Embrace Pet Insurance Blog

Guest post: A General Discussion of Orthopedic Issues in Dogs

In the Embrace Pet Insurance policy terms and conditions, and orthopedic condition is defined as: 
"related to the musculosketal system, which is made up of the body’s bones (the skeleton), muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, joints, and other connective tissue (the tissue that supports and binds tissues and organs together)."

So, with that rather unwieldy definition at the top of our mind, let's talk turkey about ortho conditions.

Today we have a guest post from Dr Susan Wright, Electric Dog Fence DIY's staff veterinarian, on the different types of orthopedic conditions.
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Orthopedic issues are a very common reason for dogs to visit their veterinarian. They relate to problems with the bones, muscles, joints and ligaments of his body. These problems can be as simple as a strained ligament, or as complicated as a fracture of the pelvis.

There are several causes of orthopedic problems in our dogs. Firstly, they may be congenital, where your dog is actually born with the condition. One example is patellar luxation, where his kneecap freely moves out of its groove in his thigh bone. If not treated appropriately, it leads to lameness and arthritis in your dog's knee joint.

Orthopedic conditions can also be developmental, where the condition develops more slowly, and is influenced by other factors as your dog matures. The best example is hip dysplasia. Whether or not your dog becomes affected by hip dysplasia depends not only on genetics, but also on his nutrition as he grows, and how much exercise he gets when he's young.

Lastly, they can be acquired, when your dog injures his musculoskeletal system while playing, or in an accident. Fractures associated with motor vehicle accidents, or cruciate ligament ruptures while playing ball are both examples of acquired orthopedic conditions.

When you take your dog to your vet with an orthopedic problem, there are times when it's easy to obtain a diagnosis. She will usually be able to feel a fractured bone in his leg, or recognize the abnormal movement of his knee joint when a ligament is torn. In every case of an orthopedic condition, x rays will be taken to firstly confirm the diagnosis, and secondly to assess if there is any further damage to surrounding tissues. In the case of a bone fracture, an x ray will also help your vet decide on the best technique for repairing the break.

When it comes to treatment, there are several options for your dog. There are many conditions that your regular vet is very qualified to manage, such as straightforward limb fractures; however, she may recommend that you take your dog to a board certified orthopedist for further treatment. These specialists have undergone specific training in orthopedics, and can perform difficult procedures such as total hip replacements.

In some cases, surgery is the best way of managing your dog's orthopedic problem; however other modes of treatment may also offer some relief. Anti-inflammatory pain relieving medication can be used in acute injuries, as well as for more chronic conditions such as arthritis. Those who are interested in alternative therapies are often very interested in trying acupuncture to treat their dogs. Many vets are recommending physical therapy and hydrotherapy in conjunction with more conventional treatments. Many times, our dogs must endure a period of restricted exercise while they recover.

We are very fortunate in that most orthopedic conditions in our dogs can be treated, bringing them pain relief and allowing them to return to normal mobility and function.
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This guest post is brought to you by Electric Dog Fence DIY's staff veterinarian Dr. Susan Wright. Dog Fence DIY takes you through all the steps of using an electric fence for dogs including installation, training, and how to find the best system for you and your pet. Electric Dog Fence offers a wide variety of different pet containment systems at the best available price to you.

Cruciate Ligament Surgery: Barron the Pit Bull Mix

Continuing Orthopedic Month at Embrace, I wanted to give you an example of how a persistent limp can turn into $7,000 of veterinary bills.

Here's the story of 5 year old pitbull mix Barron, who had not one, but TWO cruciate ligament injuries, requiring two major surgeries.

Barron's symptoms were not immediate, nor persistently bad, but his lameness flared up and down, particularly when he played hard. After a month or two of these symptoms, his owner took him to the vet and the cruciate ligaments were diagnosed by X-ray.

Here's an example of the costs associated with one of those surgeries performed in April 2009 in Newburgh, NY:

ITEM	BILLED AMOUNT
NYS Mandated Biological	$    4.50
Operating Theater	$ 17.30
Surgical Pack And Disposables	$ 32.00
Surgical Pack	$ 39.50
IV Cath /SQ Fluids	$ 50.00
Injections - Multiple	$ 50.50
OR/Orthopedic	$ 94.50
Anesthesia-Isofluorane	$   152.60
Cruciate Ligament Repair	$    2,250.00
Fentanyl Patch 5 day Pain 50ug/hr	$ 71.00
Fentanyl Patch 5 day Pain 25ug/hr	$ 39.00
Technician Assistant	$ 41.00
Nursing	$ 14.80
Morphine Inject	$    0.00
Telazol	$    0.00
Convenia Cefovecin  2 wk injection	$   105.00
Hospitalization	$ 74.50
NYS Mandated Biological	$    4.50
Medicated 2x daily	$ 29.00
Nursing	$ 14.80
Tramadol HCL #10 Qty 20	$ 25.15
Rimadyl 100mg  Qty 14	$ 47.37
	$    3,157.02

Remember, this is just one of two surgeries that Barron had to have for a total cost of treatment of $6,989.99.

