# Just a little warning about Pet Insurance



## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Tuesday night, I had to take Scuds to the vet. They ran all kinds of test on him because his front leg was lame. I thought maybe it was a sprain, because it came on so suddenly. One minute he was running up a flight of stairs and the next, he couldn't move. He was weak and lame. Turns out he has Lyme...

Long story short, bill came to 535.00. Insurance is to cover about 270.00 of that amount. They told me the only way they would pay me is if I could come up with 2 years of consecutive tick prevention receipts! They said, Lyme can be prevented and we need to know you were religiously using Frontline. I buy my frontline online and it's usually from different sites. I also buy the large dog formula and measure it out. I was able to track down all receipts for 2 years except for a 3 month period. Let's see how they handle this......

If I had a heart attack would my health insurance deny me coverage because I had a poor diet? WTF!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

:frusty:


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

I'm sorry about Scudder and I hope you get it worked out with the insurance company. That's so frustrating.

How soon after getting bit by the tick did he start showing symptoms?


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Pipersmom said:


> I'm sorry about Scudder and I hope you get it worked out with the insurance company. That's so frustrating.
> 
> How soon after getting bit by the tick did he start showing symptoms?


I'm not sure. I never found a tick on him. I will tell you that it came on fast! He had no other symptoms beside the lame leg. He was running around and then suddenly couldn't walk. I immediately call the vet. He tested positive to 2 tick borne diseases. Within 2 days of taking Doxy he was walking again


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

That's awful!

If I were you, I'd ask your vet to double check their records and show them the gap, maybe they would be willing to help you out and cover the time, especially if you can prove the consistency over the years, 

Which insurance do you have?

Kara


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Linda , that sucks. Yeah it's good to keep records of vacs , physicals etc. Lots of fineprint in these contracts. Tell them they're toast if they don't pay. Hope Scudder is fine after this. Hugs and woofs Dave and Molly.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Thumper said:


> That's awful!
> 
> If I were you, I'd ask your vet to double check their records and show them the gap, maybe they would be willing to help you out and cover the time, especially if you can prove the consistency over the years,
> 
> ...


Thanks guys! Scudder is feeling 100%. He actually got his first walk yesterday.

Kara,
I have Petplan. I think all the companies have the same policy. I'm just worried because my sister and Brady's mom have ordered tick prevention for me over the years. It saves on shipping etc. I know now, not to do that. i do feel my vet will back me, as they now what a freak I am about keeping ticks off my dogs. I actually use the Preventick collar along with the Frontline!


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

(((Scudder)))


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## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

Hope Scudder is feeling better, and this all works out.
Thanks for letting us know what would be expected.
I do not have pet insurance but was thinking about.

Special belly rubs to Scudder.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Linda, I am so glad Scudder responded so quickly. I HATE TICKS! 30 days of doxy right? 

I don't know if they are finding the same thing in dogs...but azythromicin is actually now the preferred antibiotic for humans. I guess it kills the bacteria and more co-infections than doxy. 

I amso glad you had the records!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Thanks Missy. Yes, they gave him 30 days Doxy. I think I caught it right away, because lameness was his only symptom. The little guy was still very motivated for food & to bark at dogs walking the window!! Still puzzles me at how easy it is to detect/cure in dog vs humans. The testing seems much more advanced for dogs....


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Isn't it Crazy Linda? I think it is because vets think nothing of both testing and treating... Testing because...they do not deal with the insurance, and they get paid no matter what. And treating because "they are just dogs." in my research, I can't tell you how many times I read that if you want to know about tick borne diseases...contact your local vet. 

But I also think dogs both react quicker to the disease and also the treatment.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Do they find out by bloodwork? Why was the vet bill so expensive?


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I agree with you Missy. I do think a dog getting Lyme has a better chance than a human!

Kathie,
Because it came on so fast, I was worried he may have sprained or even broken his paw. Literally, he was running around and then all of a sudden wasn't moving. When I would stand him up, he would just lift his paw and lie down. He even fell over while trying to eat his dinner! Thank God there is a vet around here with non emergency hours up till midnight. I needed to know if it was broken, so I told them to do x rays. On top of that they did a urine test, 2 Lyme tests, complete blood count etc, etc. They wanted to make sure it didn't effect his kidneys. He was positive for Lyme & Anaplasma. the second test told them it was a very recent infection. He tested very high for Lyme. Because of that, I do think I caught it early.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Sounds like an awesome vet!


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## Fluffball (Jul 21, 2011)

RATZZZ!!! I am sooo concerned about the tick problem. I should call my vet and go pick up frontline and probably get the vaccine. I can't wait for winter so all those bugs are gone.

I'm happy to hear that you little baby is doing great


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

wow! what a story linda!! SO thankful sweet Scudder is responding so fast and that it was something "simple" to diagnose!!!
Hope insurance pays up!!


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Man, that is so freaky how fast his symptoms came on! Glad you were able to get him right in and caught it early. Hope he recovers without any residuals. Give that boy a hug from us! A vet with non-emergency hours until midnight???!! Amazing!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Fluffball said:


> RATZZZ!!! I am sooo concerned about the tick problem. I should call my vet and go pick up frontline and probably get the vaccine. I can't wait for winter so all those bugs are gone.
> 
> I'm happy to hear that you little baby is doing great


I looked into the Lyme vaccine, but my vet does not to it. He said there is too much controversy over it.... He doesn't even sell Advantix. He said too many dogs have bad reactions to it. Mine did...


