# Do you have pet insurance? (oh and did I mention I just got a puppy?)



## cbobgo (Jun 20, 2013)

I took my new LGD pup to the vet for her first check up today, and he recommended pet insurance, and gave me a voucher for a free 30 day trial from a company called "trupanion."  I have not gotten pet insurance before, does anyone here use it, and specifically any experience with this company?

I wanted to add a pic of the newest member of the family, Zucherro, Zucci for short, our 10 week old Maremma pup.  She is the most mellow puppy I have ever seen, and is learning fast. But I can't seem to find a way to upload pics here.  Anyone give me a hint on how to do that?

Figured out the uploads, here's the pics!












- bob


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## Southern by choice (Jun 20, 2013)

:bun :bun :bun

Yay!  Congratulations! 

..and so begins an incredible journey into the LGD world!!!!!!!

No "pet insurance" here. We have 4 LGD's and 2 other dogs. 
We give all our dogs HW preventative ourselves, using ivermection as advised and under the supervision of  our veterinarian. 
We give all of our own vaccinations, except Rabies (by law), we run our own fecals and deworm as needed. Puppies are dewormed every 10 days til 16wks. Grooming, nail care, cleaning of ears etc we do ourselves.

If you are new to farming and new to dogs having a great vet is important. Many of us here have built relationships with our vets over the years and are generally able to do most things ourselves.

I would strongly recommend a farm vet for your new LGD. Small animal vets from dog and cat clinics really know nothing about LGD's and are not the best for understanding the needs of the LGD.


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## BlondeSquirrel04 (Jun 20, 2013)

I use VPI for 4 of my dogs. One has epilepsy and insuring her would cost way too much. Surprisingly, she is the dog who costs the least in vet bills.

I love it. After 2 emergency surgeries (bloat and foreign body), there's no way I wouldn't have it. I pay around $25/month/dog for accidental and injury coverage. It covers the major expenses like surgeries, x-rays, etc. It's not for routine care. 

There are tons of plans out there and I'd highly recommend it. You just never know when a $5,000 bill is around the corner!


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## Southern by choice (Jun 20, 2013)

at $5,000 I call that euthanasia... I'd rather donate that to a family in need or a kid that has cancer for human medical bills. To each his own though..

*Good point though Squirrel*- Vet bills are just going up. I guess I just don't ever see LGD's having issues with health, they really are different than "pet dogs". But you are very right, my mom's lab ate a towel... needed surgery... a year later did it again... surgery.... crazy! Then again IF the dog never had the towel, she wouldn't have been out 3,500. 

My dogs all are checked over when we have our yearly farm visit. My neighbor is also my vet, so the dogs are always "seen".


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jun 20, 2013)

We don't have pet insurance.  We make sure that our animals are taken care of, however, there would be no $5,000 surgery for any of our animals.  I would say that if you are type of person who would consider a large amount of money surgery or maintenance medicine or something like that, then I would consider it.  

Congrats on your new pup!  Be ready to be amazed!!!


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## babsbag (Jun 20, 2013)

I have VPI insurance on my 2 house dogs. I got it when they were pups and I pay 25.00 a month for each, but I have never had to use it and they are 6 years old now. Unfortunately the one time I needed it they were 10 weeks old and not insured as of yet. They both ended up being allergic to the lepto part of their puppy shot and took a late night trip to the pet emergency clinic for benadryl and observations. My poor border collie pups looked lilke Shar-peis; they were so swollen. That night cost me 500.00 

I do not have insurance on the LGDs. They are 3 years old and have never been to the vet other than rabies shots. I do all the preventative stuff myself.


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## Southern by choice (Jun 20, 2013)

No pup under 1 year should have lepto. PERIOD!

BC are very sensitive to vaccines anyway as they are to HW preventatives.

A few years ago there was a bad batch of rabies vaccines... ruined alot of dogs.


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## purplequeenvt (Jun 20, 2013)

Southern by choice said:
			
		

> No pup under 1 year should have lepto. PERIOD!
> 
> BC are very sensitive to vaccines anyway as they are to HW preventatives.
> 
> *A few years ago there was a bad batch of rabies vaccines... ruined alot of dogs.*


Really? Do you know how long ago?? We had 4 dogs given their rabies shot and 3 had horrible reactions to it probably 8 years ago or so. Seizures for one, severe un-coordination in other (from a swollen brain stem), the 3rd was in extreme pain for several days afterwards and died a year or two later from bladder cancer that the vet is sure was connected to the reaction. The first 2 are BCs and the 3rd was a Corgi.

The vet has asked me several times if I want to give my LGD pup the lepto shot. I keep saying no.


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## bcnewe2 (Jun 20, 2013)

Border collie do not fall into any category of sensitive to vaccines more than any other breeds, its the Collie breed that can have the MRD1 gene and be sensitive to ivermectin type wormers.  If a dog has the particular gene to make it sensitive to wormers it will usually be ALL wormers so you are sunk.

Southern is right, lepto should be given at least a year or more of age.  I don't give rabies till last least 6 months of age or older.

I give a series of 2 puppy shots then rabies around 8 months and nothing more till about a year and a half. After that, only every 3 years a or longer for  boosters. After the age of 5 or more I don't do any more vaccines.  I would want proof that all I have given has worn off. Definitely no more anything after 8.  

This is my personal protocol I expect no one to follow my actions.  Only putting it out there as to what I do.