Tom, Barron's owner says "After hearing horror stories from a friend about their dog and the costs involved with treatments he received, my wife and I looked into pet insurance and decided that Embrace was the way to go. Barron had to have not 1 but 2 major surgeries on his rear legs, after injuring one while playing, and the other by chasing after animals in our back yard. He also suffers from hip dysplasia."

Read more about Barron's cruciate ligament rupture claim over at the Embrace website.

Related posts:
November is Orthopedic Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
How much did you say a ruptured cruciate ligament cost to treat in my dog?
Ski - a dog who recovered from a cruciate ligament injury without surgery
What happens when my dog's cruciate ligament tears?
Tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) versus a Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) in dogs
$3,449 claim: Rottweiler with hip dysplasia has ACL repair

November is Orthopedic Month at Embrace Pet Insurance

Back before Embrace Pet Insurance was but a twinkle in my eye, I knew something about pet health (it's hard not to learn with a dog and at least 4 cats in the house at any one time as a kid) but nothing like I know now.

One area I was particularly weak on was canine orthopedic conditions. For some reason, our dogs never had issues with their hips, knees, or elbows, which we're very grateful for so I never had to learn from experience.

But at Embrace, I've learnt quickly. I'd say that orthopedic conditions are our number one category of claim by amount. For example, in the first half of 2009, as a percentage of total claimed amounts at Embrace:

• cruciate ligament ruptures accounted for over 9%
• hip dysplasia - 5%
• patellar luxation - 4%

Wow - nearly 20% of our claims were from just 3 orthopedic conditions!

These are interesting stats, particularly if you are considering different pet insurance policies for your dog. All of these conditions, cruciate ligaments included, are considered genetic in origin, meaning that they are inherited conditions (also known as breed-specific conditions as some breeds are more prone than others for getting certain conditions.)

So, if you want pet health insurance coverage for conditions your mixed or purebred dog is likely to get, you better get a policy that covers hereditary conditions, such as one from Embrace.

Since this type of claim is so important in the grand scheme of things, November is Orthopedic Month at the Embrace blog. I'll explore orthopedic issues in a series of articles from a number of different perspectives. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Oh, and be sure to let me know if you have any particular orthopedic topics you'd like to cover and I'll make sure to address as many as I can throughout the month.

Related Posts:
How much did you say a ruptured cruciate ligament cost to treat in my dog?
$3,449 claim: Rottweiler with hip dysplasia has ACL repair
Hip dysplasia in dogs (and cats)
What happens when my dog's cruciate ligament tears?
Ski - a dog who recovered from a cruciate ligament injury without surgery

Press Release: Embrace Pet Insurance is better than alien abduction insurance!

I thought you'd like that headline! It's the topic of our latest press release.

Embrace Pet Insurance Celebrates Its Third Anniversary of Selling Pet Health Insurance Policies in the US

Embrace has grown from its humble beginnings of 2 Wharton MBA students with an award-winning business plan, to a top-quality and highly rated pet health insurance company

Mayfield Village, OH – As any veterinarian knows, it’s the first few years of a clinic’s operations that are the hardest. Embrace Pet Insurance knows firsthand that the same goes for early stage pet health insurance companies, which makes passing Embrace’s 3^rd anniversary this October all the more meaningful. Embrace has grown from its humble beginnings of 2 Wharton MBA students with an award-winning business plan, to a top-quality and highly rated pet health insurance company with thousands of four-legged customers and millions of dollars of premiums.

 

Now that Embrace Pet Insurance has three years under its collar, it is really seeing the momentum of its campaign to change the flighty image of pet health insurance. Laura Bennett, Co-Founder and Chief Embracer, says “I always joke that pet health insurance wasn’t considered much above Alien Abduction Insurance in the past, but underneath it all, there’s a kernel of truth to it; the lack of trust that pet parents have had in pet health insurance has been well earned over the years. Embrace has worked hard to change the perception and reality of pet insurance to one we are proud of being a part of and we see the overall level of confidence in pet insurance building significantly.”

