A dog owner who noticed her senior dog acting weirdly eventually discovered the root of this unusual behavior—$6,000 later. Adopting a senior dog with a preexisting condition, owner Michelle didn't see the financial benefit of getting Zippy pet insurance. She told via email that the insurance premium for senior dogs is incredibly high.
Plus, pre-existing conditions wouldn't be covered, which Zippy has with his heart condition. premiums can range from as little as $10 to 100 a month. The American Pet Health Insurance Association reported the average monthly cost of pet insurance premium as $56, however, pets with pre-existing conditions are likely to spend significantly more, especially as a pet ages.
Michelle was quoted $200 or more. The 13-year-old rescue started having a "terrible, unwavering cough" that appeared overnight Michelle said. The vets originally thought his condition progressed.
The team performed X-rays and ultrasounds when they spotted a foreign object. Michelle said the vets believed the foreign object was a separate issue, which would likely pass in a few days. But that wasn't sitting right with her and her partner.
"We had to advocate for our pup and were sure his heart condition couldn't have progressed that rapidly," Michelle said. "After many visits and more tests, the vets deduced that the foreign object was causing reflux and aspiration, leading to the cough." When they finally realized the object was causing pain for Zippy, the vets tried to induce .