with the hangup about spending big bucks to save a pet -- I used to have many of the same feelings you do -- I felt that I treated them well, gave them the best food, gave them love, and gave them shelter, and if some huge health issue came around, oh well. But to not help this little guy, when his only problems that led to his illness were (a) his chemistry was more alkaline than most kitties, and (b) as the vet put it, he's a big cat with a little pee-pee -- well, I felt like he deserved a fair shot to try and make it.

Of course now Junior is ineligible for insurance... thankfully he's been healthy ever since.

BTW, one of the vets involved in Junior's treatment, would basically adopt the sick animals that people brought in, but wouldn't/couldn't pay the big bucks to cure. They'd do their thing, then adopt the animal out to someone who WOULD take care of those expenses in future. I thought that was pretty cool.

[Lindacooks]

9. If you kept your cats indoor they would live longer

Outdoor cats live an average of 3-5 years, while indoor cats live an average of 15 years. Indoor cats are healthier and you'll spend less of your precious money on them.

BTW, if you aren't willing to spend money on your pets, you shouldn't have them. There are some humane societies that wouldn't let you adopt more pets if you put them to sleep rather than give them medical care.

[infusionman]

10. Well...

We're gonna differ on this one.

Theres nothing anyone can do to change it.

Animals, while I like them and take care of them when they are in my home are not as important to me as my kids.

Sure money is precious to me. What do you think I have been working for some thirty years for...free?

I want my kids to have a good education. Thats what it's worth. Their future.

Buying life or medical insurance for a pet is ridiculous and would be non serving to me especially when you have $100.00 deductible on top of that.

I would rather spend twenty Five dollars at an animal shelter humanely putting the animal down, then picking another on my way out.

At least these animals I pick out are getting a good home, and are WELL cared for. One dog I had lived for 14 years.

[Lindacooks]

11. Wow - fourteen years!

</sarcasm>

And how many of your outdoor cats have been killed by cars, dogs, or other animals?

Sorry, if you aren't going to pay for a good quality of life for these animals, then you SHOULDN'T HAVE THEM.

And you actually are killing your pets with treatable conditions because you don't want to spend the money? A responsible vet would report you to the Humane Society, and I wish I could.

[infusionman]

15. Only a couple.

Have been hit by a car. I can't control that anymore than anyone else. I do think one cat had a tangle with a racoon and lost.It's not fair to keep cats cooped up in the house forever. They can't be caged either.

I did not say I wasn't getting my animals treated at all, I said I get them to the vet at least once a year, etc. If they have a cut or something for example, or other injury that is not life threatening, I would get it treated. I am not a monster. If the poor thing would have a broken hip or something, then yes I would put it down.

By the way. The Dog I had for fourteen years...Had severe arthritis, loose bowels, loose urinary tract, and was suffering. Tell me I did not do the right thing by putting her down.

I take my animals to a responsible vet. They have no problem with what I do.

[lukasahero]

18. "not fair to keep cats cooped up" - Wrong

It's safer for them and the environment, they live longer and are healthier. They are "domestic house cats", not wild animals.

I agree that there does come a point that putting an animal down is kinder. Your initial posts however, don't really say that. You talk about it not being worth spending money on them. That doesn't sound good to many animal lovers here. The point about your kids being a more important use of your money is valid but you did yourself no favors in how you framed your argument to start.

My dog has cost me thousands over the years. He had knee surgery when he was 3 years old that alone cost me $2000. He was three years old - should I not have spent the money? I'm glad the decision was mine to make because 9 years later, he's still with me and has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.

I would fully recommend pet insurance. It wasn't as popular when he was a pup or I would have gotten then.

[infusionman]

16. PS...I really hate sarcasm.

[cattleman22]

8. I agree

At some point, humanely putting your pet down is the best choice.

[Lindacooks]

12. NOT for money.

We had an 18 year old cat who developed leukemia. She was the kind of cat who got upset when we changed the sheets on the bed, so we knew she would NOT handle being on chemo at a vet's office 1 hour away. So we just kept her as comfortable as possible, and she lived happily for another year, far longer than the vet thought she would ON treatment.

Money should never be a consideration when it comes to taking care of beings under your care. Quality of life is the important issue.

[infusionman]

14. I agree with you.

Why put an animal through needless surgery just because of emotional feelings.

When something happens to an animal, either take care of it like you did, or put it down.

[cattleman22]

17. Money has to be taken into consideration

It is a balancing act. If you spend all of your money to save a pet, you may reduce the quality of life for your whole family.