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Fluffball said:


> RATZZZ!!! I am sooo concerned about the tick problem. I should call my vet and go pick up frontline and probably get the vaccine. I can't wait for winter so all those bugs are gone.
> 
> I'm happy to hear that you little baby is doing great


The trouble is that the Lyme vaccine is not very effective. Even here in the north east, our vet doesn't recommend it. He says prevention (to the extent possible) is a much better approach than hitting a vaccine sensitive breed with yet another vaccine.

Also, it depends on where you live whether Frontline will work. It's useless for us. Advantix works better, but still doesn't stop them all. I just have to (literally) go over him with a fine toothed comb after he's been out in the woods or tall grass.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

lfung5 said:


> I looked into the Lyme vaccine, but my vet does not to it. He said there is too much controversy over it.... He doesn't even sell Advantix. He said too many dogs have bad reactions to it. Mine did...


Yeah, I know. Advantix causes problems for some dogs too. It's a matter of weighing the risks. Fortunately, Kodi has done fine with Advantix. Otherwise, he'd be a house-only dog from March through the beginning of Dec., because Frontline does nothing for us.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

krandall said:


> The trouble is that the Lyme vaccine is not very effective. Even here in the north east, our vet doesn't recommend it. He says prevention (to the extent possible) is a much better approach than hitting a vaccine sensitive breed with yet another vaccine.
> 
> Also, it depends on where you live whether Frontline will work. It's useless for us. Advantix works better, but still doesn't stop them all. I just have to (literally) go over him with a fine toothed comb after he's been out in the woods or tall grass.


I hear you. I comb my guys every night, but the little Lyme ticks are so tiny! I really wish my guys didn't have a reaction to Advantix, it worked well at repelling those nasty ticks! I have notice a big difference in using the Preventic collar along with the Frontline. The collar repels the ticks. It;s not as effective for my guys because you need to take it off if the dogs swims. In this hot weather, my guys have been swimming daily....


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

I actually had my yard sprayed for mosquitos and ticks...once a month til october. in the past we have been doing it ourselves with garlic spray...but I am so freaked out now since my diagnosis...I chose poison over ticks. I know that wouldn't help your gang Linda or Karen as you go hiking. 

I HATE TICKS!!! they think all ticks carry it now.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

lfung5 said:


> I hear you. I comb my guys every night, but the little Lyme ticks are so tiny! I really wish my guys didn't have a reaction to Advantix, it worked well at repelling those nasty ticks! I have notice a big difference in using the Preventic collar along with the Frontline. The collar repels the ticks. It;s not as effective for my guys because you need to take it off if the dogs swims. In this hot weather, my guys have been swimming daily....


I wish the collar was an option for us, but not with a long coat.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Missy said:


> I actually had my yard sprayed for mosquitos and ticks...once a month til october. in the past we have been doing it ourselves with garlic spray...but I am so freaked out now since my diagnosis...I chose poison over ticks. I know that wouldn't help your gang Linda or Karen as you go hiking.
> 
> I HATE TICKS!!! they think all ticks carry it now.


I have to ay, for whatever reason, we don't seem to have the tick problem (at least so far!!!) this year that we had last year. He's had one here and there, but no where NEAR as many! And I've yet to find a deer tick attached to him, just wood ticks. My theory is that the deer ticks are so small that it takes long enough for them to get to skin on a long haired dog that the Advantix kills them before they can attach. (that or they are more affected by the repellent than the dog ticks)


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Yikes! Is that true Missy? They think all ticks carry it now? I did find a dog tick attached to the inside of Scuds ear a couple weeks ago....


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

lfung5 said:


> Yikes! Is that true Missy? They think all ticks carry it now? I did find a dog tick attached to the inside of Scuds ear a couple weeks ago....


My vet told me the same thing... not that all INDIVIDUAL ticks carry the tick-borne diseases (not just Lyme, BTW) but that all the SPECIES of ticks, and even some mosquitoes have been found to be carrying these diseases.

I think (if I'm remembering correctly) that the percentage of individuals carrying Lyme and the other diseases borne by ticks is something between 30-40%.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I did vaccine Gucci against Lyme, but I don't want to find out if it works (or doesn't!) But I wonder if insurance would cover if they were vaccinated? Sounds like pet insurance is becoming a bit like Human insurance (finding ANY reason not to cover something )

That's pretty amazing that you had a diagnosis so quickly, hopefully he'll recover quickly :kiss:

Kara


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Linda, so glad Scudderis doing better. No insurance is perfect, but I think it is better than not having it. At least you'll get something back and hopefully they will do the right thing when they get your records.


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## luv3havs (Jul 27, 2007)

*Ticks*

My dogs are now wearing Preventic collars in addition to using Advantix2 because Frontline stopped working. We had found several brown dog ticks in the house!
Our vets don't recommend the Lyme vaccine, just testing and prevention.
However the vet at the groomer's place highly recommends it and said I should get it. Differences in medical opinion.. drives one crazy.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

this stuff, is a tough call. See my recent post Vaccination Update.


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