Pet Insurance rising costs

[milliesmadmoth]

Hi all,

I am sure others are suffering the same problem as me, my dog has an ongoing medical condition some fancy name but basically it's itchy skin and therefore unable to change insurance companies as they don't cover existing conditions but my insurance has gone up over the space of 5 years from £14 per month and now sitting at £48! Has anyone heard of anyway round this.

[Pixie]

Re: Pet Insurance rising costs

Sorry MMM, when I realised the extent of my debt problems the pet insurance had to go. Luckily she's only needed the vet once since then...and that was only a couple of weeks ago.

[milliesmadmoth]

Re: Pet Insurance rising costs

Sorry MMM, when I realised the extent of my debt problems the pet insurance had to go. Luckily she's only needed the vet once since then...and that was only a couple of weeks ago.

Wish I could say the same but she needs an injection every 4 weeks of stuff which is made up specially for her allergies and shipped in from Holland! With this she also suffers really sore ears think this comes hand in hand with the allergies! It would probably all just add up to the same each month had I to pay it all separately.

She costs a fortune but she is my hairy baby!

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Pet Insurance rising costs

The problem is they've got you over a barrel and they take advantage of that.
There are firms who cover pre existing conditions but only if they've not needed any treatment for 24 months.

What breed is she and what's she allergic to, MMM?

My old GSD has atopic dermatitis, he's not insured and it's been a long battle to get him as good as he can be, mainly through my own efforts and trial and error, with occasional vet visits for prescription shampoo (Malaseb).
The biggest breakthrough came with a supplement called Viacutan oil. He had a very dry sparse coat and bald patches, but he has a lovely lush mane again now and soft fur.
I also use virgin coconut oil to moisturise after his baths. In summer he has to be bathed weekly. He's allergic to house dust, demodex mites, flea bites etc so has to have Advocate every 28 days without fail.
Yesterday was his bath day, and while he dries in the sun I have to damp dust my office, mop the floor and wash his bedding.
I've got him on duck and potato dog food alternating with rabbit and oatmeal. I buy Piriton tablets in tubs of 500 very cheaply online. He has 2 5mg tablets 3 x day when he's itchy.
If he flares up (he gets skin infections) I give him the only antibiotic which has ever worked on him - cephalexin. I have to buy it from the USA.
(The last antibiotic the vet prescribed cost me £120 for a month's supply - and didn't work - so I sort it myself now)

Good luck with your girl xxx

[cymruambyth]

Re: Pet Insurance rising costs

Wow I'm impressed with how much you have achieved Elsa! I pay extra to use Sainsburys insurance for my beast because it covers up to £12,000 per condition. I know that as my dogs have got older the insurance always increases rediculously and as Elsa says they always have you over a barrel. Does the dog have to have the injections? I only ask my pharmacist father who was appalled by the profiteering on pet medicine suggested getting a private script from the doctor which was cheaper; alternatively my last vet would write a script and I could get medication cheaper online (this was her suggestion).

[milliesmadmoth]

Re: Pet Insurance rising costs

The problem is they've got you over a barrel and they take advantage of that.
There are firms who cover pre existing conditions but only if they've not needed any treatment for 24 months.

What breed is she and what's she allergic to, MMM?

Elsa they do have you over a barrel, I am impressed how you manage it on your own, I do know that pet medicine is a lot of the time the same as human however they just add 100% markup because they know pet owners will pay it. I am scared to stop, last month for the first time I missed her appointment and she had really sore ears.... bad mum that I am....

When she has really been itchy in the past I have put SudoCrem on it too soothe it.

She is 6 years old and when she was a puppy she went to see the dermatologist who diagnosed she has allergies to house dust mites, grass and clover. She is on a diet of salmon and potato kibble, my mum buys her bits of salmon and boils a wee potato so she gets different textures!!

My dad who is 80 said I have never heard so much rubbish in all my life a dug at a dermatologist on a diet of salmon and potato where would they get that in the wild... I have had dugs all my life and they got the roon of the table, meaning what was left on the plates lol he has always been a dog lover and swore by a drizzle of olive oil over the dinner to keep their coats nice.

[milliesmadmoth]

Re: Pet Insurance rising costs

The problem is they've got you over a barrel and they take advantage of that.
There are firms who cover pre existing conditions but only if they've not needed any treatment for 24 months.

What breed is she and what's she allergic to, MMM?

My old GSD has atopic dermatitis, he's not insured and it's been a long battle to get him as good as he can be, mainly through my own efforts and trial and error, with occasional vet visits for prescription shampoo (Malaseb).
The biggest breakthrough came with a supplement called Viacutan oil. He had a very dry sparse coat and bald patches, but he has a lovely lush mane again now and soft fur.
I also use virgin coconut oil to moisturise after his baths. In summer he has to be bathed weekly. He's allergic to house dust, demodex mites, flea bites etc so has to have Advocate every 28 days without fail.
Yesterday was his bath day, and while he dries in the sun I have to damp dust my office, mop the floor and wash his bedding.
I've got him on duck and potato dog food alternating with rabbit and oatmeal. I buy Piriton tablets in tubs of 500 very cheaply online. He has 2 5mg tablets 3 x day when he's itchy.
If he flares up (he gets skin infections) I give him the only antibiotic which has ever worked on him - cephalexin. I have to buy it from the USA.
(The last antibiotic the vet prescribed cost me £120 for a month's supply - and didn't work - so I sort it myself now)

Good luck with your girl xxx

Elsa have you heard of this stuff. http://www.aromesse.com

My aunt used the bar of soap and my friend used the spray and it worked for them

[Chezzie]

Re: Pet Insurance rising costs

I have no idea if you've tried it but Coconut oil is the new wonder additive for skin complaints in dogs..!!

I'm with sainsburys I have a gsd he has not been to the vet since he was a pup (he's nearly 9) until last year yet the premiums still went up when he turned 7
We had another GSD and couldn't afford the premiums so they lapsed, unfortunately at 3 years old she got cancer and was pts at 3½ so having learned my lesson that's a priority for us now.

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Pet Insurance rising costs

It is indeed! I use it for my GSD and for my own hair
It comes as a solid oil in a jar which quickly melts on the hand, has antiseptic qualities too. You can feed it as a supplement and cook with it too. Marvelous stuff!


I'll have a look at the aromesse MMM - it's probably got similar ingredients to what I already use, the viacutan, which is basically borage oil, fish oils and turmeric.

[Beefy1976]

Re: Pet Insurance rising costs

I recently lost my 13 year old lab.

She was never insured and she did cost a small fortune in her latter life as she was on metacam for her joints, HRT for her 'lady issues' and something else I can't recall for her bowel issues.

I loved her to bits and would have always found some way to pay but my vet was very good and said if it was cheaper to buy over the counter stuff rather than the dog equivalent from them.

I don't know what your dog needs but it could be worth checking to see if you can do some alternatives yourself like Elsa has done so well.

I hope you get it sorted.

[IF]

Re: Pet Insurance rising costs

I recently lost my 13 year old lab.

I'm so sorry to hear your sad news Beefy, I so know how you feel

but my vet was very good and said if it was cheaper to buy over the counter stuff rather than the dog equivalent from them.

I'm so lucky to have a vet like this too.....