 

Embrace’s appeal to pet parents is its comprehensive and flexible coverage partnered with a consistent and caring customer experience that provides exactly what Embraced pet parents expect in an unexpectedly personal manner. Likewise, veterinarians are seeing a product that does what they expect it to do – cover hereditary conditions and pay based on the actual vet bill, not a benefit schedule.

 

When Alex Krooglik, Embrace’s Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer was asked to comment on Embrace’s success over the last three years, he just pointed to Embrace’s customer reviews saying “Don’t ask to me, listen to our pet parents; they say it all.” Julie Wade, an Embrace customer since 2008, says:

 

“When my 15 month old was diagnosed with luxating patella, I was shocked. When I had the consultation and got the bill, I was devastated. The doctor told me my insurance would more than likely not cover it. I did my footwork anyway, and Embrace kept me posted almost daily on what they needed from me, and what would be left to do. It brought me to tears when my puppy's surgery was authorized. I am eternally grateful for the financial load they lifted off my shoulders. That left me with the ability to focus on my pet. They even asked for pictures so they could see my puppies! I really felt like they cared about my puppy, and when surgery was done, I got an email with well wishes. They are top notch, and amazing.”

 

Dr. Rex Riggs, a veterinarian, veterinary practice owner, and Board member of Embrace Pet Insurance, says “Ever since I became aware of Embrace Pet Insurance, I have really been impressed. Embrace has a great track record with customer service and paying claims and they are doing it through a different and more effective model then the other pet insurance companies.  With the economy being what it is, I have seen people balk at procedures that they would not have questioned in the past. Clients that have pet insurance definitely will do more procedures and tend to follow recommended treatment plans. The clients then realize better lifetime health for their pets.”  

 

Embrace celebrates its progress over the last 3 years and looks forward to Embracing more and more pet parents and their pets over the coming year, while retaining the personal touch it has become famous for.

 

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About Embrace Pet Insurance

Embrace Pet Insurance Agency LLC is a specialist insurance agency headquartered in Mayfield Village, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. Embrace was founded by Laura Bennett and Alex Krooglik, pet parents who also happen to be insurance experts, and offers self-serve, customizable pet health insurance for dogs and cats. All policies are underwritten by certain underwriters of Lloyd's of London. Embrace is based on core principles of taking an open and honest approach with its customers that is captured in its Customer Bill of Rights. On the web at Embrace Pet Insurance and the Embrace Pet Insurance blog.  

 

About the North American Pet Health Insurance Association

Laura Bennett, CEO and Co-Founder of Embrace Pet Insurance is on the Board of Directors of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA). Founded 2007, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association is committed to educating and promoting the values and benefits of quality pet health insurance to North American pet owners, the general public, and veterinary community. As an association, we are committed to high standards and transparency in all of our actions and products. To learn more, visit the North American Pet Health Insurance Association website at http://www.naphia.org

 

National Health Insurance Association Confirms Reports - Coverage Going to the Dogs!

Another classic pet insurance title but in this case, it's true! Pet insurance is going to the dogs - literally.

Even though there are more cats than dogs in North America, only 10% of them are insured and that alarming statistic is the topic of NAPHIA's latest press release:

"Pet owners need to know that wellness visits aren't only about updating vaccines. Most importantly, a wellness visit with a healthy pet provides an important time to discuss any changes owners may or may not have noticed since the last visit. Assessing the cat's weight, its diet, and checking for any signs of diseases early can be life-saving and not only will be less costly to treat if caught early, but also is more likely to prevent pain and discomfort as the disease progresses." According to Dr. Jane Brunt, DVM, and Chair of CATalyst. 

Here's another interesting statistic courtesy of the American Veterinary Medical Association in the U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook: the percentage of cat-owning households that received no veterinary care in 2006 was 36.3 percent, compared to 17.3 percent of dog-owning households. So with an estimated 82 million cats in the United States, cats are twice as likely as dogs not to see a veterinarian and many feline diseases or illnesses go undiagnosed and untreated.

So, for those of you who have cats - take them to the vet at least once a year. If your cat is nice and healthy and all is good, you took a few minutes out of your day for your catly duty. Or, you find a health condition that you can treat more easily than if you'd left it until "signs" showed because you found it nice and early.