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## Southern by choice (Jun 20, 2013)

bcnewe2 said:
			
		

> Border collie do not fall into any category of sensitive to vaccines more than any other breeds, its the Collie breed that can have the MRD1 gene and be sensitive to ivermectin type wormers.  If a dog has the particular gene to make it sensitive to wormers it will usually be ALL wormers so you are sunk.
> 
> Southern is right, lepto should be given at least a year or more of age.  I don't give rabies till last least 6 months of age or older.
> 
> ...


Sorry BCNewe- I meant the Aussie, of course this is not usually found in working lines. As far as the HW reactions more and more herding breeds are being discovered to have these issues. Makes me wonder why. Years ago I had 2 GSd that would have terrible reactions to HW prev. took them off and just monitored for HW. DM is also being found in so many herding breeds and now LGD breeds too. Very few are tested. My GSD was tested for DM, my pyrs will be also. 

I agree with the vaccine issues, I do dist/parvo at 5,8,12 wks. mostly from my past background I saw soooo many parvo cases. As far as "extra" vaccines I think it is best for the dog owner to see what is prevalent in their area. Lymes is pretty non- existant here in NC, but PA,MD,VA.and WV it is serious... unbelievable number of cases of Lymes. Coronavirus is also not here in our area in NC, so not necessary.

Years ago it was standard practice... NO VET gave lepto to pups... now they do.  

Rabies is the one thing we have to keep up with, one it is the law, and two we are in one of the highest rabies incidence in the *country*.


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## bcnewe2 (Jun 20, 2013)

No prob southern.  What is DM? 

There are changing protocols everyday for vaccines.  Dr. Jean Dodds has some outstanding research.  It is her research that is changing the laws state by state.  
http://www.weim.net/emberweims/Vaccine.html 

I'm on my tablet and not to good at working it so you'll have to cut and paste the link but it gives you her recommendations on vaccine protocol.  Do a Google on her name if you'd like to see her credentials, she is leading the research.


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## babsbag (Jun 21, 2013)

degenerative myelopathy (I think)


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## babsbag (Jun 21, 2013)

When I do my own puppy shots I don't do the lepto, but at the time we lived in the city and I bought a puppy plan for my BCs for thier first year so the vet did everything. The first shot was ok, the 2nd one was the allergic reaction, and the third one they skipped the lepto AND kept them at the vet's office all day for observation in case something happened while I was at work.

It was about 3 hours between the vaccine and the reaction. I took one pup to the emergency clinic, got home an hour later and turned around and went back with pup number 2. They are sisters. Of course the clinic charged my for another visit; but if I had taken them at the same time it would have only been one visit. I have that kind of luck at times.


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## bethh (Jun 2, 2018)

Hey there. 

 Cute puppy.  I'm new to LGD as I just got my first one today. 

 I have worked for years at Banfield.  They offer wellness plans for dogs and cats.  It includes all preventative care for a year and with puppies can include spay or neuter surgery.  So for a puppy it would cover all vaccines depending upon what you want to give your puppy, 3 fecal checks, 4 preventative dewormings with pyrantel, heartworm test after 8 months old, all office visits, 2 comprehensive physicals.  If your puppy were to get sick and needs to be seen, you don't pay an office visit and you'd get a discount on any meds or test needed.  Banfield is across the country and you can use your plan at any location.

With that being said, people either love or hate Banfield.  Research the hospital and see how their reviews are.


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## mystang89 (Jun 3, 2018)

I do not have insurance for my animals. I can barely afford insurance for myself, wife, and children.

Wonderful looking pup you have there!


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## Girlies' Mum (Jun 6, 2018)

I think having pet insurance is in part to do with the type of person you are (not counting financial considerations which may preclude it of course). I know many people here (UK) put money in a bank account reserved for their animal vet bills and reckon it is earning interest for them, not the insurance company. .

For me, pet insurance is a real must as I know if there is a very big problem, at the time i am most worried I only have to think of the dog's welfare, not about whether I can afford it, which would break my heart as they are family to me. (Unfortunately with my track record over 3 animals, the insurance company is probably bitterly regretting even taking me on and I am so glad I got it.)

 Even my new pup had to see a specialist neurologist aged 4 months and have tests costing about $2,500 for weird, abnormal movement attacks. She has an incredibly rare condition and they have stopped the attacks totally using a very specialist medication so now she is a beautiful, well little pup who I love dearly. The medication is not very expensive and she shouldn't need further expensive care for this. If I hadn't had insurance, I maybe wouldn't have been referred to the specialist centre and she would still be having these attacks (my own vets had never heard of the condition or the treatment). I wouldn't want to be without insurance for my peace of mind.

One thought - I belong to a FB group for dogs with cancer based in the US, and it seems that some of your insurance plans exclude some things like cancer whereas the UK companies are much more inclusive of the condition - I suggest reading the small print as a number of the members had a nasty shock.


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## BrendaMNgri (Jun 10, 2018)

The working dog liability insurance program is an option. 
I was contracted by the American Sheep Industry owned insurance companies to help create and implement it.
Those are some of my dogs, or dogs I bred, you see on the website.
Part of the package (which can be used for both LGDs and herding dogs) are loss prevention manuals that I wrote.
Check it out if you are concerned about liability issues revolving around the use of LGDs. If your dog bites someone,
what will you do? With WDLI you are covered. Their lawyers go to bat for you.
It is actually quite affordable.


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