Pet insurance

Should we take out pet insurance for our cats? Medical or accident emergencies are hard to predict and the cost of the best treatment can challenge many budgets. If insurance is taken out while your pet is young then you can cover most eventualities. Sally’s story is typical of many we see every week. Names and faces have been changed to protect the not so innocent!

Sally lives with her retired carer, Kathy. Besides food and sleep her life’s work is keeping a close eye on the street. One night last summer she checked out one yard too many.

A German Shepherd defended his territory and left Sally with a broken leg and a gaping wound on her back. She limped home to Kathy who bundled her into the car and straight over to the emergency centre at Fyshwick.  The casualty team treated Sally for shock. Once she was stable they anaesthetised her, sutured the wound and splinted her leg.

Next morning Kathy brought her back to Hall Vet Surgery. Dr Jim X-rayed her leg and suggested the most appropriate fracture repair. Kathy wanted the best for her little friend and readily agreed to the surgery.

Because Kathy had taken out pet insurance for Sally when she was a kitten she did not have to break into her retirement savings. The insurance meant that she did not have to compromise and could give Sally the very best and most effective treatment. The morning after surgery she was thrilled to see Sally up and walking on the leg.

Sally stayed in hospital for 5 days so we could dress her wound and continue pain relief and antibiotics. Purr therapy and constant nursing care helped Sally through her long week away from home.

Pet insurance made all the difference to the outcome of Sally’s adventure. Without it Kathy could not have afforded the emergency care, fracture repair or the hospitalisation. She may not have recovered as completely and as rapidly as she did.

Kathy visited Sally daily, delighted with her rapid recovery and the care we lavished on her. When Sally was finally allowed to go home the insurance company reimbursed her for the bulk of the cost of the emergency care at Fyshwick, and the surgery and recovery at Hall.