For those of you passionate about cats, The American Association of Feline Practitioners has a great website with educational (and interesting!) articles (including signs and symptoms you  should know) and a  feline practitioner locator. Check them out at www.catvets.com.

Picture: L: Rosie looking at you - yes, you! Next: Rocket honing her actuarial skills. R: proud momma Laura Bennett (moi!)

Celebrating Embrace Pet Insurance's 3rd anniversary - hello to year 4!

Can you believe it? Three years ago, in October 2006, we sold our first Embrace pet health insurance policy. Yes, it was to cover Lily, my newly rescued cat, but it wasn't too long after that that a brave soul, who wasn't a friend or family or a competitor, also bought an Embrace policy too - much to our delight and amazement.

We've come a long way from only being able to sell policies over the phone (it was another 6 months before we launched our first e-commerce website) and the only information about our policies was on this very blog. I'm still amazed that people actually picked up the phone and called us to buy a policy. We appreciate it very much.

Much has happened at Embrace over the last 3 years. If you are interested, we have a brief history of Embrace on our website. 

Most importantly though, every Embracer would like to thank YOU, the thousands of pet parents who put your trust in Embrace on behalf of your  cats and dogs. Simply stated, we wouldn't exist without your confidence we will be there when you need us.

I wonder what things will look like for Embrace in another 3 years. What do you think? 

The Human Benefits of Pets and Pet Insurance

Do you think that pet insurance is over the top given the current discussion about human health insurance in the US?

NAPHIA just put out a press release: Pets Provide Better Human Health and Wellness and Reduce Healthcare Costs - a rather timely topic these days. 

As a pet parent who doesn't work out very much these days (unless you count giving my girls piggy back rides from bed to breakfast table to get them up in the morning), this is the part I really like:

Documented studies on human health suggest that pet ownership bestows the following benefits: 

• Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
• Higher survival rates from heart attacks
• Significantly lower use of general practitioner services
• Reduced risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis in children exposed to pet allergens during the first year of their life
• Better physical and psychological well-being for seniors

It's good to know that while I'm vacuuming up the cat-fur-dust-bunnies, they are good for my girls who will certainly never be allergic to cats!

Seriously though, the press release discusses the question ‘why provide pet insurance when so many humans do not have health coverage?'

What do you think?

1. Even the thought of pet insurance is outrageous - if they get sick, just put them down
2. People can do what they want with their money - none of my business
3. Pet insurance helps reduce the financial risk of having a pet in the family and is part of my "pet parenting" responsibilities - I wouldn't do anything less.

Feel free to comment...

September is National Pet Health Insurance Month

September 2009 is National Pet Health Insurance Month and the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) is celebrating by wanting to put money in your pocket or that of your favorite veterinarian.

We like money in our pockets, don't we?

What do you need to do?

Either:

for a $500 prize to you: 
submit a story of how pet health insurance has helped you in a situation when your pet was in need of medical care.

...and/or

for an educational grant and a plaque of excellence for your favorite veterinarian:
nominate your favorite veterinarian by telling NAPHIA why their vet deserves this honor.

Check out NAPHIA's webpage on National Pet Health Insurance month for more details but just so you know, all submissions must be received by September 30, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST so get them in now!

FYI... As I'm on NAPHIA's Board, I'll be reading your stories and nominations - I can't wait to see them!

Guest Post: Should Your Dog Get the New Canine Flu Vaccine?

Tis the season of hurricanes, tornadoes and the flu and I'm delighted to welcome Dr. Susan Wright to guest blog on the topic of canine flu. No need to panic; she's got all the facts in hand. Read on...

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The media has been full of information and advice about influenza lately. First equine flu, then swine flu, and now canine flu. It's not hard to understand why people become alarmed about diseases such as influenza, when they spread so rapidly and may be fatal. In the last few days, Canine Flu cases have been confirmed in Virginia, New York, Colorado, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. So what should you do?

In June 2009, The United States Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine against canine influenza; however, if you spend some time researching the disease, you'll discover that canine flu may not be as big an issue as you may think.

Vets first identified canine flu in 2004 in Florida, but it is thought that it was prevalent in racing greyhounds from 1999. The virus seems to have evolved from the similar equine influenza virus.

Canine flu is quite a new disease, so most dogs won't have any immunity to the virus. Approximately 80% of dogs exposed to the virus will fall ill. The remaining 20% of dogs, although showing no symptoms, are infected and may still spread disease.

Dogs pick up the virus from the sneezes or saliva of dogs who are carrying the infection. It may take 5 to 7 days after infection before a dog shows any sign of being ill. Having said that, the period before the symptoms show is when an infected dog is most likely to spread the virus. A dog that looks to be perfectly healthy may well be spreading lots of virus in his environment.

There are two types of canine flu - one is a fairly mild form, and the other is a severe, possibly fatal form. The majority of infected dogs develop the mild form of canine flu.

In the mild cases, dogs may cough and have a runny nose. These symptoms can last a month or more. They don't eat, they have a high temperature, and are depressed and lethargic. It's not uncommon for people to think their dog just has the familiar kennel cough instead of canine influenza; the symptoms are very similar.

If a dogs condition worsens, they can develop pneumonia, and have difficulty breathing. Up to ten percent of dogs affected with the severe type of the disease will die. Dogs are much more likely to succumb to the more severe type of canine flu if they are already ill, such as those with cancer, or chronic disease.

To confirm a diagnosis of canine flu, an unwell dog will need to have a blood test, which will detect the presence of antibodies to the virus. A dog that recovers from canine flu infection seems to be immune to repeat infection for several years.

Whether you should vaccinate your dog depends on your circumstances, your dog's general health, and whether or not he will be at increased risk of severe canine flu.

The disease is likely to spread in environments where dogs are allowed to get close to each other. If your dog often stays in a boarding kennel, or you go to shows or training classes, you may want to consider vaccinating your dog. Similarly, if you take your dog to dog parks, or if he accompanies you as you help out in a shelter, your vet may recommend a vaccine for him.

You may also want to consider vaccination if your dog does have an underlying medical condition. These dogs are more at risk of developing severe canine flu. If your dog prefers to be a homebody, and doesn't venture out much apart from an occasional stroll in the neighborhood, many vets would suggest vaccination isn't really necessary.

The virus itself only lasts a week or so in the environment, and it is easily killed by regular household bleach. So, hygiene is very important in preventing the spread of the disease. Make sure you wipe down any show benches you use, and don't let your dog drink from public drinking bowls. The other thing to keep in mind is that the vaccine doesn't prevent infection, it just lessens the severity of any symptoms and reduces the spread of the virus.

If you need more information, speak to your vet about whether or not he or she recommends vaccination for your dog. And finally, there is no evidence that canine flu spreads to humans.

Dr. Susan Wright is veteran veterinarian who blogs for DogFenceDIY.com, a site that shows dog lovers how to safely contain their dog with an underground fence.

To treat or not to treat Cushing's Disease

Over at Wellsphere, I had a heart-breaking question on one of my Cushing's Disease posts that I thought worth sharing here. The answer is from our esteemed veterinary consultant, Dr. Heather Carleton.

Question:

I have a minature schnauzer, Kizzie. She turned 11 in Feb. She was diagnosed with epilepsy at 3 and enlarged heart. She has been on 3 meds 2 times a day since. She has been to the vet hospital 3 times with pancreatitis and has cost me about $5,000 in medical bills. A couple of months ago she was diagnosed with Cushings.

I love her very much, but am at the breaking point financially with her. She is a member of the family, but for now I have chosen not to treat her with the additional expensive meds that the vet wants to put her on. Do you know the life expectancy of a dog with cushings...with no treatment?

She has just started loosing her fur in the past 2 weeks. She seems tired a lot and a bit weak, but other than that she is in good spirits and is not wimpering or anything like she is in any pain. From what I've read, the best to expect is 20-30 months...with meds...can't find anything out about without meds...If you know, I'd appreciate it!

Answer:

In general, a dog with untreated Cushing's can actually live as long as a treated dog, but will likely have more side effects (over time) from the disease if not treated. Usually treatment for Cushing's is not even recommended unless the dog has clinical signs because treatment does not necessarily change their overall life span - it just keeps them from being polyuric (urinating a lot), polydypsic (drinking a lot), losing their hair, etc.

However, in this case, if the dog is showing signs of weakness, the Cushing's may be having a negative impact on the dog's heart condition, which would be a reason to treat her if financially possible.

Regardless of whether or not this dog is treated, I would monitor her heart disease, especially if weakness persists or she starts coughing.

[from Laura: my heart goes out to you and your dog. Thank you for sharing your real life story]

Note:
As with any of your pet's health conditions, if you are worried about your pet, talk to your veterinarian - the internet is no substitution for an in-person visit.

Related Posts:
Cushing's Disease in Cats and Dogs

Photo courtesy of the Miniature Schnauzer Rescue of Houston - donations welcome